This morning I walked 3 ½ miles through the state park. There was a woman there painting the scenery. What a beautiful place to find inspiration!
This afternoon, we cycled from the circle in town along Henderson Canyon Road and all the way to the outskirts on Peg Leg Road and then made a loop back. We rode almost 15 miles. It was a little chilly but we had plenty of nice sunshine and we got some good work done!
After our ride, we rested for the remainder of the day. Apparently, we had had enough adventure!
I went back to the harbor to take my morning walk with the intention of heading down the beach toward the town.
As I was walking on the docks, I heard sea lions calling to me from across the water. I changed course and went to find them. This was more than likely a group of males. They don’t mind hanging out together during the winter and they like marinas.
We spent the morning shopping at Walmart and Sprouts to restock supplies and groceries that we aren’t able to get in Borrego Springs. As we left the grocery store, the cashier asked where I was from. I told her that we had come from Borrego Springs to shop. She said “The road back to Borrego Springs is so pretty, make sure you enjoy the ride!” I told her that we would…that we do. She replied “So many people don’t!”
We left Oceanside and took the scenic ride home, Route 76E, another road that we have never been on before! There is only one way to get back and that involves traveling over the mountains.
The views were gorgeous.
We were surprised at the amount of agriculture we encountered. There were orange and lemon groves, avocado orchards, palm farms, and flower and plant nurseries. The valleys were green and there was a river that ran parallel to the highway for much of the way.
We tried to visit the Wilderness Gardens Preserve but they are closed on Wednesdays. We did have our lunch outside the gate.
We tried to stop at the Cleveland National Forest Picnic Area but it was closed for maintenance today. We tried to go to Lake Henshaw and it was also closed.
After about 2 hours of driving, the landscape became scruffy and rocky and we were back in the desert.
It took us about an hour to unload and unpack and then we had a restful evening. We really enjoyed our coastal adventure. There is still a lot of the California coast that we have not seen and that will have to be a future trip!
I was looking forward to a walk on the beach this morning. I got to the access stairs and saw that it was high tide, the waves coming all the way in to the bluffs. The beach was imapssable. I did stand for a long time taking it in…watching the waves and the pelicans.
I had a great alternative walking path, the Solana Beach Coastal Rail Trail was right across the street from the hotel.
I crossed the pedestrian bridge. The surface was studded with tiny bits of red and orange and yellow galss. the bridge led to a high end designer shopping district and so I turned around and walked back toward the hotel.
I found Fletcher Cove Park.
We left Solana Beach and headed north, stopping first at Cardiff By the Sea. The surfers were out in force today.
We also saw whales along the horizon, pelican diving among the surfers, and some small shorebirds.
We took our time exploring the beaches along our way.
I have never seen squirrels on the beach before. This pair seemed to be very comfortable near people.
We passed through Carlsbad, a town with tons of shops and restaurants.
In Oceanside, we found a gem, Beach Hut Deli. We got delicious salads and took them to the beach.
After lunch, we walked on the pier.
This woman was feeding pigeons and sitting still with her hand outstretched, waiting for a bird to take food from her.
We got to the hotel and our room was not yet available. We (Tim) accidentally locked the keys in the car and Nicholas came to rescue us. By then, we were able to go upstairs and rest.
This evening, we ventured out to the Oceanside Harbor. We walked from the hotel and toward the beach.
We would not have noticed this sea lion swimming in the marina, but he barked at us and this caught our attention!
We chose Oceanside Broilers for our dinner. We both had soup and then orange coconut crusted salmon…so yummy…I may have to attempt to recreate it!
This quote was etched into the concrete on the pedestrian bridge in Del Mar.
After our morning exercises were complete, we packed the Jeep and drove away from Borrego Springs.
We drove back up and over the mountains and west.
We stopped for a breakfast break in Ramona. This is a neat little town that we could have explored further, but today, we had other plans.
We traveled through horse and vineyard country and toward the coast.
After being ensconced in the desert, the opulence and busyness of the coast was almost an assault on our senses…sensory overload! Lots of beautiful mansions perched among the rocks and hills. Lots of greenery and landscaping. Lots of wealth.
After some quiet time, we walked down to the water’s edge. The chilly moist air and the smell of the ocean were refreshing and rejuvenating. Oh, how I love the beach!
We found ourselves walking on a dog beach…pure unadulterated joy!
