MY GHOST MOUNTAIN TO INDIO CATCH-UP POST

(This is my Ghost Mountain/Marshal South/Indio post for Tuesday March 5th, 2013).

 

PHEEBS & I ATOP MY FAVORITE ROCK ON GHOST MOUNTAIN

So nice sitting quietly around a cozy campfire on a warm Monday night. Only the sounds of a distant Coyote. Only the wondrous site of endless stars overhead.

Tuesday morning we were up early & on the road to Ghost Mountain by 8:10.

GHOST MOUNTAIN IS MORE OF A HIGH RIDGE THAN A MOUNTAIN & THE MARSHAL SOUTH HOMESTEAD IS ATOP THAT RIDGE ABOVE CENTER

 

IT’S A SOFT SANDY ROAD WHICH LEADS THROUGH BLAIR VALLEY

Kelly had decided to come with Pheebs & I for a hike up Ghost Mountain to the old Marshal South homestead.  Been about 4 years since she last hiked the steep rocky trail & figured she needed some exercise. 

  

AFTER HIKING UP A STEEP ROCKY SWITCH BACK TRAIL WE REACH THIS PLATEAU & FOLLOW THE TRAIL AT LEFT BEFORE SCRAMBLING THROUGH THAT HILL OF BOULDERS TO THE HOMESTEAD ON TOP

A bit disappointed at the overcast.  Had been looking forward to a nice sunrise lighting up the desert colors on our way over there but the day started out on the gray side which turned out best in the end anyway. 

It’s a 45 minute drive through the Yaqui Pass to Blair Valley.  Very quiet area with few people.  Had thought many times about boondocking in the valley, but with no internet or cell phone coverage for Kelly’s Deerpark Lodge work, we just couldn’t do it.  Kelly brought her Netbook & MiFi along today to check it again.  And, whaddya know……there is finally Verizon internet & cell coverage all the way out to Ghost Mountain.  We may very well head over there next time through this area.  Only saw maybe half a dozen rigs scattered about & none were visible to each other.  Bonus:))

IT IS SOMETIMES HARD FINDING THE PATH THROUGH THE BOULDERS

  

I have sooooooo many photos of Ghost Mountain & the Marshal South homestead that I could probably put on a two day digital slide show.   And yet each year I go back I take another whole batch.  This morning’s hike was no exception & I now have another 137 photos to add to my collection.  I wonder if there is a Photographer’s Anonymous program out there somewhere.  If so, I really need to go!!

  

We made it up to the top in about half an hour.  Pheebs could have made it to the top in 3 minutes if we had let her.  What a great hike she had running all about.  As the morning temperatures rose, we commented to each other how lucky we were the hot sun was not out.

  

THIS IS PHEEBS SECOND TREK TO THE MARSHAL SOUTH HOMESTEAD

As always, sweeping views with every footstep along the way.  And, I should add, almost every step forward is a step upward.  Definitely need some good footwear on this trail.  None of that silly flip flop stuff here.

MY ANNUAL PHOTO OF THE VALLECITO VALLEY TAKEN FROM ATOP MY FAVORITE ROCK

  

BLAIR VALLEY TO THE NORTH SHOWS THE SANDY ROAD WE DROVE IN ON

What’s left of the homestead looks pretty much the same as it did last time I was there just over a year ago.  The old iron bed has been moved a bit & looked a little worse for wear from the last time I saw it.  The rest of the site looked the same.  I was able to point out a few things to Kelly that had been pointed out to me by an Anza-Borrego State guide led hike a couple years ago.  I don’t like hiking with people but I made a special effort that time so I could learn more about the site when we arrived there.  I have blogged a few times in the past why we prefer to hike alone so don’t think I’ll get into all that again.

PART OF A NORTH WALL IS ALL BUT GONE

 

 

We walked around the site for maybe 30 minutes before beginning our descent.  This is the hardest part for Kelly.  Well, for most folks I suspect.  She was able to use an Agave stock as a walking stick & that was a big help for her.  She has a walking stick but of course it is in Congress.  I tried walking sticks several times but never liked them.  I much prefer to have my arms & hands free.  I’m generally carrying a couple cameras anyway so do not like the inconvenience of hanging onto a stick too.

