IN SEARCH OF THE GREAT STONE EAGLE NEAR WARNER SPRINGS CALIFORNIA

THE GREAT STONE EAGLE

(This is Sunday’s post, had problems publishing it Sunday night)

It was a clear & crisp morning for locating Comet Ison.  But I didn’t locate it.  My head was still located on my warm pillow.  Rare for me to be asleep when skies are lightening in the East but sleep in I did & missed the Comet.  There is another Comet in the sky at the moment which I will look for as well.  Named Comet Lovejoy it is under the handle of the Big Dipper at the moment.

WE WERE BUZZED BY A COUPLE HOT SHOT FIGHTER HANG GLIDER JOCKS THIS MORNING

Checking the overall weather map this morning we are finding ourselves in a very fortunate location.  Many fellow RV Bloggers are experiencing cold & rainy weather at the moment.  Congress is getting a lot of rain so we lucked out in traveling over here to Borrego Springs when we did.  And back home in Bayfield they are buried in a snow storm.  Mark from BOX CANYON BLOG  is having a tough time with with the elements as well.  Cold & wet in Utah.  GEORGE & SUSIE are toughing out cold temps somewhere in Texas.  My thought is why not just pack up & head for warmer climates.  But then again if one has commitments & reservations it may not be the most economical thing to do.  Oh Dear:((

NOTICED THIS VEHICLE IN BORREGO SPRINGS A COUPLE DAYS AGO & AT PEG LEG SMITH’S THIS MORNING.  OLDER COUPLE DRIVING & IT HAS A EUROPEAN LICENSE PLATE

Am getting more inquiries about our solar installation so I will try & put together a more in depth description of what we had installed tomorrow & how to get in touch with Solar Mike at Slab City.

PEG LEG SMITH'S HAS REALLY FILLED UP FROM JUST A FEW DAYS AGO

My apologies about the yellow color of tonight’s default printing.  I was 3 paragraphs into the post before I realized I had not switched to the easier to read custom color.  Just didn’t have the energy to go back & re-type everything…………………..

Kelly packed up a lunch & we all piled into the Jeep heading out in a search of a large bird we did not expect to find.  First a stop in Borrego Springs to drop off a small bag of garbage in a trash barrel at Christmas Circle.  Next stop was the Big Horn Fudge Company for a coffee & a hunk of fudge.  Quick stop across the road at the Anza-Borrego Park Store for some info on where to find the bird we were looking for….the great Stone Eagle.  With directions in hand we boogied out of Borrego Springs heading for Montezuma’s Grade.

 

Montezuma’s Grade.  Now here’s a drive up the side of the San Ysidro Mountains that rivals the Yarnell Hill.  I would say this drive is twice as long & gains a higher altitude.  Views of the Borrego Valley are spectacular.  More curves,twists, & turns than the Yarnell Hill but the Hill may have some tighter hairpins.  We have been up & down Montezuma's Grade before & never tire of the experience either climbing the grade or tumbling back down.

WITH BINOCULARS IN HAND KELLY IS LOOKING FOR OUR RIG AT THE SOUTHERN TIP OF COYOTE MOUNTAIN & YES WE COULD SEE IT….BARELY

 

Our directions had us heading for a place we had never been before.  A place we have heard & read about.  Think I may have first come across it in Marshal South’s Ghost Mountain book.  Liked the looks of WARNER SPRINGS soon as we drove into it.  A historic past with the Warner Range being a stop on the Butterfield Stage route back in the mid to late 1800’s.  Small community on highway 79.  And it was at the local fire station in Warner Springs we caught a break.

KELLY ASKS A WARNER SPRINGS FIREMAN FOR DIRECTIONS TO THE STONE EAGLE

  

The 2,663 mile PACIFIC CREST TRAIL running all the way from the Canadian border to Mexico passes through Warner Springs right beside the local fire department.  We knew it was a 3.5 mile hike from that point to where the great Stone Eagle could be found.  We knew we could not make that 7 mile round hike but we wanted to at least walk part way.  We couldn’t exactly find the trail so stopped at the fire station to ask where it was. (it was about 40 feet away)  Kelly asked a fireman on duty about the stone Eagle & how long he thought it would take someone to walk there.  And here’s where we caught the break.  Fireman told Kelly we could cheat a bit & just drive to where the stone Eagle is located.  He gave us directions & off we went.  Ten minutes later we came around a curve opening into a huge valley.  There in the distance were several rock outcroppings & there I recognized the great stone Eagle from pictures I had seen.

