San Diego

 

We are in San Diego!

There are over 3 million residents within its borders of 4,200 sq. miles of San Diego County. A place of continuous sprawl as far as the eyes can see; there is not a hill, mountain, valley without housing, storefronts or multi-laned Interstates. Speaking of Interstates there are five of them here and it is damn near impossible to go any distance without having to get on one of them or several. Eleven major highways, some just as crazy as the Interstates. And the drivers here make New Jersey seem sane!! Motorcyclists live by their own rules, thinking nothing of riding up the middle between lanes, zipping up the wrong side of the road to the front of the stopped cars at a traffic light to be first through the green, using the bicycle lanes and shoulders as their own and this is in the midst of the cars going in excess of 80 mph zipping in and out of lanes as if they were alone not caring how close they come nor of making you swerve to get out of their way. Total madness out here.

With all that, I do have to say in most parts they keep it beautiful here, the streets are tree and flower lined, with crews often seen doing cleanups. Yes, there are sketchy parts but it is a city. Just to darn busy for the likes of me. I do understand why this is a great vacation destination, there is so much to do here. There is the beach, beach towns, museums, Sea World, botanical gardens, San Diego Zoo, hiking, biking, wineries, and so much more. (will write about the places we go in different post). Especially, if you stay at one of the beach towns, such as Coronado, which is the nicest we seen so far, though I hear the ones a bit further north of there are nice as well. But again this time of year, crazy busy. Was totally unimpressed with Imperial Beach: for my NJ people, think lower end shore towns.

One of the many things that surprised us was how mountainous this area is and California in general. Yes, we knew there were hills and such but good grief, I'm not sure there is much flat land at all. At
least not in this part of the state. The changing environments are interesting though: beach, city, mountains, desert, all within an hours drive. Amazing.

On this visit we will be staying in the San Diego area and mostly hanging out with Sara and the boys as we can. Between the extreme heat in many areas, crowds at the places we want to see, and being fire season with several large ones already burning in the north we won't be venturing elsewhere. Plenty to keep us busy right here. We do look forward to our next visit which will be in the more late fall/winter season and at that time will be exploring more of this great state.

Our time here will be split between two campgrounds: Pio Pico and Sweetwater.

Pio Pico is one of our Thousand Trails membership campgrounds. We can stay there up to 3 weeks at a time, then need to leave for 1 week. It is large campground in the Jamul section of San Diego County: southeast of San Diego proper and Sara's. Set in the valley of the Mountains of the same name in what is considered the coastal desert area. Having over 500 campsites split between both sides of Otay Lakes Road one can always find a place there. The south side boasts two pools, a lodge, activity center, mini golf, horseshoes, basketball court, baseball field, and a store, with all sites having full hookups. Not to be out done the north side has a dog park, several sections of it's own sports complex, Equestrian campsites, nature trail, and RC Race Track. The sites here have water and electric with a dump station available. Both sides have several bathhouses, laundry facilities, as well as tent sites and cabins. We love the setting when we can get a site on the outer loops enabling us to sit enjoying the mountains with the many different birds including: Acorn Woodpeckers, California Scrub Jay, the beautiful Hooded Oriole, and, of course, the California Quail. We get to share our site with white shouldered squirrels, rabbits, and yes, even the coyotes stop by once in a while. To hear the coyotes yip, yap, and howl during the night is a stirring sound. One I love and will miss.                

We have met many people here and have made several friendships that we shall hold dear for many years. Hopefully, some of these same people will be back when we come again.

Sweetwater Campground is part of the Sweetwater Summit Regional Park: a beauty county park in the San Diego County Parks system. It consists of 150 sites in a combination of full hookups, water/electric sites, tent sites and several Equestrian sites (campsites with small corrals) with clean bathhouses, Amphitheater, playground, and horseshoes. Each site in the The North Loop with full hookups have level cement pads, large gravel areas with picnic table and fire rings. The South Loop has gravel pads. The park has picnic pavilions, a community building, playground, splash pad, and picnic areas. Further out it has baseball fields and a BMX biking complex. This is surrounded by many trails that are part of an amazing trail system throughout the area. The campground sits on top of a hill overlooking to the north Sweetwater Reservoir and to the south the baseball fields and the Bonita Golf Course. Beautiful setting. This is a great place to get some hiking in. 

Along many of the trails people have placed Geocaches, so that has been fun with us scoring several.

Many though are located in the high grass areas along fences which after seeing this “beauty” we won't go near! Glad I have zoom on my phone camera!

Yep, That is a Rattlesnake and Nope I won't get any closer!!

Two things we love to see here are the many horses being ridden on the trails and one of our favorite birds in the area: Road Runners!!

Both of these campgrounds we will definitely come back to.

Ta for now!

Some random shots:

Acorn Woodpecker. Check out those eyes!

View of Pio Pico from hike

This is a tough neighborhood. Even the birds need permits!