  

  

NOT OFTEN WE ENCOUNTER OTHER HIKERS ON THIS TRAIL 

Took us awhile to get down.  Pheebs could have been down in two minutes but Kelly took it slow & we all made it down safely.  No slips, falls, or twisted ankles.  We were sure startled by two fast flying jets coming at a high rate of speed up Blair Canyon.  Just a thunderous roar as they zipped by.  But I did catch the last guy with my 300mm lens.  At a distant I thought I recognized their colors as members of the Thunderbirds aerobatic team but when we got home & I cropped in on the photo I see they were Navy aircraft based planes.  The arrester hooks were very visible on the bottom of the tail.  I think it was those 2 hot rod pilots who re-startled us about an hour & half later when again flying very fast & low, flew right over us at the Clark Dry Lake Bed.

Waved a good-bye to Ghost Mountain once again as we jostled our way along the bump filled sandy road heading for highway S2.  Less than an hour later we were seated at Jilbertos on main street Borrego Springs.  A Chimney Changa or something for Kelly & my traditional Jilberto’s burg & fries for me.  Always good.  A quick stop on Christmas Circle to drop off some garbage & give my shoes a shuffle on the green green grass.  With the Stone Snake quest, Ghost Mountain re-visited, my burg at Jilbertos, & that groovy green grass shuffle, I had accomplished what I had set out to do this year in Borrego.  For my thoughts, feelings, & photos on the Marshal South story just type ‘Ghost Mountain’ or ‘Marshal South’ in my blog’s search bar at the top right column.  Even tracked this fellow’s final resting place down………….

FINAL APPROACH TO BORREGO SPRINGS

 

 

JUST GOTTA LOVE THAT LUSH GREEN GRASS ON CHRISTMAS CIRCLE

Sounds like we could have a nasty weather front moving into the whole area Wednesday so I’m thinking we just might boogey out of town in the morning.  We may or may not stop in to see Solar Mike in Slab City regarding a solar set-up.  We may rocket sled if for Congress or we may drive over to downtown Los Angeles & hang out for awhile……Ya right!!

CLARK DRY LAKEBED BOONDOCKING NEAR BORREGO SPRINGS CALIFORNIA…WHAT’S NOT TO LIKE:))

Shortly after arriving at our boondocking spot we received an email from Nan & John at TRIPPIN WITH THE TALLEYS.  They are boondocked about a mile east of us in the desert somewhere.  I could see about a dozen rigs widely scattered across the desert floor & emailed back asking them to send up some smoke signals so we would know which one they were.  John couldn’t get a fire going in today’s wind so they emailed some directions.

THIS IS JOHN & NAN’S RIG, THE ONE WE WERE LOOKING FOR

Now here is where our day took a sudden turn.  I had this post written & was in the process of editing all my pics for the day.  It was about 4:30 when Kelly decided to check the computer weather.  They had just issued a ‘wind advisory’ for Borrego Springs beginning in the evening.  Kelly said, “do we really need another sleepless night rocking back & forth in the wind”.  I agreed with her.  We are no strangers to the Borrego Winds.  We made a snap decision to hit the road & put a few miles between us & the incoming wind & weather.  Twenty minutes later we were rolling.

SAY, THAT’S QUITE A TATTOO JOB JOHN HAS THERE

With no slides to bring in, levelers to pull up, no satellite dish to take down, no hoses or electrical to detach, & no solar panels to secure, it doesn’t take us long to get our butt’s in gear.  Our new neighbors Esther & Steve were not home so I left them a couple Bayfield Bunch cards.  We didn’t have far to drive on the first part of our journey.  About one mile.

With directions in hand we had no problem finding John & Nan’s (TRIPPIN WITH THE TALLEYS") big 40’ diesel pusher in the desert.  We were greeted at the door by Olivia & Oliver Talley.  Just the cutest two little muffins you ever saw & boy, were they ever friendly.  Hit if off with the Pheebs right away.  Tails were a-waggin.  Then, Nan came to the door.  I think John was getting up from an afternoon snooze.  Now, here’s two really nice people.  John’s just kinda one of those laid back easy talking fellas I can feel comfortable with & take an easy hankering too.  Nice folks indeed.  We visited for maybe 40 minutes while Oliver, Olivia & Pheebs blasted around all over the place playing together.  With the sun beginning to set it was time for us to be getting on.  A final wave to Olivia, Oliver, Nan, & John Talley & we were gone on down the road.

