MOUNTAIN PALM CANYON HIKE.....& AN INJURY!!

STANDING IN AWE OF THE PALMS

First order of business this morning was to get ourselves an egg pocket & photograph it, so by 9 a.m. we were on the road headed for Calicos. Egg pockets go fast so we were lucky they still had some left. A few free cookie samples first & then we purchased our egg pocket. Set it on the table, took a few photos, & then we ate it. Took some great photos of Kelly wolfing her half down but she wouldn't let me put them in the photo album. Grabbed a couple of coffees to go (plus some more cookie samples) & headed off out of town for place about an hour or so away called, Mountain Palm Canyon Campground. Not too far from San Diego. AND, THIS IS AN EGG POCKET:))

We had been told there is a whole herd of elephant trees in one of the canyon's there & the guide book we had said they were there too, so that's what we were looking for........but, we never did find them. I think they must have rumbled away when they heard us coming.

It was a beautiful mornings drive from Borrego Springs to Mountain Palms & once again we were just bowled over by the majestic mountains all around us, the winding roads twisting through the desert, the big blue sky & the many hues & colors in the air, the rocks, & the mountains themselves. This is such a beautiful land & if I thought it was hard to go home last year, I'm really going to have a hard time of it this year. We talk a lot about staying in the American Southwest but we know it's just not probable for us. Not impossible, just not probable!!

We reached Anza-Borrego's Mountain Palm Canyon campground shortly after 11 & already the mornings sun was heating up. From the parking lot we saw palm trees up 2 of the 3 canyons so headed off up the one to our right. The trail led up a wide sandy wash but soon narrowed into a rock strewn path that we had a hard time finding in a few spots. The rocks soon turned into boulders & we had some good rock scrambling ahead of us. Took us about 15 minutes to reach the small grove of palms & we could hear voices nearby. A couple of older fellow hikers were perched on a rock under the palms taking a break. They were very helpful in answering our questions about the area & the older fellow actually lives in Borrego Springs. They had some good guide books with them & that was helpful. Another group of hikers with dogs came by on their way up so we decided to follow them. They were younger folks & were soon out of site as they quickly clambered over the large topsy turvey boulders. We persevered though & soon reached a second stand of palm trees & large bowl like plateau. These towering fan palms are truly awe inspiring. We were just trying to figure out a secondary route back down the canyon when the dog hikers returned from over a ridge. They had been looking for a standing water source they knew was in the area but never did find it. We asked about the elephant trees but nobody knew where they were.

In the company of the dog hikers we all headed back down the jumble of rocks to the first palm trees which we learned was called Mary's Grove. Stopped for a short rest here & the hikers watered their dogs. As is quite often the case we all asked where each other was from & wouldn't you know it, one of the fellow's Mother lives in Spencerport, NY. That's where Kelly grew up & her Mom & Dad still live there. Small world once again. It was a short rocky drop to the parking lot about a quarter mile away as we said good-bye to the dog walkers & headed up another canyon.

SOME FELLOW HIKERS WATERING THEIR DOGS

The second canyon walk also had a grove of palm trees plus some running water trickling down a sandy wash. We reached those palms in about 10 minutes, but still nothing looking like a grove of elephant trees. Took a break here & ate our peanut butter sandwiches in the shade of the majestic palms. We headed back down the sandy wet wash to the parking lot & were heading to the car when Kelly spotted a third path leading up a rocky slope. So, off we went again climbing steeply up a dusty path that someone had spent a lot of time lining with stones. We climbed for about 15 minutes until we reached a plateau of sorts. We were really hoping to see some elephant trees somewhere up here but the path just wandered aimlessly through the rocks & off across the desert plateau. A decision was made to turn back once again because by this time we were beginning to get a little pooped under the heat of the relentless sun. Back down the narrow rocky path & headed once more for the car. We were nearly at the car walking across a flat stretch of sand when unbeknownst to me at the time, Kelly felt an unusual twinge in her right ankle. She didn't think much of it at the time so didn't say anything. EGG POCKET

From the Mountain Palm Canyon campground we drove south to the Carrizo badlands overlook. Had debated about going all the way to Ocotillo but decided it was time to head for home. Once again we marveled at the beauty surrounding us. Just over the mountains about 40 short miles west of us lay the city of San Diego, but here in the peaceful desert we were basically the only people on the road. Might have seen half a dozen vehicles in about 3 hours. That would never happen back home anywhere that close to a major city!! THE DESERT IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE

