March 6, 2021 Hikers, Bikers, And Jeeps…Oh My!

Palm Canyon RV Resort Borrego Springs, California Day 9

I had not yet walked into town for my morning walk. 

We packed some lunch and went for a ride.  We actually spent most of the day on pavement. 

We started out on S-22, up and out of Borrego Springs. 

It was a pretty Saturday in southern California and it seemed like everyone was out!  Every trailhead was crammed full of cars.

The town is at 600 feet of elevation. These bikers were on their way to Ranchita at 4,000 feet of elevation.  I cannot even imagine the strength and stamina required to make it the 15 miles up this mountain.

And the Jeeps, we passed more than 100 Jeeps of every sort.  Just when I think that I have seen every possible accessory…I am surprised by something new.  We even saw a longhorn skeleton today, strapped to the grill of a Jeep.  The Jeep trails in this area were busy today!

We chose to take a scenic drive.  We passed Ranchita and we were in Montezuma Valley.  Here we saw great pine trees and lush, green fields.  It was rather refreshing to see, after being in the desert for the past 7 weeks. 

We passed through two really lovely little towns, Santa Ysabel and Julian.  There were shops, restaurants, breweries, and cideries.  It was so tempting to stop and walk along the streets.  It was crowded and though about 2/3 of people were wearing masks…1/3 were not.  We need to keep being smart and careful.  If we stay healthy, we can always come back another time!

We stopped at Desert View Park.  Standing on the top of the mountain we could see miles, the whole valley below us. 

Traveling on we found Cuyamaca Lake.  We ate our lunch here, watching an eagle, cormorants, Canadian geese and white pelicans. 

The caracara blood navel oranges that we bought yesterday were tart, juicy, and delicious!

There was snow on this mountaintop…that is more than enough winter for us…thanks!  The forecast is for snow in Julian later in the week.  The higher elevations really do make a difference in terms of temperature.  Borrego Springs was 75 degrees when we left around 10.  In Julian, it was 59 degrees.  We also saw this week how the mountains stop the moisture and rain from coming onto the desert side.  The rapid change from cactus and dust to green fields and trees was astonishing.  I know…it’s science…but it was still remarkable to see the differences in such a short distance. 

We drove the Banner Grade all the way back down to the desert.

We did take one dirt road.  We drove into Lizard Canyon.  We took the trail until it became too narrow.  We got out and hiked to the end. 

Yes, this is the trail!

When we got back, we debated staying overnight there.  We had enough food and water and we had our sleeping bags, but we were not really prepared.  If the forecast would have been warmer at night, I think we might have tried to make it work.  We went back to the RV.  We need to think about how we can be better prepared so that if we spontaneously find a place we like…we can just pop the top and sleep under the stars!

March 5, 2021 Enjoying The Day

Palm Canyon RV Resort Borrego Springs, California Day 6

We passed a pleasant night in our tent.  Every time that we were awake, we could hear the soothing sounds of the owls in the canyon.  We were warm and cozy and I slept better than I had yet in our sky camp.

We had a small problem with a faulty propane tank on our burner.  We were just able to finish getting dinner cooked last night when the first cylinder ran out.  We tried to replace it with a backup but we were not able to make it work.  Tim had to improvise a way to make coffee over an open fire this morning.  We enjoyed our breakfast and then headed back to town.

The farmers market is on Friday and we didn’t want to miss it.  We got more tamales from the tamale lady and lots of fresh fruit and vegetables.  The blood oranges we got last week were so amazing that we definitely wanted more and those tiny yellow cherry tomatoes…

We took a ten-mile bike ride this afternoon.  We saw more desert sculptures or as I affectionately nicknamed them…more rust in the dust!  The tortoises are some of my favorites.

We had a quiet afternoon and then ordered carryout again from The Red Ocotillo.  We each got exactly the same dinner that we ordered earlier in the week…we enjoyed it that much!

