Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Anza Borrego Desert SP, Blair CG

Wednesday: (03/31) We were on the road by 9am headed towards Yuma where we filled up our gas tank with the last of the cheap Arizona gas. We also filled our LPG tank. With all reserves full, we headed out on I8 a little after 10am.

We passed through both the California Ag checkpoint and the Border Patrol checkpoint with no delays. Fortunately, we must have looked innocent. Shortly after the Border Patrol checkpoint we exited I8 onto highway 98 toward Calexico.

We stopped in Calexico to look around a couple of flea markets. Lou found a new sun hat. After our look, we had leftover bean soup and fresh coleslaw for lunch before continuing West on highway 98.

Just before highway 98 meets I8 again, we turned onto highway S2 to head into the desert parks.

Purple Flower Near Anza Borrego Yellow Flower Near Anza Borrego
We stopped for a photo break along highway S2. A couple of new flowers for this years viewing.

More Yellow Daisy Bush Flowers
These look similar to some previous. Lots of yellow daisy like flowers on a bush but these had orange centers and the earlier ones had brown centers.

We looked over a couple of BLM campsites on our way in but one was full and the others too difficult for us to use. We also stopped by Agua Caliente County Park but they were too crowded for our likes and we continued on.

We stopped at Blair Campground in Anza Borrego SP, the only campers, or at least we could see no other campers. There were a few others way out the road which skirts the dry lake. "Dry" doesn't do the lake justice. Anywhere else it would be called a meadow. It is lush and green, not sand or salt. From our campsite we have a nice view over the valley.

While we had no rain, the wind was pretty heavy all day (30+mph gusts) and is still gusting pretty good here at our campsite. Lou fixed chicken, broccoli, and backed potatoes for dinner. We disconnected the toad and took a little tour out along the edge of the dry lake and found the few other campers, all very dispersed. The road looks like it could become messy when it rains. there are several spots where trucks or motorhomes obviously got stuck in the mud leaving deep furrows. We're not interested in that and when it started to sprinkle we dashed back to the safety of our campsite. Maybe we'll be more brave tomorrow when the suns out?

Our new camp is level but a little elevated and overlooking the meadow. It's in a small valley surrounded by short hills that have large rocks to boulders all over them (aka big rock piles).

A Red Sunrise Our Campsite At Anza Borrego's Blair CG
Thursday: (04/01) April Fools Day but this is not a tale! We got up about 06:00. We went out and enjoyed a red sunrise. It was overcast but to the South, some of the mountains were brightly lit by the sun.

Snow On Mountains After Our Snow Storm At Blair CG
It started to sprinkle a little so we came inside. Lou fixed corned beef hash and eggs for breakfast. It continued to drip outside eventually actually causing a little flow off our downspouts. By 08:30 it had been raining fairly consistently for two hours and we actually started to get puddles. It also started snowing with big 1" sized flakes amidst the rain. It didn't stick around but melted immediately when it hit the ground. We are at 2550 feet elevation here, considerably higher that the 280 ft down at Imperial Dam.

While the morning started off like we might need to stay home today, by 10am the sun was shining and we were off. it was still cold, but nice. We drove out the road along the Blair dry lake (meadow) to the South Home Site.

South Homesite A White Flower
A family named South built a house on top of one of the mountains and grew their food there in terraces using a cistern watering system during the depression. This hike was fairly steep and rocky but gives some good views from the home site at the top of the mountain.

Century Plant Rising Century Blooming
There were a lot of century plants everywhere, especially on the trail to the South Homesite.

Cactus Blooming Cactus Blooming Closeup
This little cactus along the trail was in bloom so I had to capture it.

Bird At South Homesite, Anza Borrego
We enjoyed our lunch at the top, granola bars and jerky with banana chips. While we had lunch, this bird watched us standing on a cactus.

Morteros (Grinding Holes) Morteros (Grinding Holes). On The Side Of The Rock?
We continued out the dirt road to see the Mortors (Indian grinding rocks). This is another 1 mile hike out and another back.

A Yucca Plant Starting To Bloom Yucca In Bloom
The yucca plants are blooming. On the left is the beginning and on the right the end.