Waved to Ghost Mountain as we went by again but we'll be heading back there in the morning. Took a slightly different route on our return to Borrego Springs this time. Instead of heading through Yaqui Pass we decided to come across the backside of the San Ysidro mountains & take the hair raising plunge down Montezuma's Grade which would land us right in Borrego Springs. It's an 8 to 9% grade for 11 miles all the way to the bottom. About half way down we came up behind a large Class C motorhome towing a fairly large trailer. it was about this time that we began smelling hot brake linings. Took me by surprise because I was staying off the brakes as much as possible & using the gears to keep my downward spiral in check. Thought occurred to me I might have a brake pad sticking but everything felt normal. The smell kept getting stronger. The Class C ahead slowed & moved to the right a bit & I was able to get around him on the left. Strangely enough, the hot brakes smell dissipated almost immediately. Only then did I realize it wasn't our brakes after all. It was the Class C & trailer's brakes we were smelling. The next thought that occurred to me was, if he loses his brakes he's going to come barreling down the mountain right behind us. After a few tight turns I never saw him again. He may still be on the side of that mountain somewhere white knuckled to his steering wheel forever. WE ATE OUR PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICHES IN THE SHADE OF THE PALMS

We were home by 3 & so far, all was well. Butch, Kapeesh, Doug, JoAnn, & Fillmore dropped by for a chat around 4. Talked about the day's hikes etc. Kelly went in & out of the motorhome a couple times to fetch a book & some maps & it was during one of these trips that her ankle let go but she hid the pain until everyone had headed back to their rigs. For Kelly to acknowledge or admit any kind of injury is a very rare thing. By the time I came into the motorhome her face was knotted in pain. She can't put any weight on her foot or turn it. Her toes felt numb & the pain was radiating up to her knee. I suggested we head for the medical clinic but she wouldn't have any part of that. And I thought I was the only stubborn one of the Bayfield Bunch. She iced her ankle & wrapped it but the pain didn't back off. Only thing that brought her some relief was a couple of aspirins later on. Right now she is using an old baseball bat as a cane to hobble around with & still cannot put any weight on the foot. We'll see what the morning brings. She's pretty darn stubborn you know....................................................

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

FROM YUMA TO BORREGO SPRINGS

DRIVING THROUGH THE IMPERIAL SAND DUNES


Another bonus morning with bright sunny sky's & no wind. What a treat the desert is without the winds. Short doggy walk & back to the rig. Figured on getting an early start because it was going to be a travel day. We had decided on going to Slab City but as so often happens with us, we changed our plans at the last minute & decided to head off for Borrego Springs instead. We'll do the Slabs on our way back through on our way over to Blyth & Quartzite maybe in the next week or two.

As usual, I felt sad leaving our little campsite that had been home for the past couple of weeks. Lots of nice memories again. Trips into Yuma, rock scrambling, theTumco ghost town mining site, morning desert walks, Gold Rock Ranch, Bluebird Hill, the abandoned campsite & tent in the desert on Indian Pass Road, the whole day spent inside on a rainy day, Fillmore & his Mom & Dad, the homeless persons belongings, Wally-World meeting, getting lost in Yuma, & the list goes on & on as it always does when your enjoying yourself doing things you love to do.

We had the car hitched up & the big wheels rolling by 9:20. Nice morning for a drive. Hardly any traffic & we were traveling roads we had never traveled before, seeing things we had never seen before. One of my favorite kinds of days. Rolled west through the Imperial Sand Dunes & a place called Glamis with all it's thousands & thousands of off road vehicles, RV's, trailers, tents, & circus like atmosphere. I will post some pics that I took from the window of the RV as we passed through there in last night's web album entitled, "We Waved Goodbye To Fillmore This Morning." Just west of the Imperial Sand Dunes there is a water canal running north & south. On the east side is scrubby desert shrubs, rocks, & sand. On the west side of the canal some hundred feet away are palm trees, tall green grass, & endless lush green fields of lettuce, cabbage, & a whole bunch of other vegetables we didn't recognize. Quite a contrast in such a short distance.
LOTS OF OFF ROAD VEHICLES IN THE DESERT
A CIRCUS LIKE ATMOSPHERE OF RV'S, TRAILERS, ATV'S & DIRT BIKES


A few more miles west is the bustling California town of Brawley with it's Spanish architecture, manicured lawns, & large stately palm trees. We had been here a couple times last year for groceries & things while staying up at Slab City for a few days. Eight miles north of Brawley is a free water & dump station so we zipped up there, did our business & then doubled back through Brawley & continued our northwesterly journey up to Salton City where we turned left onto S22 & headed for Borrego Springs about 20 minutes away.