March 4, 2021 Desert Nomads

Palm Canyon RV Resort Borrego Springs, California Day 7

I took a walk through the State Park again this morning.  No critter sightings today…maybe because I was talking on the phone with Mom and then with a good friend.

Tim took a bike ride while I got food ready for our overnight trip.  We packed the Jeep with pillows and blankets and coolers and off we went!  We went back to the trail with the severe drop-off.  We easily made it down the chute and into the bottom of the Borrego Badlands.  We had picked out two potential camping spots.  We stopped at the first canyon and took a good hike up the tidy bowl slide and into a long wash.  The climb was a bit of a challenge but I figured it out and was proud of myself for getting up there!

We decided to drive further and get a camping spot in Hawk Canyon.  When we got there, it was full!  There were two large groups of campers…right where we wanted to be.  It was almost 3pm.  We were debating going back to the first place…what to do!?!  We backtracked for a short distance and found the perfect spot about 100 feet from the main trail. 

We made our dinner, enjoyed wine, music, and a fire. 

It was so quiet.  An owl or two called from the cliffs from across the road, the hooting reverberating pleasantly across the wash. 

Staying here was a great decision.  The moon did not rise until late.  The sky was very dark.   The area was very open and when the stars came out it was…WOW!!  A stunning stargazing night. 

Thurday March 4, 2021 we are doing another overnight tent camping adventure. We will post sometime on Friday the 5th!

March 3, 2021 Rain In The Desert

Palm Canyon RV Resort Borrego Springs, California Day 6

Happy Birthday David!!

Right before dawn we were awakened by a screeching and howling that sounded like it was coming from right outside the RV. There were at least two but maybe more coyotes very close by!

I started the day with an easy walk on pavement.

We stopped for firewood for our next tent camping night.

We went Jeeping again today. The forecast was for rain and we didn’t want to get caught out on our bikes. The clouds were moving in.

Our first trail, the Thimble Trail, took us to the Vista del Malpais. This is a scenic overlook of the Badlands.

We decided to walk on the trail along the ridge. We could see rain cells in the distance. The wind picked up and we walked back to the Jeep with a stiff wind blowing sand against our legs and faces.

We took the Short Wash out to S-22 and then reentered to look for potential camping sites.

Deadend and not the perfect camping spot…this storm drain runs beneath the highway!

It took us a while to figure our way out. We knew the highway was just over the next set of mountains but it took some time to wind around.

We traveled to the Calcite Mine site. The views were really pretty.

We stopped to walk down to a small dry waterfall and then walked on the path across the way as well. We stumbled upon another slot canyon…what a neat hike!

It was late afternoon and time to go home!

One of the things that we enjoyed the most about today, was the play of the sun and clouds on the earthtoned rock formations. Light and shadows creating beautiful images. The other thing we always enjoy is not knowing exactly where we will end up or what we will find. The slot canyon was a nice surprise. We want a little adventure…if we knew exactly what was there…we might as well make reservations and stay at a Holiday Inn!

The rain did begin just as we got back to the campground.  It rained all evening.  The people here in Borrego Springs are very happy!

March 2, 2021 Severe Drop-off Ahead

Palm Canyon RV Resort Borrego Springs, California Day 5

I started my morning by watching the moon set over the mountain.  In my first shot, it looked like a smudge on the picture.  When I downloaded pictures this evening, I saw that it was a hawk.  It is not a perfectly clear image…but it is kind of awesome so I included it.

Yesterday, I decided that I really wanted to do the three-mile Borrego Palm Canyon Trail.  The bighorn sheep are usually spotted in this area during the day.  I really wanted to see the sheep.  I parked at the trailhead.

