Ocotillo Wells Vehicular Park Borrego Springs, California

We moved the short distance to Ocotillo Wells this morning.  We packed our lunch and headed to Sandstone Canyon.  This trail was also closed as a result of the Valentine’s Day rain.  There was a rockfall ½ mile into the canyon.  As of this morning, the status of the trail was changed to passable.

Tim and I sat in the back of the Jeep while Kyle drove.  This was our view.

We took a quick hike to Diablo Drop-off.  We had to see what all the fuss was about.

In Sandstone Canyon we met a Jeep stopped ahead of us.  It was hung up on the rockfall.  This area was completely clear when we drove through on February 13^th. 

We watched as they used their winch to pull themselves up and over the rock obstacle. 

Kyle and Tim worked to build a bridge with rock so that we could get through as well.  The other Jeep waited to make sure that we made it through safely. 

Allison and I watched and took pictures and video.

The other Jeep owners had this giant poodle…dyed blue (the Mohawk on his neck) and purple (his ears) and green (around his ankles)…poor dog…whatever floats your boat I guess…

Lunch spot.

The other Jeep drove through the next squeeze while we stopped for our lunch.  By the time they returned we were packing up.  We assisted one another to get back over the rockfall.

At some places, the canyon walls were close enough to touch. 

We hiked to the wind caves.  The wind caves were formed by blowing wind “sandblasting” depressions into the sandstone.  The caves were amazing.

Even more spectacular was the view of the Corrizo Badlands from the peak.

Good thinking spot.

Allison took her turn 4 wheeling and she drove us straight to the Iron Door, “a small dive bar in the middle of nowhere!”  We all had our after-trail drinks…I had pink wine this time!

Kyle and I grilled veggie and/or chicken quesadillas together. We added some salad, and papaya for our dinner.

We all drank wine and played Uno until 9:30 and then we slept.

Day 2 Palm Canyon Resort Borrego Springs, California

We began the day with a drive through the giant metal sculptures at Galleta Meadows. 

From there, we took the Coyote Canyon Trail.  The wildflowers here were so pretty and again there were lots of “tourists!” 

This trail was one of our favorites when were in Borrego a couple of weeks ago.  The Valentine’s Day rain had rendered the trail impassable and we were disappointed.  We really wanted to share this ride with Kyle and Allison.  The trail was reopened just 2 days ago…still we had heard that the drop-off to Sheep Canyon was still closed for repair.

The were tens of thousands of painted lady butterflies fluttering all around us.  I was so delighted…I felt like a little girl, giggling as we walked and they brushed past us!  These butterflies overwintered in Mexico.  They are migrating north in search of a place to lay their eggs. 

Painted ladies and ladies painting in the desert.

We continued into Coyote Canyon.  We passed a group of cyclists who recommended that we take the hike to Cougar Canyon.   The drop-off to Sheep Canyon was open after all!  We ate our lunch and hiked along and through Indian Creek.  The valley was especially wonderful, green and lovely!  The kids hiked up and into the rocky canyon.

There were these very dark rain clouds hovering over these mountains all day long.  The other cottony white clouds were moving quickly across the sky but these steely grey clouds stayed put on the other side of the craggy peaks.  At one point there was a vividly intense rainbow beneath the charcoal layer.

Kyle, Allison, and I went into town for supplies.  We had hoped to bring back pizza but all we could find was pizza that looked like gas station pizza.  It was our last opportunity to go out for dinner.  We went to Carlee’s and Kyle treated us to a delicious dinner.

Kyle, Allison, and I stayed up drinking wine and playing UNO.

Palm Canyon Resort Borrego Springs, California

We drove from Kofa to Borrego Springs.  It was a hot and sunny day with temperatures in the eighties.  Kyle took a turn driving the RV while Tim coached.

Just outside of Borrego Springs, we saw the wildflowers.  There were lots of people taking pictures.  Up close, the flowers were yellow and white and pink and purple but when you looked across the valley, you could see great swaths of brilliant fuchsia sand verbena…just gorgeous.

We camped at Palm Canyon Resort. Here we are in town and have full hookups.