Borrego Springs was a little bit like coming home again because we had spent a couple of memory filled weeks here a year ago at this exact same time. And would you believe that after we pulled off into the desert at the Clark Dry Lake bed we ended up in the exact same spot as we had last year. Hadn't planned that but while setting up we realized we were in the same place. The desert is a little scruffy here but the surrounding mountains are totally beautiful & at night you can see the twinkling lights of Borrego Springs about 5 or 6 miles away. Felt good to be back.

A year ago when we first arrived here we were just setting up when a pick-up truck rolled up & two fellows jumped out & unloaded a bunch of firewood for us. They were both members of the Escapee's Explorer Boondocking Club. We got to know one of the guys (Butch) over the 2 weeks we were here & he took us on several hikes in the area including Palm Canyon & The Slot Canyon. You can see the photos from those 2 days here-http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/40DEC2122HIKINGPALMCANYONATBORREGOSPRINGSCALIFORNIA
http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/41DEC23BORREGOSLOTCANYONHIKE
Butch has been coming here for years & knows the whole area. He usually co-ordinates the sight seeing ventures for the Escapee members when they come to his area for their rallies.

Ever since leaving a year ago we often wondered how Butch was doing because he lives alone in his 5th wheel trailer here all winter & further north in the summers so as we approached the boondocking area alongside the highway be began looking for his rig & sure enough there it was. He had returned from Riverside to spend another winter at Borrego Springs. As soon as we got set up the Bayfield Bunch walked over to Butch's rig & surprised him. He was sure glad to see us again & vice versa. Didn't take us long to all pile into our car & head into Borrego Springs to our favorite little Mexican restaurant that we all liked so well last year. Jilbertos (sp) prices are really great & so is the food. Kelly & Butch like the Mexican stuff & I really like their grilled hamburgers. Nice to sit around & get caught up with each other's lives & what's been happening. It was dark by the time we all got back out to the desert but Butch knows the roads so it wasn't long before we dropped Butch off at his rig & we were back to ours about a quarter mile away. There are about 20 other boondockers scattered around the area plus one large group of rigs from a Jeep Club.
BUTCH, KELLY, & AL FROM LAST YEAR'S SLOT CANYON HIKE

Another beautiful stellar night with a quarter moon in a star studded sky. Kicked back in my lounge chair & marveled at the shadowy outline of the majestic mountains surrounding us. As I looked almost straight up at the Andromeda Galaxy with my binoculars I was reminded of our own Galaxy & our place in the Universe. Our Galaxy has a center like a pinwheel & we are on one of the arms called, the Sagittarius Arm & if you know which way to look in the night sky you can see in what direction the center of our Galaxy lies. There, I have just given you a clue as to where you can find the center of our Galaxy............yes, really:))

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

MARSHAL SOUTH & GHOST MOUNTAIN

THURSDAY JAN. 3/08
The name Marshal South didn't mean anything to us until we stopped into the Anza Borrego visitor center a few days ago. We were inquiring about hiking in the area & the park ranger suggested Ghost Mountain. Well, anything with the words mountain & ghost in the same sentence is going to perk anybody's imagination so we bookmarked that one to do.
Thursday we did that hike & it turned out to be one of the best days on our trip so far.

Here is a short background on Marshal South, his wife Tanya, & their 3 children.

