Friday, 24 February 2017

Riverside to Borrego Springs, CA

Riverside to Borrego Springs, CA.
Was an easy drive, less traffic and smaller highways as we get closer to our destination, Leaping Lizard RV Ranch. Not sure what this place will look like, but the conversation I had as we left Riverside with Debora the owner made me feel like just what we would like. Polly is relaxed as we drive, she doesn’t like the heavy traffic, I can do it but rather be where I can drive with ease and stop and take a look as we go. The trip is uneventful just less stress, Polly hasn’t hit the floor with her foot for awhile, or said “Breeent!”, makes life easier.
We stop for a bathroom break, and lunch at a truck stop, and right beside us is a desert buggy that has a huge engine, and paddle tires. We have been passing RV’s on the other side of the highway going toward LA for miles with some form of desert wagons on trailer behind them. Now I look around, and all the trailers are toy haulers, I now know there must have been a race event this past Presidents weekend. Good we were out of the fray.
Polly makes a couple sandwiches and we sit and enjoy lunch in the shade of a freight truck. No snooze today, trying to get away from this right now, waking up in the night. As we leave a jacked up pickup is at the edge of the lot in the sand doin doughnuts, still haven’t had enough I think. Dirt bikes all over the place, with young kids on them, playing in the desert. This is the entertainment here for all those that are in the city, and want to play in the desert, ATV’s and all sorts of sand buggies, and motor cycles. Not for me now, back wouldn’t take it, looks like fun though.
We make it to Leaping Lizard, and meet Deb, and get the low down on where we will stay, and what rules are. No Cell, or WiFi, well very limited, I say intermittent now. After she guides me to our spot, which really helps, we get setup then a Margarita is in order. Polly and I talk about how nice the trip here went, only 4 hrs as we have talked about in the past, don’t want to travel to far each move, want to make this life fun, and relaxed, and stop as we go and look around. Stopping isn’t easy with trailer, so will look around more once set up, with truck only.
Next day we take Bosco for a walk and meet another couple who have been doing same as us, they are from Florida, and are slowly making there way west. They told us about a few places we should see, and we head out to Borrego Springs as there recommendation is to go to the library for internet, in every town. Best place to get strong WiFi, and as told it was good. Made a few posts on FB, and sent a couple e-mails, and a few Messenger calls. That done we go get a couple things from the market, Polly says wow, was expensive there, shop in Yuma when we move. Now we drive around and stop at the “Christmas Circle” A huge roundabout in centre of town that also has free wifi. We have lunch, and listen to music in the park as today musicians come and play. Warm, and beautiful day, we now make our way to Fonts point to view an over look of the bad lands as were told to see. 4 miles in on a lumpy road, seemed to be not to bad, but later my back sore from all the lumping around in the desert. The view from here was worth it though, WOW, was something I have never seen before, Polly loved it too, but not comfortable getting close to the edge, so she went back to the truck. I went up a little furthere, and a little closer to the edge. After taking a few beauty pictures, I decided to take a panorama shot. New phone, and I couldn’t figure it out, so decided to take a live shot on FB. Well that turned into a folly, I didn’t know how to turn it off after it started, and thought it was on pause, while I looked around for a sign saying the name of the place, took way to much time, and was recording all the time. What a screw up. Live and learn hey! Was a beauty spot, and learned not to live video...
Next day we wake to wind, wow really windy, so we decide to stay another day, and make a trip Polly liked the sound of, Julian Bakery in Julian. So off we went on the windy road up 4000 ft plus, and colder it got, glad we brought jackets, was 47 degrees F Brr.. We went to the bakery after driving through town, finding a place to park was tough, many others came for pie too I guess. Touristy small town with a past. Haven’t looked up the past, but we decide after a piece of there wonderful Apple pie, that we will come back when not so cold and wander around.
On the drive back we turn off and go to hot springs RV Park we were told of, Aqua Calientie. We get there after going through a box canyon with a historical past, Dug out with hand tools in the 1800’s, you can still see the trail through the rock alongside the highway.
We arrive at the hot springs, we drive through the park, looks nice, but not sure we will take the trailer here, may come in truck again, and enjoy the springs, but was in middle of nowhere, a little too off the grid for us right now.
On the way back I decide to stop and take a picture of cactus with the sun behind them, been looking at them all the way, I know what I want, and stop at just the right place. I get out, Polly says she will stay put. I walk off into the desert in my shorts, and flip flops, watching my footing. I get the shots I want, of Cactus, and flowering Cactus. On my way back, I didn’t watch my footing as close, and get a small cactus in the toe, as well as stuck to the front of my flip flop. OUCH, I have to pull the flip flop off to get the cactus off my foot, and the pick out the prickles, man they are hard to get out, like a barb holds them in. No more getting into the desert with flip flops...
Today we move to Yuma and spend a week seeing what that place is all about. Will meet up with friends, Don and Chris Wutke, looking forward to this.

I love the desert, just not the prickles


Displaying IMG_20170222_151735.jpgLovin life, without prickles....


No comments:

Post a Comment