Allison and Kyle went to lunch and then the pool while I caught up on laundry.  Later in the afternoon they both biked to town.  Tim and I met them there for dinner at Pablito’s.  We sat on the patio and drank not one, but two pitchers of mango margaritas.

Day 3 Kofa Wildlife Refuge Quartzsite, Arizona

There is a part of Kofa that Tim and I did not get to see when we spent time camping here.  This was the intended plan for today’s Jeep ride.  We knew it was going to be a long day and Tim wondered aloud if this might be an over ambitious plan but we were all in and excited!

We rode through the desert and up into the mountains through Red Rock Pass. 

Lunch spot.

The road was dusty, rough, and rugged and the going was slow…less than 10 miles per hour in most places.  Our whole trip was 141 miles and it took us 10 ½ hours!!  We did get to see beautiful views all day long.  We honestly didn’t take too many pictures…we were enjoying the ride!!!

The best part of the day was sunset.  We were riding in a wash at the very bottom of a canyon.  The setting sun cast shadows and glorious colors on the surrounding mountains.

We saw a big buck, lots of hummingbirds and lizards, a few hawks, a couple of mice and a ground squirrel.

It was a long ride but we all agreed that it was worth it.  We passed only a van with a couple of tents the whole day on the back road.  We felt grateful that we got to see this incredible place.  We ate dinner at 8:30 and we were all tucked into bed soon thereafter.

Day 2 Kofa Wildlife Refuge Quartzsite, Arizona

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVID!!!

This morning, Kyle and Allison hiked up into Palm Canyon. 

When they got back, we were packed and ready for our off-road adventure.  We rode into Kofa Queen Canyon.  Doors off and top off!

We watched a group of 6 male bighorn sheep on the mountainside.  It is lambing time and so the females usually go higher up into the mountains where they are more isolated and protected from predators.

The California desert poppies were in full bloom.  They are such happy little flowers. 

The whole mountainside was painted yellow.

The kids went rock climbing.

Lunch spot.

Our campsite.

Kite flying.

Kyle and Allison set up the tent for a night of sleeping in the desert.

We enjoyed tortellini in a lemon garlic butter sauce with sweet peas, grilled asparagus, scallops, and shrimp…and wine!

Mileage:  58,533 Kofa Wildlife Refuge Quartzsite, Arizona

This morning, I enjoyed my coffee while sitting outside.

Tim left to drive the RV to Kofa and get set up while I drive east to the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport to collect Kyle and Allison.  Because the was a delay on their arrival, I suddenly had lots of time to kill.  I decided to stop and get a pedicure!  I had a nice relaxing afternoon.  By 2:30 I had the kids and we were off to Kofa. 

By the time we arrived at the campsite it was almost sunset.

We ate some guacamole and chips and watched the sun go down over the desert. 

We enjoyed our dinner by the campfire.

Mileage: 58,395 White Tank Mountain Regional Park Phoenix, Arizona

This morning we were on our way to Phoenix on 10 east.

The desert floor was covered in a thick carpet of yellow flowers.

We camped at White Tank Mountain. This is a beautiful park and I wish we had more time to enjoy it! As we sat outside we saw all kinds of birds including hummingbirds, mourning doves, and a pair of Gila woodpeckers. We also watched a pair of chipmunks chasing one another and we saw a black lizard.

We had several things to accomplish in Phoenix. On our way out of the campground we saw this guy.

Our first stop was ISM Raceway. We needed to get our NASCAR tickets for next weekend’s race from will-call.

After getting a few last minute supplies. We drove to the Goodyear Ballpark. We watched preseason baseball Indians vs. Dodgers. The smell of popcorn and hot dogs, the green infield, and the rich red clay diamond…it all made you believe it was spring! This is a great facility and we really enjoyed watching the game. We love baseball! Tim was talking to one of the ushers. They all volunteer. This guy remembers his first baseball game at Yankee stadium. He got to watch Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris play. How cool is that!!!

We were serenaded by the coyotes during the night. Tomorrow Kyle and Allison will be here. We cannot wait to share our adventure with them!