In February 1932, while the country felt the grip of The Depression, Marshal and Tanya South came to this mountain to build their home and live off the land. They raised their children here, wrote magazine articles, grew vegetables, gathered native plants, and after 16 years decided to call it quits.
Yaquitepec, or Ghost Mountain, still carries the reminders of South's homesteading adventure. The steep, mile long walk to the homesite will give you a breathtaking view of the land the South family called home. Look for signs of the ingenious water system with its cisterns and troughs. The adobe structure is quickly becoming a victim of the elements.
Living off the land proved difficult. Supplies had to be brought by Model T from Julian and carried up on foot. Tanya South tired of her eccentric mate's life-style and the family split up, leaving Yaquitepec to the sun and the wind.
The stories of the South family fade with time in the pages of old copies of Desert Magazine but the melting adobe and the garden terraces will remain atop Ghost Mountain for years to come.
For seventeen years (1930 to 1947), poet, artist, and author Marshal South and his family lived on the remote, waterless mountaintop in California's Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and is referred to as "Ghost Mountain". For nine of those years, Marshal South chronicled his family's controversial primitive lifestyle through popular monthly articles written for "Desert Magazine". The articles reflected his passion for the desert while praising its early inhabitants and their lifestyle. An acrimonious divorce ended the "experiment in primitive living" and with Marshal's death in 1948, fifty years of silence and speculation followed. Family secrecy, altered names and dates, lost and burned records and letters, left Marshal's grand experiment in obscurity, hidden from even his surviving family members.
More on Marshal South http://www.dzrtgrls.com/yaquitepec/yaquitepec.htm
http://outdoors-magazine.com/spip.php?article244
The drive from Borrego Springs to Ghost Mountain is a twisting, winding, roller coaster, & scenic ride through the mountains to a place called Blair Valley. The old Butterfield Stagecoach used this route back in the 1800's. A turn off the highway west of the little town of Shelter Valley headed us out onto the desert floor & around a large dry lake bed. The road is bumpy with hard & loose packed sand, but is ok. Spotted here & there were a few RV's snuggled up against high rocky ridges. Ghost Mountain doesn't really have a peak on it & we were at the trail head before we realized it. There is a cairn there with a brief description about the South family & their time on the mountain.
Right from the start it's obvious that this is going to be a totally uphill 700 foot climb on a narrow & rocky pathway that is a 2 mile round trip. Good hiking footwear is a must. One of the first things I noticed was the many & multi-colored rocks along the way. Vegetation also increased as we climbed higher. Algava, yucca, cholla, ocotilla, hedgehog & barrel cactus are but just a few of the plants that dotting the landscape. Because of the steep incline, the path had many switchbacks zig zagging back & forth. Wasn't long & we were huffing & puffing a bit. Sleeves got rolled up. The view back down & out across the Blair Valley was beautiful & we could see the sandy roads snaking across the desert floor. Can't imagine how Marshal South made the trip in his old model T to the town of Julian & back for supplies 14 miles away across this valley & along hazardous gravely mountain roads. About 20 minutes into the hike we reached a plateau with a panoramic view & we could see for miles & miles. http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/49JAN3MARSHALSOUTHGHOSTMOUNTAIN#Ahead, the path disappeared amongst a mass of boulders leading even higher to another ridge line. We picked our way along the narrow path up & over the fairly easy rocky terrain. Only a bit of rock scrambling here & there. In some places I'm sure large rocks had been moved to form steps. And all along the way are the beautiful desert plants. It was Mother Nature's desert landscaping at it's very best. Just about when you think your legs are not going to go any farther, your there. It was about a hundred yards over that ridge, nestled in the rocks that I first caught site of the homestead ruins. A couple sections of adobe wall, an old iron bed, weatherworn window & door frames, a water gathering cistern system, a smaller iron bedspring, a few upright wood supports & some old rusted cans laying in the sand where the kitchen once was. That's about all that is left of what once was a family of 5 living here for 17 years back in the 1930's. It is incomprehensible how & why Marshal South chose this spot. Every nail, every piece of lumber, every rain barrel, & every bit of building material had to be physically carried up from the desert floor 700 feet below, along that steep rock strewn grueling narrow path to the top. Everything!! But, standing there among the ruins I can kind of understand his reasoning, although it be a little harsh. They were totally alone on a mountaintop, far from the maddening crowds & civilizations far below & far away. In many ways I can identify with this man's feelings. It is an unending view for miles & miles in all directions from this site & I can only imagine how beautiful it must have been on those warm clear summer nights with the stars stretching from mountaintop to mountaintop. As I looked around I tried to imagine the children playing on the rocks, the family sitting down to meals, Tanya grinding seeds in a mortero we found near the house, & Marshal South working on his water system or sitting on the rocks writing his articles for, The Desert Sun. It's a quiet place now with only the wind rustling through the cactus. This is truly a special spot & one that we will always remember as we walked among the ruins, the rocks, & the abundant desert plant life. We were fortunate enough to spend a quiet half hour here before the tell tale sounds of human voices began to drift up from the pathway below. People were on the way so it was time for us to go. It's not likely we will ever pass this way again so it's always with a bit of sadness that we leave a place, & especially a place as peaceful as this. A last look back as we began our descent, & wait......was that Marshal South I saw standing tall on a rock looking over the valley, did I hear the children laughing & was that Tanya by the door watching the children play........maybe, just maybe.
We picked our way down through the boulders passing half a dozen people on their way up. I jokingly told them they only had another 8 miles to go. Kelly picked up some tall yucca stems complete with dried flowers on the end. We also picked up a few small colorful stones. Sometimes the descent down a steep grade can be more difficult than the climb up. It's easier to slip on loose gravel but we finally made it down ok & it was a great feeling to open that car door & sit down on a soft comfortable car seat.
From the Ghost Mountain trailhead we headed south a couple of miles to the site of an old Indian village site where we found many morteros in rocks where Indian women had spent countless hours grinding seed pods, beans, & lentils. http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy The morteros are the only visible sign that there had once been people here & it's hard to comprehend how these women could grind these holes into solid rock using nothing more than another solid rock. Again, wandering amongst these huge boulders, one can only vaguely try to imagine what life must have been like a few hundred years ago in these parts.
The overcast sky was turning dark to the west so it was time for us leave Blair Valley. I turned & said good-bye to the Marshall South family, the Indian families at the mortero site & Ghost Mountain itself. Good-bye & thanks for making this a memorable day for us.
The park's signage is very poor & as we headed off across the desert floor we weren't sure which way the highway was. Sandy roads criss crossed here & there but we stayed on the one that looked most traveled & I felt we were headed in the general right direction Probably took us the best part of half an hour before we saw some vehicles moving along a road in the distance which indeed turned out to be the highway. Always a nice feeling to get un-lost:))
Because the little mountain town of Julian was only 12 miles away we decided to go there & pick up some dog food & a couple of much needed coffees. This is a quaint little village in the heart of the mountains. I think they might have got a bit of snow last week too. The scenic 28 mile trip from Julian back to Borrego Springs was uneventful as I once again got to feel like a Grand Prix driver gearing up down on the tight mountain curves & grades. Just as we reached the Borrego valley, the sun poured out of the clouds lighting the valley floor ahead & it felt like we were home...... even though we've only been here a little over 2 weeks.
This California place is truly remarkable & filled with lots of adventures & wide eyed wonderment & we've come to love it. It will be with sad hearts when we leave her in another week or so.........................:(( (A lot of pictures for the web album so they might not be uploaded yet)