We walked as far as the San Dieguito Lagoon; a river outlet to the sea.
We walked back along the highway, making our way through this beautiful garden, a tribute to “All Dogs.”
Before going to dinner, we stopped at the Solana Beach CVS. We had called ahead and our prescription was ready. Using this national chain while we have been traveling has been so convenient. Unfortunately, there isn’t a CVS in Borrego Springs…hence the reason for this trip!
We had seen a seafood restaurant, Brigadine, earlier in the day. We returned there this evening and had an excellent meal.
Tomrrow we will go north, further up the coast and see what we see!
Saturday, another great walk in the state park. The time passed quickly as I chatted with Kyle and Allison and my mom.
Tim and I took our bikes into the circle and went for a great 8-mile ride.
We took a break at the Indian head sculpture.
The turtles are one of my favorites.
We also stopped at the Borrego Valley Hawkwatch. We walked the short distance to the benches and waited and watched. No hawks today…but gorgeous views of the mountains all around.
It was really cloudy today and it looked like the mountains were holding the weather back.
We actually had a few sprinkles for about a minute late in the afternoon.
I cooked salmon on the grill, watching the sky.
Sunday morning was a beautiful morning to be in Borrego Springs! I saw this tree filled with doves. I am not certain if they are mourning doves or white winged doves. They coo every morning here in the campground. It’s a lovely soothing song.
I saw a club of about 30 4WD pickup trucks all modified and with big, noisy engines…lots of testosterone right there!
I felt really good and walked 4.5 miles. I did take a break in this courtayrd by a fountain while I talked with my mom.
I also saw a cycling club biking through.
The rest of the day we spent quietly. Tim biked for awhile this afternoon and watched NFL playoff games. I cleaned and did laundry. We both packed suitcases. Tomorrow we are going on a field trip to the coast. We are leaving the RV in Borrego Springs and will spend a night in a hotel in Solana Beach and then a second night in Oceanside. We are excited to go. We have not seen this part of the California coast and we are looking forward to seeing something different!
I walked to the circle in town and Tim met me there with the Jeep.
We walked through the Farmers Market choosing croissants…but just 2!
Mediterranean treats like hummus and falafel and dolmas.
We picked cara cara and blood oranges, spinach, avocadoes, asparagus, and strawberries.
Tim took our goodies back to the RV and went to finish his workout. I took a long walk home, walking past the park and churches.
We stopped at a small roadside stand yesterday. Tim likes to try new things and he chose these pickeled quail eggs…I haven’t tried them but he says they are very good!
Today was a little bit cloudy and a little chillier…yes, we are certainly becoming spoiled!
We each rode our bikes but most of the day was spent quietly.
We did pack salads with grilled chicken and all our fresh produce…and of course, those croissants! We went to the Borrego Springs Park. We walked after dinner, enjoying the sunset. We noticed the plaques in the sidewalk corresponded to a walk in the Cosmos. It was fun to walk among the planets. Each foot represented 3 million miles in space.
We left today after our morning routines were accomplished. We took the Jeep to nearby Julian. The road to get there began as a winding road that climbed.
We have traveled this way before and we were surprised again by the drastic change in landscape. The diversity was evident as we drove from the barren desert ascending into the mountains and then descended into the greener valley with trees and streams and cattle ranches.
Last year we passed through Julian but due to COVID, we elected not to stop. It had been a weekend and the town was extremely crowded. Today, we were able to snag a parking spot and we walked along the streets, popping into nice stores with all kinds of beautiful gifts and clothing. There were shops filled with honey and preserves and cheeses. There were lots of restaurants and a brewery, a cidery, and a winery.
There were lots of pie shops. There are orchards here and Julian is famous for their pie. We were able to leave without buying any pie…or anything else…as fun as it was to look, we really don’t need to buy anything!
It has been our observation that people who live here in California are different that those people we know back east. Not in a good way or a bad way…just different…and that’s okay!
We drove to Jeremy’s on the Hill for a late lunch. The food was outstanding. Tim had lobster bisque and we shared a plate of the restaurant’s famous crispy Brussel sprouts. Tim had salad topped with ahi tuna and I had been craving a burger. They featured grass fed beef and I knew that it would be delicious. The menu offered a burger keto salad bowl…no bun, no fries. This was an amazing alternative and I was thrilled with my meal! I should have taken pictures of our food…it was beautiful.
