916 March 4-5, 2023 Full Moon In The Desert

I started with a nice long walk through the desert, to the circle in town and then uphill back to the campground.

We packed the Jeep with coolers and our overnight stuff and drove to Fish Creek Wash.  From there, we chose Lycium Wash. 

We drove to the end and got out to explore.

This narrow passage had large boulders and looked to be a difficult hike. 

We got back to the Jeep and found a campsite. 

As I was rolling a rock out of the way, I found  2 inch scorpion underneath.  I tried to take a picture but I just wasn’t quick enough.  Tim stomped on it.  We were camping and it didn’t feel too safe to sleep with a living scorpion.  Even so, he wasn’t sure if he killed it.  We decided to move our camping spot another few feet. 

Tim turned over another rock and found this speedy centipede.

We had been gathering firewood each time we camped out but here there wasn’t much to be found.  We had a few pieces and we were looking for some deadwood near our campsite.  I had my hands full when the ranger arrived.  She was very nice but she scolded us and asked us to put the wood we collected back where we got it!  She also took exception to our campsite saying that we had driven offroad.  She let us stay though. 

The sun set on our site at about 4pm because of the surrounding mud hills.  The wind picked up and it was hard to keep the flame going on the cookstove.  We were able to move everything and use the Jeep as our wind block…and omelets were served.

The sky turned pretty; pastel.

The moon was almost full and brilliant.  It cast long shadows on the coarse, white sand.  The wind settled and we enjoyed the fire, watching the wood burn.

I was awake first this morning and I had fun starting the morning fire and making the coffee.  It was cold and the fire felt good!  These are usually Tim’s jobs.  I earned my merit badge today!

The sun was more of a promise than a presence.

We took our time packing gear.

We drove to Oyster Wash.  We had thought we might camp here last night but it was a good decision to go out to Lycium Wash because there were lots of other campers here.

We stopped for breakfast and walked around a little. 

Nearly every wash is filled with wildflowers.

I love to see flowers blooming in unexpected places…small miracles.

We got back to the RV and unpacked and then crashed.  We both took rest days.  A hot shower always feels wonderful after desert camping.

915 March 3, 2023 Falling From The Sky

Happy Birthday David!  You make us so proud and we love you!

We started early at the Friday farmer’s market.  Town was very busy this morning.  A beautiful day and the promise of nice weather this weekend and people were out and about!  Fresh berries and greens and one small loaf of banana bread…we resisted the croissants and the sourdough bread.  Our last market before we move on. 

We stopped for some coffee and sat in the sunshine enjoying the warmth.

I walked and talked with Mom and David and logged more than 3 miles.

We packed our bikes and left from Pegleg.  We cycled along Henderson Canyon Road.  There were lots of flower peepers.  This Miata Club was parked and drivers were traipsing among the posies taking pictures.

We biked to Seley Ranch and there was red grapefruit for sale…12 for $6.00!  Tim loaded them into his saddlebags.

We stopped again when we saw parachutes floating in the sky above us.  We watched for a long time as soldiers loaded into the plane.  We watched the plane climb high and then we could see parachutes popping open and drifting down.  It was the coolest thing!

Dust devil.

We biked on and finished just over 12 miles.

This evening, we packed our dinner and drove to Font’s Point to watch the sunset.  On our way, we saw a couple standing by the road, their vehicle stuck in the soft sand on the shoulder.  We stopped and Tim got out the tow strap and pulled the car out.

On our way again!

View of the Badlands.

We ate dinner while the sun slipped away with little fanfare.

As we drove back to the campground, we saw another couple standing along the road, waving their arms.  We stopped and we could see an Expedition with its rear tires buried in deep soft sand.  Tim got out the tow strap for a second time and pulled the car out.  Two saves in one evening.

Tim was talking today with a guy who works here in the resort. He told Tim that the winds in Borrego Springs last Tuesday were measured at 102mph. One of the RV’s here had a window blowout. It is actually really surprising that there wasn’t more damage.

We just never know what the day will bring!

914 March 2, 2023 Middle Willows At Coyote Creek

When we settled for bed last night, the wind was roaring. There had been gusts to 60mph all day. We kept the slideouts pulled in to protect the covers. At almost midnight, it was suddenly quiet and we slept.

This morning it was sunny and already warming and there was NO WIND!!

There were three snowplows headed up the mountain…but no snow here!

I took an almost 5-mile walk through the park to the trailhead. There were lots of songbirds flitting about and I saw several hummingbirds.

The ocotillo are turning green and blooming after recent rains.

There were mama bighorns and some lambs on the steep and rocky hillside.

Tim took a good hike up on the ridge.

This afternoon, we took a Jeep ride to Coyote Canyon.

More pretty flowers.

We saw a Marine helicopter overhead and watched as it practiced flying low and then up and over the mountains.

Snow covered peaks.