CULP VALLEY HIKE

WEDNESDAY JAN 2/08

Another clear & sunny California morning. This sure is a great area for consistently great weather. Night time temps drop to about 40F & the day time sunny days get up into the high 60's to low & mid 70's.

Butch & another RV neighbor, Keith, dropped over for a chin wag around 9. Butch, Keith & his wife come here every winter so it's always good to talk with people like them about the ways of the weather in these here parts. We're always a little concerned about the wind & the weatherman says we may be getting some wind & rain over this coming week-end. If we feel it's going to be a little rough we'll slip into an RV park in Borrego Springs to get out of the winds. We found one to-day that is affordable just in case.

Headed up Montezuma's grade later on in search of the Culp Valley campground. That Montezuma's grade is quite a road twisting & turning through the mountains. Found the campground at mile marker 9 & pulled off the highway onto a bumpy dirt road into the campground. No problem for the sure footed Santa Fe though. This a really nice & private RV campground hidden away in the rocks of Culp valley. Only a couple of small truck campers there. The hardest part is getting an RV up or down Montezuma's grade to actually reach the campground. There are scenic hiking trails here & one took us up onto a ridge overlooking the valley floor below to the east. We could see all the way to the Salton Sea & beyond to the Chocolate Mountains. Between the Sea & the Mountains is Slab City but we didn't see anyone we remembered from the Slabs:)) Kelly busied herself building half a dozen Inukshuks & we left one of our Bayfield Bunch internet cards under one of them. http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy Maybe we'll get an email from the park's, Smoky the Bear now.
Another trail led us down the mountainside towards the Pema Springs, but we didn't make it. It was a steady downgrade, the sun was beginning to sink towards the mountain tops, this was mountain lion country, & it would be a tough hike back up to the car, so we only went about two thirds of the way to the spring before turning & heading back up to the car. We built ourselves up a good sweat on the upgrade though.

Back down the mountain into town, a quick stop at the grocery store & back out to the desert. Kelly got a campfire going & that was about it for another day in the life & times of.............. The Bayfield Bunch:))

To-morrow we head for.........Ghost Mountain!!