Century Plant of the giant variety!

Enough with the pictures lady!!

Out of adversity good things can happen

 June 3 – 6

So after a fun morning playing at the Calico Ghost Town, exploring the mine, riding the rails, checking out the museums, and having fun in the wacky house of illusion, we had a bit of lunch and headed on down the road. This was to be a quick and easy couple hours ride. Huh, well maybe not quite as quick and easy as we thought. Driving through San Bernadino, CA was our introduction into the craziness that is Southern California. Lots and Lots of traffic, felt like we were back in NJ on the parkway in the summer!! Finally got to our exit and we are now faced with up and up and up and round and round we go!! LOL Yep, found us yet another twisty, turvy, mountain road. You would think we would be use to this by now, HA.

We got to Idyllwild RV Campground in Idyllwild, CA in one piece, tired but good. Idyllwild park is another of our Thousand Trails membership parks, sitting high up in the San Jacinto Mountains at around 7000 feet. Beautiful views of the mountains and valleys are had. Tis a rather sandy area so one has to be careful when parking the RV and many of the sites aren't as level as one would like. We got lucky and found one of those perfect sites with lots of space to both sides of us, and a big ole California Live Oak Tree to help keep us shaded. It's not an easy park to get around as it sits on the side of the mountain with very steep roadway. Several so steep you are not allowed to bike on them, and tough walking up so we didn't do much on the bottom section. Fortunately, it still gave us bike riding opportunities and there is a great trail around the outer rim that goes about three quarters around the park giving us some decent hiking and again great views.   

Here we discovered the adorable white shouldered squirrels that we have further learned are the common variety here called California Ground Squirrels. They are fun to watch as they crawl close to the ground looking like they are slinking along always on alert. The campground is well maintained with decent clean facilities. There is a store, café, pool, and a pond for a bit of fishing. One we may go back to some day.                                                               

It was here that the title of this post spoke to me. As I mentioned it is a very sandy, hilly area so one has to take care when navigating some of the ins and out of the campsites. Fellow campers had the misfortune of getting stuck in such an area (it was mentioned by a staff ranger, this happens frequently). The backend of their unit decided to bury itself in the sand as they were moving from their sloping campsite. The out pouring of others trying to help them get unstuck was heartwarming. We were all quite surprised to discover their unit had a spare tire attached underneath the back end, bigger rigs don't normally have that and this made the getting out even tougher. Shovels, blocks, mats, jacks came from all around and as the day went on to evening flashlights and other lights. The persistence of the owner was to be commended, he was not giving up if it took all night! While trying to help as we could, we got a chance to talk with some of our neighbors and the couple whose rig was stuck. While unfortunate circumstances, it was fun in it's own way to all be pulling together, chatting, laughing, sharing stories, this is something so missed during this difficult time of the pandemic. We got to chat with a couple originally from Bulgaria (?), now living in OK. As difficult as it can be language wise, I do enjoy meeting and talking to people from other countries. What a friendly, interesting couple they were. We got to chat with them again the next day and were even invited to join them in Bulgaria one day. How Sweet. It's people like this that help make our journey special, the meeting, learning about and hearing the stories of others brings a depth to our travels that will be with us in memories for always.

Oh and yes, the rig was freed and surprisingly, no harm done!

June 7 – 10

Time to move on so off to Menifee, California we go. Turning left onto to Rt. 243, took us through the town of Idyllwild itself, sweet little mountain town with several shops along the main road. We discovered the road westward from the campground is a whole lot shorter and a lot less curvy then the section we drove in on. Hmm, should we go back we know which way to approach from!

Our destination: Wilderness Lakes RV Resort in Menifee, CA., bringing us ever closer to Sara, Kevin, and the boys as they too are making their way to their new home, from Washington to San Diego. Can't wait to see them again, Soon!!

Wilderness Lakes is one of those parks that are difficult to give an opinion of. Some of the sites a bit close together and lots of them. We were lucky to find one with just a little more elbow room and on the shady side. The park offers lot of amenities including pool, clubhouse, events, store, cafe, several outdoor sports (horseshoes, basketball court, mini golf, etc) with a creek that runs through in which one can fish. Unfortunately, like all others, the store, cafe, and clubhouse were closed due to COVID and no community events were to be had. Someday this will change, I can only hope. The bathhouse facilities were clean as well as the laundry room. Nice enough place just lacking in something for me. The roads surrounding the park lent themselves to bike riding but held no scenic appeal. Wilderness Lakes is one of those places that have a lot of regulars, many who have annual sites, rather like a community where there are spaces around for travelers but you don't feel fully included. Not having the activities probably played into that as there was no gathering of people. 

It did have many of these beautiful purple flowers trees. When I first saw them I said to Paul, they remind me of mimosa trees but I have never seen one with purple flowers. They are: Jacaranda mimosifolia and simply beautiful.