Pictographs At Anza Borrego Pictographs At Anza Borrego
We continued out the dirt road to the Pictographs. Lou made the first two hikes but decided to rest her knee and I hiked out to see the Pictographs. There is a single boulder that has some painted pictographs on one side of it. The symbols are different that any others we've seen.

White Flower
On the way out to the pictographs I spotted this flower. It is supposedly the Desert Chicory so i guess we could brew up a nice drink with it.

Each of these hikes were supposedly 1 mile out and another back but I think they just had a sale on 1 mile signs. the hikes are quite different with the first and last hakes seeming much longer and the middle seeming much less.

We got back to camp a little after 3pm and it was ice cream time. That always helps.

The sky was cloudy this morning then cleared leaving some clouds hanging around the taller mountains to our West. Now the sky is blue and there are a few clouds here and there none of which will likely do anything. All the snow that did remain on the taller mountains later in the day is now gone.

Lou fixed a chicken, shrimp, green bean, broccoli, carrot and onion stir fry for dinner. It was mostly leftover stuff.

I uploaded some more photos in the evening.


Anza Borrego Blair CG Frog Rock
Friday: (04/02) I started the day with a short walk up the hill behind our camp to the highway then down the highway to check an old abandoned homesteaders cabin, then across to Blair lake and out the road on the opposite side from our drives. I thought it might be shorter than it was and returned to camp without going to end of the road. There are lots of possible campsites along that Western side of the lake as well.

The hill behind our campsite gave a nice view of the campsite with Blair Dry Lake behind it. Also from our window, we got the view on the right above of a rock frog. it was huge!

Anza Borrego Blair CG Purple Flower Anza Borrego Blair CG White Pincushion Flower
And, of course, there were some interesting flowers to be captured.

Anza Borrego Blair CG Yellow Flowers Beetle At Blair CG
In addition to flora, there is interesting fauna. The beetle on the right above is about a 1/2 inch in diameter, a big fella. He was really interested in devouring the plant he was on.

Lou fixed French toast and bacon for breakfast. After breakfast we broke camp and headed out toward Borrego Springs to the Visitor Center.

Monday, March 29, 2010

Kripple Kreek, Last Days

Monday: (03/29) We've been here at Kripple Kreek for about a month now and it's nearing time to move on. It's still nice here but will be hot soon. Many of our neighbors have already departed to head North toward their homes or cooler climates. We want to head over to Anza Borrega State Park before it gets hot, then head North. We also like fairs, and that is what has kept us here. The Yuma Arizona County Fair starts Tuesday afternoon and we are going to the fair and then can leave Wednesday.

I posted recent pictures, since 3/20, of our activities. Lots of flowers and hills.

  1. Chuckwallas, Our Neighbors On The Hill

  2. Senator Wash Gorge Trail

  3. Yuma Air Show At The MCAS

  4. Kripple Kreek Lazy Daze

  5. Picacho State Recreation Area


Lou is starting some beans in the krock pot today and fixed eggs Benedict for breakfast. We almost. We had some broken English muffins, some  ham, and eggs. Lou prepared a sauce using yogurt, Velvetta cheese, and Parmesan cheese. As good or better than Hollandaise sauce and accomplished without egg yolks which my stomach doesn't like.

It turned into  a hot day today. Lou tinkered on her dolls, as usual. I tinkered at the computer, as usual. Just after noon we drove down to Bard and got our mail and more date milk shakes. Fortunately, it cooled off some in the late afternoon .

Ham and beans for dinner, cooked in the crock pot.

Burros Visit Us At Kripple Kreek Burros Visit Us At Kripple Kreek
We had a pleasant surprise after dinner. Three burros dropped by for a visit, one got a drink of water from Lou's bird bath. We haven't seen them in our camp except on our first night here. Tonight is our next to the last night here so I guess they only visit us we we're coming or going?

Tuesday: (03/30) Breakfast was cherrios with yogurt and jam. After breakfast we headed toward town to do our laundry. After our mornings labor, we did some shopping. We stopped at Big Lots where I got my energy drinks and some other irresistible items. I find that they have the best energy drinks, much better than Red Bull at 14 the cost. I usually just use them when I'm driving in the afternoon. They also had some other food items we needed. I also picked up an ink cartridge for our printer at Staples. We also happened upon a Harbor Freight Tools store. That required a look around as well.