Note: To answer Vito's question about the Slabs...... We left the Slabs a couple of weeks ago so don't know anything about that Slab City Talent Show on January 26th. Sorry Vito:((

THE RITZY SIDE OF BORREGO

TUESDAY JANUARY 1/08
I said a quiet, "thank-you," to our unseen RV neighbors last night about 5 minutes after mid-night. Thank-you for no horn blowing, thank-you for no gun shots into the air & thank-you for no drunken hollering & yelling. I had been sound asleep but woke up about 11:45 concerned about the dogs if there were going to be loud bangs. We have about 30 or more large high end motorhomes parked near us in a group & I was worried they might get a little boisterous. They didn't. They all have Jeeps so I assume they are members of a Jeep club. I also assume they are older mature folks which would explain the quiet New Years Eve.

Bit of a cloudy morning as we headed out looking for a hiking spot about 8 miles down the road which in the end, we didn't find. Drove back into Borrego Springs & took a drive through a high end park model estates settlement (Roadrunner Club) which is built around a scenic golf course. Beautifully landscaped grounds with a really neat & well looked after community. Some of the homes were for sale so we stopped at one. Price was $35,000 but the monthly landlease fees were over $600. The community is built around a rambling golf course. As we drove around the streets I took photos out the window....http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy This is a really cozy place.

After the Roadrunner Club, we drove up to the north end of town & stopped at the Anza Borrego State Park Visitor Center. This is an exceptionally nice visitor center that is made of native stone & built into the side of a small hill & blends right into the surrounding desert. http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy More photos:))

From the visitor center we stopped into Borrego Spring's most popular little eatery, the Red Ocotillo. Nice place located in an old army Quonset hut.

Headed out to the east side of town where we could see a lot of palm trees & orange orchards. Beautiful homes, so I was busy with the camera again. http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy Saw one house for sale so stopped & picked up a real estate brochure in front of the house. It's the photo in the web album with Kelly walking up to the house. This place featured an indoor swimming pool & was selling for $599,000. There were homes here that would easily have gone for a million or more. And, this whole community was centered around a big golf course as well. A lot of the swanky-dooo homes backed onto the golf course. Borrego Springs is a good example of how people can do things right & make things nice if they want to. They turned a flat, dusty, scrubby, desert into a beautiful palm tree lined community with superb landscaping & beautiful golf courses. What a great place for folks to retire.....especially if you like to golf.

From scenic waterfalls, manicured flower beds, majestic palms, emerald golf greens, placid ponds, quiet streets & million dollar homes we headed back out to our flat, dusty, & scrubby little spot in the desert. Awwww yes, home sweet home.
Got us a nice campfire going & sat by the fire watching another big beautiful fiery sunset. No indoor pool here, but we'll be alright........:))

THE BORREGO BADLANDS ON A DUSTY DAY

SUNDAY DEC. 30/07
Temps got down to 40F last night so it was a bit nippy this morning until the sun started warming things up. Our days have been sunny with temps ranging around 65F. Weatherman says we'll be up into the mid 70's in a few days.

Not much going on in the morning but we took a drive in the afternoon just a few miles from here to Font's Point, sometimes called the Borrego Badlands. It's a 4 mile bumpity drive across the desert floor following a dry creek bed called a wash. This area can & does fill with water during severe rain storms. The Borrego Badlands is a very rugged place. The road ends & a short walk takes you to a cliff edge. No fences or barricades. You just walk up to the edge & fall off a cliff into the badlands. Not as far to the bottom as the Grand Canyon but far enough to do the same damage. We should have been able to see all the way to the Salton Sea many miles to the east but the visibility was very poor because of the huge amount of dust in the air. Even the mountains were hard to see & the town of Borrego Springs, normally visible, was hidden in the dust. Dust caused by countless thousands of jeeps, ATV's, dune buggies & dirt bikes in the desert to the south of us this week-end. Even the driver of a sight seeing tour truck who lives in Borrego Springs said this dust & smog to-day was the worst he had ever seen. I took some photographs http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy but we'll have to come back again in a few days after the dust has settled & hopefully we will have unlimited visibility to the Salton Sea in the east & maybe Mexico to the south.

Stepped outside after supper to-night to have a look at the stars & was startled by a movement about 20 feet away. Shone the flashlight over by the firepit & watched a beautiful desert fox calmly walk by. First time I had ever seen one. There was also a couple of coyotes very close & it was a real treat to stand quietly & listen to their howling & yipping. This desert is an amazing place.....................