KELLY CHECKS OUT A BARBED WIRE GATE TO SEE IF WE CAN GET THROUGH

Went a little further & found a short pull off with a barbed wire gate.  A wagon trail led in & ambled it’s way towards the Eagle about a quarter mile away.  Silly us even knowing we were going up into the higher altitude mountains today had not thought to throw a couple coats in the Jeep.  There was a good wind blowing, temperature was 53 & we were cold.  Kelly had a long sleeve shirt & I dawned my yellow rain coat to cut the wind.  First thing we had to do was get on the ground & get ourselves under a few strands of barbed wire.  We were determined to walk to that Eagle.  And walk to that Eagle we did.

 

What a beautiful valley this was.  A few pockets of large boulders looked as though they had an ancient intelligence to them.  Kind of reminded me of England’s Stonehenge a bit.  I was also aware this felt like a very special place.  I have experienced that before.  Happens to me every time I enter the Blair Valley west of here to climb the trail to Marshal South’s homestead. 

But today it was the great Eagle we were walking to & how amazing to see this striking rock formation looking every bit like a an Eagle on the ground with wings spread against the wind.  Took us about 5 minutes to walk the wagon trail to the Eagle.  Sure worked out better for us not having to walk 7 miles.

 

California’s section of the Pacific Crest Trail travels right past the great Eagle with a short path leading up behind the site.  Pheebs & I made our way around behind & were able to climb up on the Eagles back & stroke the back of it’s magnificent head.  I whispered in it’s ear to fly us away high up into the sky.  No harm in trying, I’ve always been a dreamer.

BEHIND THE GREAT EAGLE

 

PHEEBS & I CLIMBED ONTO THE EAGLES BACK, I PLACED MY HAND ON THE GREAT BIRD’S HEAD & SOFTLY WHISPERED………………..

Wind wasn’t letting up & with a growing cloud cover casting long shadows the air was cold.  Kelly was feeling it & we quickly headed back to the warmth of the Jeep.  A bit of scrambling under the barbed wire gate & we were on our way up the road. 

HEADING BACK TO THE WARMTH OF THE JEEP

We were on the Los Coyote Indian reservation & knew there was a campground ahead so took a drive up & had a look at it.  Not somewhere we would consider going.  No water, no electric & for that they still wanted $25 a night.

KELLY SCRAMBLES UNDER THE BARBED WIRE GATE

 

WHEN PHEEBS SAW ME ON THE GROUND SQUEEZING UNDER THE WIRE SHE FIGURED IT WAS PLAY TIME

 

“MOM, MOM, DAD’S FALLEN & HE CAN’T GET UP”

Back to highway 79 in Warner Springs.  A right turn would have taken us to Temecula.  We turned left into Warner Springs & stopped across from the fire hall & ate the ham sandwiches Kelly had made for us.  From there it was back highway S2 heading for Borrego Springs.  We began our long descent down Montezuma’s grade with a stop near the top at the Culp Valley Campground.  We had stopped there about 5 or 6 years ago one time & did a couple hikes.  We stopped there again today but didn’t walk too far.  Nice campground & popular with tenters.  Roads too rough & spots too small for most RV’s.  It was already after 3 o’clock & we were tired.   Tumbled our way down Montezuma’s Grade, slipped though Borrego Springs with a nod to Christmas Circle.  We were back at the rig well before 4.  Stretched out in one of our new Gravity chairs, turned on the IPod Bose, put on some of my very most favorite ambient tunes & just relaxed soaking up the later afternoon sunshine until it slipped slowly down behind the San Ysidro Mountains.  Another great day in the life & travels of the Bayfield Bunch:))

THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL WANDERS PAST THE STONE EAGLE SITE HEADING SOUTH TO MEXICO

Tomorrow I will have additional photos from today showing more of the area around the Eagle, Los Coyote Campground, Warner Springs, the Culp Valley Campground, & tumbling down the Montezuma grade.  I’m too tired tonight to include them & you are too tired right now from reading all this……………………

 

GROANER’S CORNER:(( 

Q: Why do they say 'Amen' at the end of a prayer instead of 'Awomen'?
A: The same reason they sing Hymns instead of Hers!

