A side trip home - to 3/4/26

I'm not sure where I heard about it or perhaps I read something in a magazine, e.g., AARP, but since we were already "in the neighborhood," why not stop by?  I'm referring to Trona Pinnacles, a "unique geological feature" located about 170 miles north of Desert Hot Springs and 28 miles east of Ridgecrest in the Mojave Desert.  While we've been all around this area, we'd never been to Trona or Ridgecrest.  Because it's BLM land, dispersed camping is allowed and I thought it would be grand to camp below one of those tufa spires.

We found it easily.  At the entry, a sign read that the 5-mile-long dirt/gravel road is generally accessible to passenger vehicles (if you're willing to drive on a washboard), but after a rain, the road may be impassable, even to four-wheel drive vehicles.  Rain had fallen two weeks earlier; we figured we were safe. 

With Smartie in tow, Tergel started down what used to be a dirt road, transformed into a dried mud (like cement) track, with deep, irregular ruts.  We made it possibly a quarter mile before crying Uncle!  Then we had to turn around and make our way back toward the entrance.  Truly, that was an awful experience for Tergel, Smartie and us.  Nearer the entrance we found level ground and, since camping was allowed, we decided to stay where we were.  Too bad we were still five miles away from the pinnacles.  And we said, ain't no way we're walking that far!  Well, at least we could see them.  

Tergel sits all by herself with the pinnacles in the distance and train cars parked on a siding.  (Can you see her?) We'd taken Smartie for a spin so we could check out the ghost town of Trona.  Not much to see there.  The town is still functioning, but only barely.  A huge chemical complex closed down years ago, and we all know what happens then.  A new outfit is pulling sodium and potassium minerals out of Searles dry lake, but Trona is floundering.

This train was moving toward Trona (at a snail's pace),

going to pick up some raw material?  Flashy cars.

We went for a walk to the siding with the rail cars,

looking, examining, supposing ....

Toward dusk, I climbed a ridge behind Tergel and found a treasure trove of wildflowers.  The bottom two are Brown-eyed Primrose and Desert Five-Spot.

I took this picture of the pinnacles from atop the ridge.  Isn't it fantastic?  I'm glad we stopped here even if we couldn't get any closer.

In 2016, the BLM designated Trona Pinnacles as part of the California Desert National Conservation Lands due to the area’s significant scientific and ecological values; this means that the area will be managed to protect those values and will be permanently protected from development.  Good.  (They could work on that road, however!)

This pic is from Wiki.  As you see, people were closer to the spires.

There's Tergel/Smartie (and my shadow where I stood on the ridge).  Being camped here was extra-special, and with no one else around the silence was pervasive and so welcome.  Aside from the pinnacles, the area isn't particularly scenic, but we appreciated both the vastness and the tiny wildflowers at our feet.  I didn't fret that we couldn't camp at the base of a monolith tufa, nope.  Just happy.  Period.

And the sky!  We saw the breath-taking full moon rise above yonder mountain -- what a sight!  We didn't expect this which made it even better.  For sure, we wouldn't see many stars nor the Milky Way, not with the super bright moon filling the sky.  Alone as we were, there wasn't any need to close our windshield curtains.  We watched the moon climb in the sky.  I got up once in the night to look around, and it was like daylight out there.  So quiet.

The next morning was cool and sunny, blue skies all 'round.  Whoa, I looked out our dinette window and saw this black smoke.  We didn't hear anything, but China Lake Naval Weapons Station is beyond the hills.  The smoke continued and spread eastward in the sky.  It looked like a plane had crashed, but, like I said, we heard nothing.  Just about the time you think you're alone in the world, bang, a reminder you're not.

We left the site after breakfast, heading for Tehachapi (the -ugh- wind tunnel) and eventually I-5.  It didn't take us long to reach Hwy 58, the road to Tehachapi.  Meanwhile, we were treated to mountains and flats blanketed with blooms, the yellow you see on the peak above.

And here!

Yellows and purples and masses of white,

but hard to get a great photo at 60mph!

I'd also hoped to stop at Red Rock Canyon, but the entrance came upon us too quickly and we missed the turn in.  Nowhere to turn around!  Well, okay, two for two: we came, we saw, we almost conquered!

From the road, the place looked stupendous.  Maybe next time.

We moved on, with a headwind in our face, through Tehachapi, down to Bakersfield and on to the Baker Museum in Coalinga, a Harvest Host site we used a couple of years ago.  After a delicious meal at Los Reyes Mexican Grill, we enjoyed a peaceful night at the museum.  No dinosaurs disturbed us.  We shared our site with one other camper, a lady from Oregon named Eileen.  Always lovely to meet fellow travelers, especially when they become friends!

On toward home the next morning, we endured a vicious headwind, the kind where you feel like you may as well simply pour gasoline straight onto the road. ** sigh **.  We made it home late Thursday afternoon in one piece, glad to see the homestead still standing, having sustained no damage from the snowstorm.  

Five weeks away, loved it all.

Out and About update -- to Saturday, 2/21

 

"Life is meant to be a beautiful adventure."  We agree.  So, we continue to be adventurous as best we can, or as we say, go Out and About.  Last Saturday, the 14th, we returned to Big Morongo Canyon Preserve (up the big hill) and chose to hike the Canyon trail like we did last year.  It was a stellar day for a 4.5-mile walkabout, and a lovely place to be.

The steep-sided canyon follows Big Morongo Creek from north to south.  Jimmy, above, is looking north, as we were making our way back toward the entrance.  I find it fascinating that the upstream end of the canyon originates in the Mojave Desert, while its downstream portion opens into the Colorado Desert.  Two different habitats, five miles apart, a morphing if you will.