 

 

 

OLIVER & OLIVIA AT THE DOOR SAYING GOODBYE TO PHEEBS

And a final wave to Borrego Springs for another year.  It was a totally beautiful day & the mountains, in their fine splendid coats of myriad colors just seemed to take on an extra sprinkling of magic as we left.  What a truly great place this has always been for us.

And before I forget….a quick explanation about the changes between Rock House Road & Coyote mountain just off highway S22.  For folks familiar with the area, my Sunday post may have confused some.  Rock House Road is not closed.  Still open & still lots of boondocking spots.  The old gravel pit is now filled in & the area immediately north & east has been reworked.  Yet, our favorite spot is still there but not accessible anymore.

EASTBOUND ON S22 HEADING TOWARDS THE SALTON SEA

Leaving Borrego late Tuesday afternoon we had no destination in mind.  Couldn’t seem to make up our minds.  Did decide to wait until next winter before doing anything about a solar system.  Reached the Salton Sea & hung a left.  Headed north on highway 86 as the sun sank over the Santa Rosa Mountains to the west.

A GLIMPSE OF THE SALTON SEA TO THE EAST

Figured we’d pick up I-10 & head east for a bit.  Usually we hang a right through the little town of Mecca & head through Box Canyon to I-10 but at the last minute we figured we’d go on up a little further, have us a look at Indio, & grab I-10.

HEADING NORTH ON HIGHWAY 86

Well, we failed to grab anything that looked like I-10 so went on up to Jackson Avenue, hung a right turn & planned to head back looking for I-10 again.  In the process of that turn around we spotted some rigs boondocked for the night in a large parking area near a Home Depot store.  Another quick decision & we were contentedly there for the night.  And, that’s where Tuesday night’s photoless short post came from.  Because this post is very long……I will catch up today, tomorrow.  Not much going for the last half of today so hopefully that will get me all caught up again….Boy, miss one day, & see what happens……….!!!!

SOMEWHERE IN INDIO CALIFORNIA FOR THE NIGHT

GROANER’S CORNER:((   

Q. What is the difference between a hunter and a fisherman?
A. A hunter lies in wait and a fisherman waits and lies.

-------------------------------------------------------------
- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- "If having a soul means being able to feel
love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals
are better off than a lot of humans."
(James Herriot)
- The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails -William Arthur Ward
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.
- It is not so much having nothing to do as it is not having the interest to do something....AL.

GHOST MOUNTAIN THIS MORNING & LOST IN INDIO CALIFORNIA TONIGHT…WHAT!!!!!!!

Well, let’s just say it had something to do with another one of our par for the course snap decisions about 3:30 this afternoon.  Arizona time.  Also had something to do in part with a ‘wind advisory’ being issued for Borrego Springs tonight.  Also a weather front moving in.  My Marshal South Ghost Mountain post about our hike today is written but I’m just toooooo tired to edit & arrange the photos, some of which are still in the camera.  I will get all of Tuesdays events organized Wednesday as well as our meeting John & Nan from TRIPPIN WITH THE TALLEYS late this afternoon.  Nice folks:))  And, Esther & Steve, sorry we missed you guys but you must have been in town when we pulled out.  Left you a couple cards & Hello to your Mom & Dad up there in that big Ottawa town in Canada:))  And Gerrit from that Wingham place…..looks like we just missed you by a day or less.  We drove right by ‘The Springs’ about 1 o’clock this afternoon.

---

We are currently somewhere in Indio California after missing the I-10 cut off heading east……or was it west.  It’s 8 p.m. & we are in a big parking lot with 3 other rigs scattered about.  I think we might be at Home Depot.  Nice warm night & all is well.  We’ll figure a way out of all this traffic baloney in the morning……10-4:))

---

GROANER’S CORNER:))  A large two-engine train was crossing the country. After they had gone some distance, one of the engines broke down. "No problem," the engineer thought and carried on at half power.
Farther on down the line, the other engine broke down and the train came to a standstill. The engineer decided he should inform the passengers about why the train had stopped, and made the following announcement.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that both engines have failed, and we will be stuck here for some time. The good news is that you're not in an airplane."

-------------------------------------------------------------
- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- "If having a soul means being able to feel
love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals
are better off than a lot of humans."
(James Herriot)
- The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails -William Arthur Ward
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.
- It is not so much having nothing to do as it is not having the interest to do something....AL.

RETURN TO THE 60 FOOT SNAKE……..