Q: Why did Moses wander in the desert for 40 years?
A: Even then men wouldn't ask for directions!

-------------------------------------------------------------
- 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.

RELAXING DAY AROUND THE RIG & WE ARE HAPPY WITH OUR NEW SOLAR PANEL

 

FRIDAY AFTERNOON’S ENCOUNTER WITH A RAINBOW WEST OF SALTON CITY ON S22

First thing I did when stepping out of the rig this morning was look up.  Stars:))  That meant our cloud cover had up & left town in the night.  Knew we were in for a much welcomed & greatly appreciated sunny day.  However, as much as I liked what I saw I did not like what I heard about an hour later when I stepped out.  Human voices.  Not good!!

SALTON CITY UNDER THE RAINBOW

 

Returning from our Jeep trip yesterday we noticed a Class B van had moved in unnecessarily close.  Tons of room out here but it’s the old Boondocker’s lament.  A spacious amount of room between us by RV Park standards but way too close by Boondocking standards.  No thoughts of moving though.  Well that is until I heard the loud voices.  Unbeknownst to us about 6 rigs had rolled in & circled the wagons sometime in the night.  Lots of human noise coming from there including music.  And that was a big contributing factor to our moving decision this morning. 

 

THE SITE WE MOVED FROM THIS MORNING DUE TO THE…………

 

NOISE FACTOR & THE CLOSENESS FACTOR

Many RV’ers familiar with this boondocking area know where the Solar Oven site is.  We were just North-West of there.  To the South-West of the Oven site there is another site which is the highest spot out here.  Great views & we knew our Verizon signal would be better with a clear line of sight to Borrego Springs a few miles distant.  A white van was in that site when we arrived a few days ago but we saw the site empty this morning.  It was a no brainer & 20 minutes later we had moved onto that prime spo5.  (Same site you were on the last time we saw you Keith.  And Kelly met Butch in the grocery store today)

 

DRIVING BACK TO OUR RIG AFTER FRIDAY’S JEEP TOUR

HAD US A TIRED LITTLE POOCH

We are closer to the S22 highway & Rockhouse Road so do get some road noise but I much prefer that than loud laughter, cackling voices, thumping music, snorting dirt bikes, & revving ATV’s.  We have the best view of Borrego Springs at night down in the Borrego Valley as well.  Also have to take into consideration this is the week-end & we are located in one of California’s largest off road areas.  Recreational RV’ers or Week-end Warriors as I prefer to think of them come from far & wide to roar around the desert in their Dune Buggies, ATV’s, Jeeps, Dirt Bikes, & whatever off-road vehicle they may have. 

OUR NEW DIGS THIS MORNING

 

 

OUR NEW SPOT NEAR THE SOLAR OVEN SITE

First order of business was to tidy up the campsite.  Some folks leave sites clean while others just leave whatever mess they have made.  Many times it is the latter.  Our new site was pretty good.  Cleaned out the fire pit & raked up a bunch of sharp stones.  Guess that’s the gardener in me.  I then scooted myself up the ladder onto the rig’s roof.  I was anxious to get our new 240 Watt solar panel up.

 

KELLY CAME UP THE LADDER FOR A LOOK SEE AS WELL

I knew right away I was going to like this solar set-up better than the Damon.  Only one panel so that meant just half the work in setting it up.  Bonus.  This panel is more conveniently located as well making it easily accessible.  And we were pleased at how the already great solar numbers soared as soon as the panel went up.  I WD-40’d our TV antennae while on the roof as well.  Goes up & down much easier now.