We took another way back.
On our way out of town, we saw a mountain lion crossing the road. It was the highlight of our day! Of course, he was moving too quickly for a picture! We then saw a coyote standing not far from the road. There were lots of hawks and other raptors hunting today as well. The apex predators were out today! It makes sense that these animals were more plentiful in the greener areas where smaller mammals and other tasty treats might be more available.
We took a detour onto Plum Canyon Trail. There is a very sweet little campsite at the end of the canyon. We will have to see if it is warm enough to go back and stay there. It has been in the 30’s at night and that’s a little chilly for tent camping.
We are really enjoying our home here in Borrego Springs.
This morning I was up and quickly finished my walk. I had someplace to be. I had scheduled a hair appointment with Charlie at Simpson Hair Designs.
I had a great experience! Charlie was smart and wickedly funny. He was also a talented hairdresser. He made me feel like a million dollars and I left there really happy.
This afternoon, Tim and I went Jeep wandering in the desert. We were looking for potential campsites. We traveled in The Ocotillo Wells area among the mud hills. It was a gorgeous day and it was fun to wander without a true destination. We used the Ride Command App to find our way on the winding and bumpy trails.
We drove almost all the way to the Salton Sea.
This evening, we went back to the heart of Borrego Springs and had dinner at Carlee’s. We have been eating outside and tonight got a little chilly. We were lucky to have a table right next to a patio heater. The food was good and I got to see part of the sunset above the fence.
We have become very rigid about getting our workouts done each day before we play. I took a good walk to town, and back while Tim did his exercise routine.
Around noon, we left for a trip into Sheep Canyon.
We have traveled this road before and we both remembered it as unmaintained and very rocky. Today, there was a machine operator smoothing the road. Our journey was therefore more pleasant and a lot quicker!
There were several water crossings.
View of the valley below.
We were happy to get the very best camping spot in this very primitive campground. The amenities did include a picnic table, a fire ring, a trash can, and a pit toilet! Fairly luxurious accommodations for a site in the middle of nowhere…and beautiful!!!
A pretty little kindness rock. I know that some people don’t think they should be left behind…it supposedly detracts from the natural environment and I guess in a way it does…but seeing one always makes me smile!
We took a short hike up into Sheep Canyon along a stream. It was such a pleasure to listen to the gurgle of the water. This area is a nursery for bighorn sheep and is closed to all traffic during lambing season.
We had a hummingbird flitting around.
For dinner, we made our traditional omelets but this time I filled them with spinach, goat cheese, bruschetta, and kalamata olives…they might have been the best omelets I have ever made!
It was another relaxing evening. We were so content to just sit and absorb the peace, the sunset, the fire, the darkness, the starlight, and the crisp, cool air.
In the morning, we had several of these little birds hopping around the table, looking for crumbs.
They were very comfortable being around us. I used the bird app to identify them.
We wended our way back across the desert and down toward Borrego Springs.
We stopped for breakfast along the way.
I decided to walk on ahead and Tim picked me up about 20 minutes later.
There is plenty of traffic here and we saw this Jeep excursion coming in. 7 Jeeps all traveling together…we would HATE that! We need to be meandering at our own speed!
It seems as though we always need the remainder of the day to recover. We unpacked and cleaned everything and then had a quiet afternoon. Tim did ride his bike and I did make myself walk and do squats.
This evening, we went back to Red Ocotillo for our meal; soup and salads.
Saturday morning walk in town. This is an arty kind of place. Today, I took pictures of the electric boxes as I walked.
I also got to talk to Lois, a dear friend…always a pleasure!
Saturday afternoon I gathered everything to send to the accountant for our 2021 taxes. What a relief to have that particular task accomplished…every year I dread it…but it is done!
We enjoyed sweet corn, poblano, and cheese tamales for our dinner with raw cauliflower and those sweet baby tomatoes…vegetarian and yummy!
Sunday, I began my day with a walk in the park.
We took our bikes and did an 8-mile ride. It was a gorgeous day and a great ride.
The future…
We packed our cooler and headed to Fonts Point.
Sunday dinner was another vegetarian experiment. Butternut squash risotto with mushrooms and asparagus. Dinner was delicious and the scenery was pretty amazing as well.
We drove to Thimble Wash and climbed to the top of the hill to watch the sky change color.
We are planning an overnight tent camping trip Monday evening in Sheep Canyon.