HOUSTON…..THE ALIEN SPACECRAFT HAS LANDED!!

(This is Monday’s post)

Just sooooo nice Sunday night sitting quietly outside watching the sun slowly sink into the west.  Shadows spilled into mountain canyons & the lights of Borrego Springs, nestled at the foot of the Vallecito Mountains twinkled on & we were soon under a warm canopy of mountain top stars stretching high overhead to the planet Jupiter.  A soft glow from Riverside California lit up a low hanging cloud bank over the Santa Rosa mountains giving our night a surreal feeling.  But then, the winds came back!!

PHEEBS & I WERE ON THE TRAIL EARLY THIS MORNING

I am convinced that here at Borrego Springs there sits a mean old Codger somewhere high up on a mountain ridge with the biggest wind machine the world has ever seen.  I know he derives great pleasure from revving that machine up & blowing the daylights out of all the boondockers on the desert floor below.  I know that because it as if a switch is thrown & the wind will suddenly start….or stop.  No warning, no nothing.  So it was a few years ago when I saw a parachute glider pilot suddenly get caught here in an unsuspected wind.  He got his machine on the ground nearby but it flipped over on it’s side & he was in trouble……here’s the rest of the story.  TODAY I HAD TO RUN VERY FAST  

NOT AS MANY RV’S AT PEG LEG SMITH’S THIS YEAR…TOWN OF BORREGO SPRINGS IS IN THE GREEN BELT AT THE FOOT OF THOSE MOUNTAINS

Because of the wind we did not have a good night.  Just like days of old in the Damon, we rocked, we rolled, & neither of us had a good night’s sleep.  We are also having quite a time adjusting to our much smaller digs.  But, several things are clear.  This useless dinette thing in here has to go & the sooner the better.  We will put 2 nice wall hugging recliners in that space.  Waaaaaay more practical.  And, we will definitely be stopping by Solar Mikes in Slab City next winter to see about a small solar system for sure.

WARM MORNING WINDS BLOWING PHEEBS EARS AROUND

Pheebs & I were out the door & on the trail by 7:20 this morning heading for Coyote Mountains southern trails.  It is a mountain but at the southern end just behind Peg Leg Smith’s it is more like high hills with rocky pathways.  Winds had died down & not long after starting out I took off my heavier lined flannel shirt & laid it by the trail to pick up on the way back.  What were my chances eh.

ONE SHORT WHISTLE BRINGS PHEEBS ON THE RUN:))

The old wind Codger must have seen me shed my shirt, waited until I got on up the trail near the ridge & then hit the switch on his dam wind machine full blast.  Almost blew all the fur off the Pheebs.  Fastened my baseball cap to my belt & we soldiered on.  After all, we had a destination in mind.  And, that destination was………a snake!!

 

Atop the hills at Coyote Mountain there lies a very shallow & slightly sheltered little dip in the rocks.  If one follows the paths carefully, one can find this place.  Three years ago I came across a couple of large stone Inukshuks here.  Two years I returned to the sheltered place but the large Inukshuks had been toppled.  But….there was something else here that quickly caught my eye.  A snake, & a very large snake at that.  I’m guessing a 40 footer & it was our mission this morning to return to that sheltered spot in the rocks & see if that big old snake was still there.  And, it was:))

BORREGO SPRINGS IS AT THE FOOT OF THE VALLECITO MOUNTAINS IN THE BACKGROUND

 

BYE BYE NICE SNAKE, GO BACK TO SLEEP NOW……..

What do you suppose were the chances of me remembering to retrieve my heavy flannel shirt on the way back to the rig.  Or, even seeing it lying about 2’ off the trail.  If you would have said, nil to none, then you know me well & would have been absolutely correct.  Walked right by it on my way back.  Had I been walking with eyes downcast like many rock hounds do, I would have seen it.  But, with an eye always out for photos, I’m a horizon looker when walking.  I had stopped to build 2 little stone markers along the trail when I remembered my shirt, which of course was by now back up the trail behind me.  So, it was back up the trail Pheebs & I went to retrieve my shirt.  Burned up some valuable & limited daily exercise units there.

YEP, WALKED RIGHT BY IT COMING DOWN THE HILL 

Later on, another mid morning walk with the Pheebs took me around the area that has been altered.  I was able to find a few  familiar landmarks & get my bearings.  In fact, I did find the area around our old favorite spot unaltered, but signs are up restricting admittance. 