One funny story: While we were there something happened to the water system and it had to be turned off until addressed. It is mentioned when any of the utilities were turned off a warning horn would be sounded. Well, that warning horn was not as one would have expected. One of the staff drove around the campground in a golf cart shouting “The Water Is Turned Off” repeatedly while blowing a clown's horn, yep the one with the big red bulb! Then, several hours later around he went again shouting, “The Water Is On, The Water Is On.” How hysterical it was.

I can't quite put my finger on the why of my unsettledness there, maybe just anxious to get that just further south. I do feel under other circumstances we could have found it more appealing and it's a great place when needing a spot to stop between destinations.

But we did have this little guy stop by for a visit: 

This brings us to our destination for the summer: San Diego and seeing the kids again! Yahoo!!

Not sure why but didn't take many photos at either of these places. Oh well, enjoy the ones I did.

Ta for now

Visitor to our campsite in Idyllwild

Pretty Purple Lupines

California Here We Come

May 28, 2021

After playing at Valley of Fire we heading over to Pahrump, NV., which is just west of Las Vegas. A Very sprawling town though that seems to be typical out here. We stayed at Preferred RV Resort, with our membership to Coast To Coast twas only $10.00 a night. And what a deal! Really nice campground, sites a bit tight but lots of amenities and very well kept.

 Pool, Clubhouse, Community Events, Exercise Room, Billiards, typical outdoor sports: miniature golf, horseshoes, basketball. They even have a Woodshop, Stained Glass Classes, Arts & Crafts, and Sewing Machines for use. A fish pond and beautiful gardens rounded things out. WOW

The roads around the campground made for good biking. And so close to town, if you needed anything or wanted a night out to restaurant or casino it was easily had. We spent several days there and would not hesitate to go back. High on the list of favorites.

Obviously, driving through the desert causes odd things to happen to one's electronics. Talk about a time warp and we aren't even near Roswell, LOL 

June 1, 2021

After a relaxing Memorial Weekend, headed out and across the border to California. Was quite disappointed there was no welcoming sign at the border. Guess we aren't truly welcome LOL. But we did pass this exit and well, how do you pronounce this one??? 

Our route took us through more mountains and along the Death Valley National Park border. We considered going in and checking it out but the 115 degree temperatures made us reconsider. Perhaps next time we come out this way and it's winter! 

The route is another desolate area with a whole lot of nothingness, surrounded by bare mountains and yet has such a beauty about it. Most of the drive was in Nat'l and Local Preservation areas 

We kept passing areas where the “sand” was white, thought at first perhaps salt fields but found out differently. It is from Borax, that area has the biggest borax deposits in the world. Yep, Borax, as in 20 Mule Team Borax you buy at the supermarket. Actually, that company is located not far from the area we passed through. The things you find and learn while traveling are impressive.

Our travels took us to Barstow, California where we would spend the next couple of days at a KOA there. Typical, older, KOA. Great staff, just enough room between sites to not feel boxed in, pool, campstore, playground, etc. This one also had an archery field, thought we'd like to partake in that but well, we have decided we are not desert people. Temperatures over 100 degrees everyday. 

They not only had RV and tent sites but several size cabins and a couple of platform tents, though they called them Safari Tents. That was a first. We were supposed to leave on Thursday but found the temperature was heading to 105 then so called our next destination and were told to come on over. Did manage to get some early morning, late evening walking and biking in as large empty area behind the campground used mostly it seemed for horseback riding and ATVs.

June 3, 2021

So decided to play tourist today and headed to the Calico Ghost Town just a couple miles from Bartsow. Calico was one of the many mining towns to spring up in the area back in the late 1800s when silver was found. It held the distinction of being among the richest mines in the state between producing $86 million in silver and another $45 million in borax, that was a lot of money back then! At it's height in 1887, it maintained a population of 1,200 with 22 saloons, and over 500 mines. The population fell after that and continued to fall to today's population of 8, Yep, 8 and they all work at the Ghost Town. At some point the town became the propriety of Walter Knott, of Knott's Berry Farm fame. It was he who donated the town to San Bernardino County in 1966 and they have maintained it since.

Fun way to spend a day (well half of a day), besides the little chops and a couple of eateries, it boasts The Calico/Odessa Railroad, Maggie Mine, Museum, Bottle House, Mystery Shack and several other of orginal buildings. There is even a campground (which we didn't stay in). 

House made of bottles

The Mystery Shack is a house of illusion that truly plays with your mind and body, not for the queasy among us.

There were these adorable quail type birds called Chukars there that were such fun to watch. They even put on a bit of a show LOL.

Spent several hours there, enjoyed a bit of lunch and then headed on our way. One of those campy touristy places with just enough history to make it fun, entertaining, and educational. Worth the stop. 

Ta!  

More from Preferred RV, Parhump, NV

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