 

Kelly headed off to the Library this morning.  Borrego Springs has a great library & our first couple years here we would take our computers there to do our internet stuff.  Pheebs & I stayed with the rig & just soaked up the warm air & sunshine.  I couldn’t help but think back to all our previous boondocking days over the past 7 years.  What a nice feeling it was this morning to see that big solar panel on the roof gathering the sun’s power.  Our awning truffling in a light breeze, chairs, tables, & mats all out just like we used to do.  Will Ackerman’s melodic guitar wafted out of our Bose IPod system as Pheebs stretched out on a comfy pile of California gravel.  It is a nice feeling getting our old boondocking hats back on again.  Despite my irritable & grumbly self at times there still are periods in my day where life is good & I am able to put a smile on my own face:))

 

COYOTE MOUNTAIN ON LEFT & THE SANTA ROSA MOUNTAINS ON RIGHT BOTH HAD CLOUDS RESTING ON THEM TODAY

We tried out our new ‘Buddy’ propane heater for awhile Friday night & were impressed how quickly it warmed things up for us.  Of course this rig is better insulated than the Damon was & holds it’s heat better.  Smaller area too.  It runs on those small BBQ propane bottles so at some point we will probably have it plumbed into our larger on-board propane tank.  Just like our larger Legacy propane heater was in the Damon.

ANYONE WHO HAS EVER SPENT ANY TIME HERE AT THE CLARK DRY LAKE BED NEAR BORREGO SPRINGS KNOWS THE BEAUTY OF EVER CHANGING CLOUDS ACROSS THE FACE OF THE SANTA ROSA MOUNTAINS

I don’t seem to have a lot of luck in keeping my posts shorter lately.  And it’s hard to keep my photos down to a dull minimum when we are surrounded by such beautiful scenery all the time.  When the excitement of travel bubbles so does my interest & enthusiasm.   I seem to end up adding many extra words & photos to my posts.  Old Blabberfingers is on a roll again………..

A comment question wondering what kind of dog Pheebe is.  We’re not sure but we think she is a mixture of Border Collie & Burnese with a whole lot of sweetness thrown in.  She was bought by her former owner in a Pet Store in Exeter Ontario.  She is a galluping 4 years old now:))  Shout Box question asked if I had tried getting any photos of Comet Ison.  No I haven’t but I will be looking for Ison in the morning again if tonight’s clouds clear over that way.  I know what area of the sky it is in but I just haven’t seen it yet.  Another Shout Box question by Eddie asked about our Jeep.  It’s a 2006 Jeep Wrangler Sport.  Six cylinder 6 speed stick shift.  It tows easy with all for wheels on the road.  Our Jeep is stock & has not been altered.  For the type of moderate off-road Jeeping we enjoy it suits us just fine. 

ONE CAN ALWAYS JUDGE THE LEVEL OF FUN ONE HAD BY THE AMOUNT OF MUD ON THE RUNNING BOARDS

Watched a lone Coyote trot through the perimeter of our campsite about 6:30 this morning.  Not often we see them but we hear them howling in the distance most nights.  Guess that is expected when one is parked right beside Coyote Mountain.

GROANER’S CORNER:((    Who Reads Newspapers??

The Wall Street Journal is read by the people who run the country.

–The New York Times is read by people who think they run the country.

–The Washington Post is read by people who think they ought to run the country.

–USA Today is read by people who think they ought to run the country but don’t understand The Washington Post.

–The Los Angeles Times is read by people who wouldn’t mind running the country, if they could spare the time.

–The Boston Globe is read by people whose parents used to run the country.

–The New York Daily News is read by people who aren’t too sure who’s running the country.

–The New York Post is read by people who don’t care who’s running the country, as long as they do something scandalous.

–The San Francisco Chronicle is read by people who aren’t sure there is a country, or that a country is a good idea in the first place.

–The Miami Herald is read by people who are running another country.

–The Chicago Tribune is read by people who live in the Midwest, which readers of the other newspapers don’t think is part of the country.