We took the rough road until it became too littered with rocks to be easily passable.

Tim parked the Jeep and we hiked to Middle Willows along the Coyote Creek.

What a lovely day. We were so grateful for the brilliant sunshine. We headed back as evening came.

We were happy and hungry by the time we got back to the RV. We walked to the resort restaurant and ordered burgers with sweet potato fries. They were such a treat and delicious!

913 March 1, 2023 Box Canyon Road In Mecca

It rained all night.  It was raining this morning but the sun was also in and out.  We did have a beautiful rainbow. 

There was a brief pause in the showers and I tried to get out and walk.  The wind was blowing at about 17mph.  Walking into the wind was miserable.  I headed into town with the wind at my back.  I didn’t get very far before I had to make a call for help.  For the second time in two days, Tim rescued me!

There is a new sculpture in front of the tennis club.

There is a wind advisory until 10pm tonight and the forecast is for continued rain.  I thought that we would spend this whole nasty day in the RV.  Tim looked at the weather in Mecca.  We decided to take a ride to Box Canyon. 

The road was wet and there were puddles in the desert.

We drove away from winter and toward sunshine and blue skies.

Box Canyon Road sits right along the San Andreas Fault.  The geology here is very interesting. 

We got out and walked but our first attempt ended with this chute.

We drove a short distance further and tried again.  We walked for a long time in this canyon. 

There are wildflowers blooming here that we haven’t seen in Borrego and some cactus we haven’t seen before as well.

There was graffiti and lots of people had etched things into the soft rock.  There was lots of trash too.  I don’t care if people come out and shoot at stuff but they could clean up after themselves.  I cannot tell you how much this angers me.  It enrages me that some people have this complete disregard for the environment.  I just don’t get it!

We saw an opportunity for a Jeep ride and stopped at the kiosk to take a picture of the map. 

We took Little Box Canyon Trail to Mecca Copia Trail through the Colorado Desert and all the way to the Salton Sea at North Shore.

As we headed back to Borrego Springs, we were assaulted by gusty winds and in the distance, we could see dense black clouds, blowing dust, and rain bands.  It was eerie and otherworldly. The temperature dropped to 40 degrees and the “rain” was making splats on the windshield…ugh…back to winter. 

We ran from the Jeep into the Red Ocotillo where we ate a late lunch/early dinner. 

We are now in the RV, bundled in blankets and with the furnace blasting.  This is not the weather we expected here in the Southern California Desert!

912 February 28, 2023 Truckhaven

I knew that we planned to hike today so I took only a one mile walk around the campground this morning.

We packed a cooler and took the Jeep for a ride to Truckhaven Rocks.  These huge sandstone monoliths are tilted out of the earth due to movement along the San Jacinto Fault 3 or 4 million years ago.  The Santa Rosa Mountains run at the center of this faultline.  

We took the steep and winding Jeep trail. 

We passed a couple walking the road and stopped to check on them.  We chatted for several minutes with Mitch and Cindy from New Hampshire before continuing around the hairpin turns.

We parked at the Calcite Mine Slot Trail.  First, we walked east, downhill.  The walls rose high as we walked deeper into the chasm. 

We came to a steep dry waterfall about 3 feet high.  I knew that I could get down, I scooted on my butt.  Even as I was scooting, I was wondering how I was going to get back up on the way out.  Tim assured me that I would get out and on we trekked.  We had two other severe drop-offs and I was able to get myself down without issue.  This was such a beautiful place and such a cool hike, that we didn’t want to stop.  At last, there was a narrow spot with a 5-foot drop-off that Tim wasn’t sure about.  Here we turned back. 

At the first obstacle, I ended up using Tim’s knee as a step to get myself up and over as he pushed from behind.  At the second, Tim had to scramble up before me and he helped to pull me up.  At the third area, I saw a work around and I was able to climb up the side and around the top of the boulder. 

We decided to hike the western side of the canyon as well. 

The obstacles here were easily navigated until this.

I decided to stop and drink water and eat a protein bar and I encouraged Tim to continue. 

He was back fairly quickly.  Up ahead, there was a boulder that was just too big to surmount.

We walked to the Jeep and on our way, we met Mitch and Cindy hiking in.  We chatted for a while and then we offered them a ride back to their car.  We wanted them to finish their hike and so we went back and Tim had his gruel. 

Mitch and Cindy met us and we ferried them the 3 miles to Palm Wash at the base of the hill leading to the parking lot.  They were interesting to talk to and we enjoyed our brief visit.

We parted ways.  Tim and I drove down Palm Wash through the mud hills and all the way to Route 86 in Salton City.

We never tire of this view. The mountains around us look different all the time…the sun, the shadows, the light, the clouds.

We got back to the RV in midafternoon.  The Borrego Bread lady had made our sourdough delivery.  We managed to wait until after 4 to eat it.  We relished our feast!