We intended to stop at the Ranch House restaurant for Lou to get a dose of BBQ but they are closed M-F. So we continued shopping stopping at a Red Wing shoe store for Lou to look for some new Birkenstock sandles. her current pair is falling apart. They didn't have her style but I did find a nice pair of hiking boots to replace my current worn out pair.

We finally stopped for lunch at Applebee's. We had some spinach dipp and chips and I had a cheese burger while Lou had BBQ riblets. That had to do for Lou's BBQ needs until sometime in the future.

A Nice Quilt At The Yuma Fair Yuma Fair Photos
At 3pm we headed over to the Yuma County Fair which opened at 3pm today and it was dollar day as well. A nice quilt at the Yuma Fair. Lots of photes and fine art at the fair.

Flowers At Yuma Fair Flowers At Yuma Fair
We looked all around their very nice fair. There are very active 4h and FFA as well as lots of crafts, fine arts and more. These were our favorite flowers, mine on the left, Lou's on the right. And then there were the animals. It wasn't too big so it didn't take too long to see everything.

We stopped at Walmart's for some groceries, got gas and headed home. A busy day.

Wednesday: (03/31) Up early, packing to depart. A quick breakfast and a final visit to the dump and we're on our way. Unfortunately it's cloudy and rain is expected with some winds but hopefully all will be good enough to travel.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Chuckwallas, Our Neighbors On The Hill

Chuckwalla At Kripple Kreek Chuckwalla At Kripple Kreek
Sunday: (03/28) When I got home Lou had something to show me. Our neighbor had mentioned that they had seen a chuckwalla across the wash from our campsite. Lou took here binoculars over and found them while I was gone.

Chuckwalla At Kripple Kreek Chuckwalla At Kripple Kreek
We saw two of them, one twice as large as the other and the small one wasn't small probably 18 inches long and 4 inches wide..

Lou fixed ham sandwiches for lunch. I tinkered with the recent photos in the afternoon while Lou continued with her doll making.

Dinner was left over sauerkraut potatoes, pork chops and some fresh steamed spinach.

Our beaver Pond At Night
After dinner we walked out to the beaver pond but didn't have any luck tonight except for a seeing a small fox on the way out and some bats flying around over the lake helping to remove the mosquitos.

Senator Wash Gorge Trail

Kripple Kreek Flowers Kripple Kreek Flowers
Sunday: (03/28) This morning I started the day with a walk around the campground. The white flower was new and only seen across from our campsite. I just like the daisy like flowers on the bushes all over the place but this one seemed special because it looks like a bouquet. Breakfast was PBJ English muffins.

Kripple Kreek Flowers Kripple Kreek Flowers
Yellow seems to be a favorite color for the flowers around here. the pale yellow flowers are in the rocks in the wash and only one plant. Never seen them before. They are also interesting bcause they are almost all flowers and no plant.

Kripple Kreek Flowers Kripple Kreek Flowers
Some of the flowers are rather delicate like the Ghost Flower on the left above and some are hard to recognize as flowers like those on the mesquite tree.

Kripple Kreek Flowers
The palo verde blossoms are rather rare, as are leaves on the tree.

Senator Wash Gorge Trail Senator Wash Gorge Trail
I took a morning hike up the Senator Wash Gorge. I drove over to where Ferguson Road crosses the wash and hiked the two or so miles up the wash to the mountains then back to the car via a burro trail along the ridge.

Senator Wash Gorge Trail Senator Wash Gorge Trail
The first section of the gorge ended abruptly with a vertical drop. i had to backtrack a short way and climb out of the gorge to continue.

Senator Wash Gorge Trail Senator Wash Gorge Trail
The hiking is a little tough on the sand and gravel wash bottom.

Senator Wash Gorge Trail Flowers Senator Wash Gorge Trail Flowers
The white flowers were quite tiny and i only saw them here at the end of the gorge. The yellow flowers are more common. The orange flowers are seen ocassionally.

Senator Wash Gorge Senator Wash Gorge
Thegorge disappears after a while and becomes an ordinary wash. Flowers are everywhere, especially the beavertail cactus flowers.

Senator Wash Gorge Senator Wash Gorge
That black line in the center of the left photo above is the gorge. There was some water in the gorge.