Did someone turn up the heat??? Today the temperature reached 90 degrees, down from 93 yesterday. From one extreme to another! We are definitely in the desert!
Hello Folks,
Before we left Westminster (under the cloak of a cool, low, dense marine layer), we had breakfast at one of our new favorite places, Magnolia Cafe. Every morning when we go in, there is a large vase of some magnificent flowers. I have yet to find out what the flowers are, but they are beautiful. I do know that a customer brings them into the cafe from his garden. Anyway, here’s a picture for you.
After that, we went to the garage to load up for our trip to Borrego Springs. We looked it up in our old pictures and found that we had not been to Borrego Springs and the state park, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, since 2016. We were excited to go and see what changes might have occurred since our last visit and since COVID.
We also realized it was going to be hot. And that didn’t disappoint. The town is small and you drive down about 10 miles of curvy mountain road to get to it. We were pleased to see that most of the same eating places were still here. Anyway, here are a couple of pictures B took as we wound our way down into town.
On our way to Borrego Springs we saw a sign for honey. I like to bring home honey from California, as it tastes different than our local honey at home. We bought several jars with different flavors like orange, sage, and avocado. Should be good eating!
Anyway, we rolled into the same place we always stay when out here. It had gotten a bit spiffed up, which is usually a good thing. But the gal at the desk wanted to see B’s ID. It seemed like an unusual request, but B handed it over. Then the gal said she was going to take it out back and do something with it. B queried her at length about what she planned to do with his ID that she could not do in front of him. She claimed she was not going to make a copy of it, which B did not want to happen. She was texting “the manager” and she went out back awhile without the license and came back saying it was for “security” reasons; they needed to make sure he was who he said he was. B continued to question why that couldn’t be done right there; face same as on license, name same as on reservation, what more could you want? I mean, really??? How many murders do they have here??? B continued to insist that it made no sense, and that taking the ID out back wasn’t going to accomplish anything. B was polite, but firm. Finally, the gal gave it up and said we were good to go.
Obviously, they are under different management since our last visit in 2016. We always had a really laid-back guy at the desk. Anyway, we apparently looked okay, as we got our key without B giving up his ID.
Then B had to unload the trailer with the motorcycle, lug in all the paraphernalia he brought, and finally our suitcases. Although very neat inside, I noticed no television. Well, that is okay, as we don’t usually use it anyway, just odd to me. Also no chair or desk or table to place the laptop. I was a bit crabby at this point.
We decided to go to dinner, always a good idea when one gets cranky! So, we walked over to Pablitos, one of our favorites, and ate outside next to a fountain. Romantic, eh? The first picture is of B with his “grande” Margarita. He didn’t think I would catch the “grande” when he placed the order, but I did. Haha. We were walking, so no issues with driving tonight after he drank his “grande.”
Then a nice man at another table noticed us taking pictures when our food arrived, so he offered to take our picture together. Nice guy and he did a great job!
Anyway, we had a good meal. And walked around a bit to get better orientated to our new surroundings.
Today we started our day with breakfast at the Red Ocotillo. We used to eat here some, but the place kept bouncing around to different locations, and we now suspect it, too, is under different management. I could barely understand the waitress so B had to speak on my behalf. The food here is EVEN more expensive than in Orange County. We looked at the dinner menu for kicks (the place was nice and clean), and the first dinner item was steak for $50. Most entrees were about $50. Plus, I ordered scrambled eggs and got two over easy, but that was okay. Here is a picture of the area after we ate breakfast. Borrego Springs is a very quirky place. Each business has its own oddball hours and days they are open or closed. Borrego Springs has high mountains on 3 sides. This is me after breakfast.
Of course, by now the temperature is about 85 degrees. B suggested we go out a canyon road, which we have done in the past. We also drove down one of my favorite roads in a lemon grove. Boy, if you don’t think that didn’t smell good! We also always stop and pick up some drops, and we did it again this year to bring back home with us. This is one of the lemon orchard “canyons” we drove down. Mighty narrow! And yes, we did meet a truck, but he pulled into a turnout for us.
But back to the canyon road which is a road in the desert but designed for 4WD vehicles and not just motorcycles. However, it is a bit of a washboard road and yours truly was beginning to get a bit nauseous. I ain’t much fun any more!
Anyway, it ended when we came to a water crossing from the winter rains. As it turns out, even if we had driven through it, B expected there was a bigger water crossing ahead, as he has been out that canyon road many times. This one was deeper and wider than he’d ever seen it. Plus, there were probably 6 Jeeps parked there with a whole group of older people (some with dogs), standing around and some with their feet in the water. It would not have been kind for us to belly through it and splash them all! B said he could go through it on a motorcycle, but he didn’t want to try it with the van, especially as he knows the trail doesn’t go all that much further, anyway. As it turns out, they were on a group tour. We decided to leave ASAP before they all piled into their Jeeps and drove back out ahead of us much too slowly for B’s taste. We did meet several vehicles coming and going. Here’s a picture of the water crossing.
Back to the pavement, and we saw lots of steel sculptures that Borrego Springs is noted for, done by a local metal artist. I believe the story went that there were plans to develop a big chunk of land at one point that never materialized.
So, here is one of the more notable figures; a dragon that crosses the road. You can see some of the wildflowers in the foreground.
We also had to stop so Karla could get up close and personal with some tortoises.
Funny story about the tortoises; The first time I had ever seen or heard of a desert tortoise was when I saw these steel statues of prehistoric animals at Borrego Springs. So I had it in my head that that’s what they looked like. So in a subsequent year, we went to the high desert, where there is a huge preserve for the endangered Desert Tortoise. Well, based on the steel sculptures I’d seen at Borrego Springs, I was expecting to find something that big when we visited the tortoise preserve!
As you can probably see, there are some desert flowers still blooming, but nothing like what we would have seen a month earlier. The locals say the blooms were wonderful this year due to all the rain.
Then it was time to come back to the room so B could get into his dirt biking gear and go for a ride. I chose the cerebral act of going to the pool and reading!
B was gone several hours and came back pretty tired. He said that the Anza-Borrego Park’s legal trails are almost all “washes”, which is a dry river bed. So they are full of deep, soft sand, and B got tired of the sand constantly trying to pitch him off the bike. He’s ridden all these trails dozens of times, so there’s just less “spark” in it for him. He’s older, not in as good condition, and has had much less practice dirt bike riding, while his motorcycle is just as large and heavy as ever. We used to ride double-up, but we gave that up years ago, as being just too much for either of us.
I’m not that enthused about B taking me out on these trails with the van, either. So, we plan to cut our time here a bit short and leave a day earlier than originally planned. I must say that not hearing the freeway has been delightful and no 8 lanes of traffic but it is very hot here, and despite the funkiness of it, not as much fun as we used to think it was.
So, it is soon off to dinner tonight. One bright thing about it is we can actually walk to our dinners once the sun begins to set.
Stay well.
The Clampetts 