Mileage: 58,245 Hidden Beaches Campground Blythe, California

This morning we said goodbye to Bonnie and Davis.

We went to Blythe to begin to prepare for our company. We did laundry, bought firewood, got groceries and beer. Tim got a haircut and we headed to the campground. We were fortunate to get another site right on the Colorado River.

Tim went for a bike ride while I put away groceries and put sheets on the bed. He saw a coyote in one of the farm fields.

We both biked out later this afternoon.

The evening was pleasant and we watched the sun change the colors of the mountains in the distance.

We enjoyed chatting with our neighbors. They are from Calgary and they are here to be warm! Such nice people!

Day 3 Oxbow BLM Campground Ehrenberg, Arizona

We decided to stay one more day. This site along the river is just so lovely! We hate to leave. I was up to see the sun come up through the clouds.

This morning we took Cibola Road out into the mountains.

It is warm and sunny and the wildflowers are really beginning to pop!

Lunch spot.

We took the road to its end and then back along the Colorado River through the Cibola Wildlife Refuge.

The refuge is home to badgers, coyotes, bobcats, feral burros, and all kinds of birds. We saw lots of roadrunners, several hummingbirds, a few jackrabbits, and lots of lizards. We saw lots of evidence of feral burros but no burros. These burros are relatives of burros left behind or lost during the California Gold Rush.

The top off and loving the sunshine!

When we were in Alaska we heard that moose poop was good fire-starter. We tried it for ourselves and it really worked well…so all this burro poop…is burro poop a good fire-starter??? Only one way to find out…

We spent more time talking with our neighbors Bonnie and Davis….so many places to see…so much to share!!

Day 2 Oxbow BLM Campground Ehrenberg, Arizona

As we went to bed last night there was an owl singing us our evening lullaby.  We were awake at 3am.  The moon had risen over the river and it was gorgeous.  Not long afterward, I had drifted off to sleep and Tim heard coyote howling.  This morning I was awake early and watched the sun come up.  There is a whole lot happening in this quiet little place.

Bob and Ryan were packing up and getting ready to put in and float down the Colorado…safe journey gentlemen.

We headed toward Blythe to see the geoglyphs or ingtalios. 

In 1932 a pilot was flying over the desert and he saw pictures in the desert.  This art is etched into the desert floor and in places the etchings are as deep as six inches.  No one knows when these giant drawings were made, or who made them, or even what their significance really might be.  Scientists believe that they may be thousands of years old.  There are people who believe that because of their size and detail, aliens came from space to assist in the renderings.  Neither Tim nor I really buy into the whole alien theory.  Tim thinks that if someone outlined it for him, he and Butch could have completed a drawing in a couple of days.  The drawings were almost destroyed by people carelessly driving over them. 

Now there are chain link fences that surround them.  The largest of the figures is 171 feet long and about 90 feet wide.  I was awestruck by these ancient messages from the past.

We took the Worthington Trail through the foothills and into the Maria Mountains. 

All at once, we found ourselves in a wash with no trace of the trail.  We both got out of the Jeep and walked around looking for tire tracks or a path free of giant boulders…no luck!  We think that recent rains may have washed the trail away!  We turned around and went back the way we came…no matter…it was a beautiful ride!

Lunch spot.

We took the shortcut on the power line trail to the next trail to the north.  It was VERY BUMPY!!!  Tim wished he had not chosen to go that route.  We don’t mind riding on a rough road but “that thing was obnoxious.”  It also seemed to go on forever…but at last we were on a regular rough road!  This road also led us along a ridge and up into the mountains.  We are so lucky to be doing this.  I believe that we were the only two people who got to see what we saw today.  We didn’t see anyone else up on the ridges. 

We got back to the RV and our dinner was still frozen so we had eggs and toast.  We met a couple from Wisconsin.  Davis was also a bricklayer and so he and Tim had lots to talk about.  I shared a bunch of literature about this area with his wife.  It is interesting to talk to people from everywhere and find that you have things in common.  Age, children, grandchildren, occupation, life goals, search for sunshine and warm weather…