This is not a hike that my younger self would have attempted.  I might have done part of it but I would have let my own fears and anxieties take over and I would not have made it to the end.  The trail was a “gentle” hike but it was filled with rock obstacles and I had a lot of climbing to do!  It is a well-traveled and well-marked trail.  Even so, there were very few people out so early.  I got into a rhythm and was able to walk at my own pace.  I stopped often to absorb my surroundings.  My senses were heightened and I noticed the faint breeze on my face, the warm sun on my back, the fragrance of desert lavender, the buzzing of bees busy pollinating, the sounds of my footsteps, lizards scurrying across my path, swarms of small white butterflies.  It was a time for quiet introspection.  I felt solace and peace and inner strength and self-confidence.   I am physically stronger than I have been in a long time.  Even though I never did see bighorn sheep, I feel like I found something even more important, something I didn’t know that I was looking for.  The pictures are stunning…but being there was magical.

I met a volunteer who told me that the season has been so dry and the creek has not been nearly as full as usual.  The lambs have been born but the sheep are not coming here as often.  She also told me that the scant wildflowers that are blooming are likely to be all there are.  March rain could change that but unless there is some rain, the seeds and plants will stay dormant until another time…maybe next spring…maybe the spring following.

When I got back, we packed a cooler and went for a ride.  We intended to go to The Slot and take a hike through a slot canyon in the bottom of the Badlands.  When we arrived, the parking lot was nearly full.  We knew that it was only a ¾ mile hike in a narrow space.  We elected not to hike because of the crowd.  The map showed a Jeep trail to the left.  There was a warning sign at the beginning of the road…Warning:  Severe drop-off  1 mile ahead.  The route was one-way.  Of course, we wanted to try it.  What does a severe drop-off look like?  Let’s go and see.  We thought that if we needed to, we could always turn around and carefully make our way back.  We were certain that we wouldn’t be the first to do that!  We could see in the distance a long steep ramp leading into the bottom of the Badlands.  Could this be the severe drop-off?  Yes, it was steep, but we have done harder, steeper slopes.  Tim put the Jeep in 4WD low and we creeped down into the wash.  What fun!  The video and the pictures do NOT show the true grade of the slope…just trust us…it was steep!

When we were watching the sunset over the Badlands yesterday, I was wondering what it would be like to drive in the bottom.  It was amazing!

We found a really beautiful canyon campsite…maybe our next tent camping spot!?!

We drove through the wash and up to a lunch spot.

We drove into Hawk Canyon and took a short hike.  Another possible tent camping site…so many beautiful choices!

We took Grapevine Canyon Road to Jasper Trail.  There, we were treated to spectacular views.  We saw a coyote darting between the scrubby bushes and then across the trail in front of us. 

Finally, we were on pavement again.  Route S-22 is a winding road that took us from 4,000 feet of elevation down into the valley of Borrego Springs at 760 feet.  We had a great day!

Tim voted for carryout from The Red Ocotillo.  He had salmon with mashed potatoes and spinach with mushroom and carrots.  I got a chicken cobb salad.  Our food was fresh and delicious!

March 1, 2021 Fonts Point

Palm Canyon RV Resort Borrego Springs, California Day 4

I took another early walk at the State Park this morning.  I followed the meandering paths across the desert all the way to the base of the San Ysidro Mountains.  I saw lots of hoof prints of bighorn sheep…but no sheep.  I saw lots of rabbits…so many rabbits.  The coyotes and the hawks must be very happy living here in this valley.  I did see a coyote.  We were both well aware of one another.  He scooted away before I could snag a picture.

I found this rock with etched petroglyphs. 

This loggerhead shrike was sitting in the thorny ocotillo eating flower buds and blossoms.

Later this morning, after chores were finished, we took a bike ride.  We rode about 10 miles.  Our first break was at this sculpture of a 1946 Willy’s Jeep.

Our second break was at this empty produce stand.  The oranges were hanging from the trees and the fragrance was heavenly.

We had our picnic lunch at Christmas Circle Community Park.

After lunch, we got a few groceries for a picnic dinner and filled our water jugs again.