Noticed a curious thing.  All the earth that has been bulldozed is a different color & texture from the surrounding normal surface.  I’m guessing it has been seeded with something.  Kind of like one might see alongside road construction banks.

NORMAL GROUND COLOR IN FOREGROUND & DARKER RE-WORKED EARTH IN BACKGROUND

  

MACHINES HAVE SMOOTHED OUT THIS PREVIOUSLY RUGGED AREA

 

I DID RECOGNIZE THIS GULLEY & THAT LOOKS LIKE A SPRAYED GRASS FORMULA ON THAT ORANGE MARKER

AND YEP, I THING WE HAVE SOMETHING SPROUTING HERE

Kelly is an avid book reader, literally devouring books two at a time.  She was in her element today not straying more than 30 feet from the rig.  Tipped back in a lounge chair I could hear her very contentedly plowing through page after page of happy bliss.  Pheebs hung out in the shade & I spent time in my upgraded anti-glare blanket tent working on this post.  Warm day & a slight breeze made for a totally perfect day.  We were long overdue for that.

 

TRADED IN MY HEAVY GREEN ANTI-GLARE BLANKET FOR SOMETHING A LITTLE COOLER TODAY

I’m sure many RV’ers are familiar with the many coincidences that happen in their travels.  ‘It’s a small world’ comes to mind here.  For RV Bloggers it is even more so.  And, it happened this evening as Kelly & I were out gathering up a few bits of firewood for a small campfire.  I had remembered seeing a large piece of wood nearby this morning so slipped over to get it.  On my way back to the rig I saw a truck camper couple kind of approaching.  They had just rolled in this afternoon & were parked just west of us.  As I approached carrying my piece of wood I could the lady was on a cell phone.  No sooner had I noticed that when she directly approached me saying, “I’d like you to say Hello to someone”.  Ok, this has got to be candid camera or something, right?  I said Hello & the lady on the other end said, Hello, my name is Rita & I am in Ottawa.

Well, here’s the coincidence.  It was the lady on the phone’s daughter who handed me the phone.  Her name was Esther & along with husband Steve, part time Bayfield Bunch readers, had just randomly pulled in to the Clark Dry Lake Bed here just outside of Borrego Springs.  Saw a spot they liked & as chance would have it, parked not too far west of us.  Esther happened to be talking to her Mother on the phone in Ottawa later & mentioned where they were.  She described the spot to her Mother by telling her there were some ‘area closed’ signs nearby.  Her Mother Rita, said, ‘hey, that’s where the Bayfield Bunch is right now”.  Rita, in Ottawa Canada, a long time reader, described our rig to Esther & sure enough, they were parked right near to us.  Esther, on the phone later, spotted me walking with the piece of firewood & came right over.  So when I said Hello on the phone, I was talking to a former RV’er who has been following our blog for years.  How nice to talk to Rita & what a huge coincidence it was that her daughter & husband parked right next to us.  But wait, a few more coincidences coming up……….

INSIDE MY ANTI-GLARE TENT:))

Turns out, after talking further that Steve & Esther also knew some other folks we knew.  JoAnn & Doug Dubrouillet we had also met.  They knew Mark & Bobbi Johnson who are on our side bar as the BOX CANYON BLOG.  They had just been spending time with well known Bloggers, Howard & Linda Payne down in Organ Pipe south of Why Az.  We never met Howard or Linda but knew of them through the blog channels.  I’m sure Esther mentioned a few other folks we both had either met or knew through our blogs as well but at this hour of the night my brain is even more glazed over than usual.  Yes, a small world indeed.

    

In the morning, Pheebs & I will head for Ghost Mountain over in the Blair Valley southwest of here.  Love that twisty winding drive through the Yaqui Pass.

 

GROANER’S CORNER:((  HIM: "I'm sorry dear but I'm up to my neck in work today"
HER: "But I've got some good news and some bad news for you dear"
HIM: "OK darling, but as I've got no time now, just give me the good news"
HER: "Well, the air bag works"

-------------------------------------------------------------
- Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
- Home is where your pet is:))
- "If having a soul means being able to feel
love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals
are better off than a lot of humans."
(James Herriot)
- The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails -William Arthur Ward
- The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.
- It is not so much having nothing to do as it is not having the interest to do something....AL.