At 3:30 we set out with our cooler packed to watch the sunset at Fonts Point.  From this vantage point, we had spectacular views of the Borrego Badlands.  These Badlands were carved by the Colorado River eons ago. 

We ate tarragon chicken salad with cranberries, jicama salad, and a feta salad with spicy flavorful olives. 

As the sun sank behind the mountains, the light crept into the folds and crevices in the sandstone.  

Too soon, it was time to go back. 

February 28, 2021 Salvador Canyon and Middle Willows

Palm Canyon RV Resort Borrego Springs, California Day 3

We got up with the sun.  It was in the low 40’s overnight and a morning fire felt good.

We packed the tent and took another couple of Jeep trails.  We traveled the rough rocky road to Salvador Canyon and then another rougher rockier road to Middle Willows.  We picked a pretty spot for breakfast.

We got back to the RV at about lunchtime.  It took some time to unpack and clean and reorganize our gear.  Tim spent the rest of the afternoon watching NASCAR.  I rested and worked on the blog.  We really just needed a day to lay low.

February 28, 2021 Sheep Canyon

Palm Canyon RV Resort Borrego Springs, California Day 2

I began my day with a walk in the Anza-Borrego State Park. 

There was a nature walk through the desert where I saw lots of cottontails.

I walked the trail all the way to their campground and then headed back to the RV.  We packed up and headed out for another tent camping overnight. 

We stopped at Galleta Meadows.  Life-sized sculptures that seem very at home in this barren desert environment.  We saw tortoises, mammoths, a t-rex and the very famous serpent.

We traveled on 4WD trails through Coyote Canyon to Sheep Canyon.

We setup camp and we were just a little disappointed to realize that it was going to be noisy and crowded.  We stayed though. Our 4pm wine helped us to relax and enjoy.  We had an early fire and then ate our omelets as the sun set.  We met the couple that stayed next door.  It was nice to have conversation with other people. 

We watched the snow moon rise over the mountains.  At first, we could only see an eerie glow but then the moon revealed itself full and lovely. 

We had some very strong winds after midnight so that we can honestly say the tent has been wind-tested. 

Our neighbors yesterday gave us a trail book to look at.  We found this quote and we love it.  It says just what we have always thought.  There are people who think the desert is just a bunch of sand and rocks.  I think you might know which desert we see.  I wonder what your choice might be?

February 26, 2021 Borrego Springs

Palm Canyon RV Resort Borrego Springs, California

I began the day with a walk at Ocotillo Wells.  I carried the trash to the dumpster and then walked along the highway to the ranger station.  Then I trudged along the sandy OTV/ATV trail back to the RV.  It was hard work!  But it was a gorgeous morning and it felt great to be out and about.

This is a designated park for off-road driving.  There is a training center for children here as well.  We could hear people out on their buggies at 1am.  It was so beautiful and the moon was illuminating everything.  It must have been very cool to ride in the desert last night!

We traveled the short distance to Borrego Springs. 

We knew there was a farmers market on Friday morning and we wanted to do some shopping.  We got fresh strawberries and asparagus and oranges and the tiniest sweetest yellow cherry tomatoes…like candy!  We also got falafel and hummus and avocado feta dip and tamales.  I love a good outdoor market and I love to shop for good quality fruits and vegetables.

We went to the Chamber of Commerce and got maps of the area.

We checked into the RV park and got the washer started. 

Then, we took a bike ride.  The way from our campground into town is all downhill…almost no pedaling required.  The way back was way harder.  It is a 2-mile gradual climb…but I made it without getting off my bike.  Progress is being made!

I went back to town with the Jeep to get some wine and a couple of groceries.  We are camping out again tomorrow night and we needed a few things.

This evening we had roasted corn, chicken, and cheese tamales from the tamale lady.  They were tasty!

Don’t look for Saturday’s blog until Sunday.  We plan to tent camp in Sheep Canyon tomorrow night.  We saw this place two years ago and wanted a way to find a way to stay there…now we can!