We passed through the natural spring-fed desert oasis that makes this preserve one of the ten largest Cottonwood and Willow riparian habitats in California.  The trees, which are just beginning to leaf out, are magnificent!

Plenty of birds at the Nature Center feeders, including White-crowned Sparrows, Lesser Goldfinch and Mrs. Ladderback Woodpecker, and more.  The preserve is an internationally recognized birding site.

* * * * *

Yes, we're basking in the desert sunshine.  Wait, did I say sunshine?  The entire state of California was slammed with rain and snow on Monday 2/16, including here in Desert Hot Springs.  Other than a swim between rainshowers, Monday was a perfect inside reading day, while raindrops spotted the windshield. Most enjoyable.

* * * * *

Tuesday, the 17th, was clear, yay!  We finally made it to Indian Canyons, our first time, the world's largest California Fan Palm oasis.  We tried last year, but the trails were closed.  We've been looking forward to this!  

But first, look what Monday's weather system left!  Snow on Mt San Gorgonio and flanks!  It tops out at 11,503'.  This photo is from our giant RV windshield; what an amazing view early in the morning!

Indian Canyons.  Wow.  This has to be the prettiest of all the oases canyons we've been to.  It's 15 miles long, following Palm Canyon Creek, one of those now-you-see-it, now-you-don't streams.  We walked a mile along this fairly flat canyon floor -- it really is one of the great beauties in the west.

The trail eventually leads out into the open.

"Indian Canyons are the ancestral home of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and are especially sacred to their people today.  They're historically important to scientists and nature lovers.  The Agua Caliente people have thrived here for thousands of years."  From their brochure.  Truly, see how easy it would be to fall in love with this setting?

Eventually we left that trail and started up the East Fork Loop trail, knowing we wouldn't go too far, it being strenuous and way too long.  But the views from higher up were fantastic.

I wanted to see the palms that were "up there,"

and Jimmy didn't, so I started up on my own.

And here's where I quit and turned around. 😊

Mt San Jacinto's clouds were filling in.

Opposite view of where I turned around.  If you enlarge the photo, you'll see two people sitting on a rock overlooking the vast scenery.  Far in the distance, dead center, is Palm Springs and the wind turbines.  Hushed and serene up here. 💖

I rejoined Jimmy and we began the trek to the visitor center on the "moderate" Victor Trail, which took us on the other side of those stately palm trees, an up and down trail full of wonders.  The yellow x is where I turned around in the two photos above this one.  Those palms way up there?  No path to them.  Oh well.

A couple of times along here we felt rain, drops that blew in from the rain/mist falling on San Jacinto, left.  That was kinda fun.  We were never threatened with a deluge, at least not then!  We're high above the palms, as you see.

Nice cactus photo.

And those clouds were turning dark.

We were in heaven hiking around here, scanning the hillsides, admiring the differing rock formations, flowers (oh yeah), and all the cactus, never mind that we'd have to get down to the canyon floor where the palms are and where those tiny people are, winding around and about the mountain we were on to get there.  What a joy that we can do this.  At the VC, we sat down at a picnic table and treated ourselves to a big ol' Gatorade and a small package of crackers.  Time to head for our RV home.

Whoa-ho-ho, good thing we left when we did!  Showers abound!

Eventually, it rained on us at the RV!

* * * * *

As I said, snow dumped on NorCal, and then on Wednesday reports from home started coming in.  They were not encouraging.  Trees are down all over Nevada City, power lines snapped, roads blocked and traffic snarled.  We have no power at our house, and according to a message from PG&E, power won't be restored till Tues, the 24th!  YIKES.  Well, nuts.  Heck fire.  Hope our roof is all right.  ** Sigh **

Well, there's nothing we can do about it from here in the desert.  No point in heading home since we couldn't even get in our driveway!  That's the hazard of traveling like we do.  You can't be home to take care of it when things go haywire.

Our month at Catalina RV resort and spa is over on March 3rd.  Maybe all that danged snow will be gone by then!

Our across-the-road friend, Fran, sent us this pic of our house.  They've lost trees on their property, but she said we haven't.  Well, that's some good news for us.  She and I both think we should move to a place without snow!

Life is meant to be a beautiful adventure, indeed!

Winter in the desert, to Feb 7th

 

One of the reasons, and there are many, we like coming to Desert Hot Springs is leaving the cold, rainy, gray days of winter in NorCal.  We've missed endless days of rain at home, atmospheric rivers of rain, with chilly temperatures to boot, that make the ol' bones hurt!  Or is it da joints?  Sitting-inside-by-the-fireplace-all-day kind of days.  Here in the desert, we can be Out and About every day if we choose to.  And we have a variety of options.

Another reason is being able to see or visit or experience new places.  On windy Wednesday Jimmy and I drove to Rancho Mirage to spend a few hours at Sunnylands, a gorgeous 200-acre estate founded by the Annenbergs.  It was the Ambassadors' "winter home," begun from a sandy patch in the desert in 1963.  Sometimes referred to as the "Camp David of the West," many US presidents, famous entertainers, dignitaries and diplomats gathered here.  From their website, it was:  "A place of history, hospitality, and diplomacy in the California desert."

Before embarking on a tour of the grounds, we watched an informative 20-minute movie, "A Place called Sunnylands," and learned much about the Annenbergs and their lives.  Jimmy and I have actually lived through this history, but the refresher was good for us. The winter home is 25,000 sq ft, with 11 man-made lakes, tennis courts and a nine-hole golf course.  Touring the home is offered for a fee, but we said not today.

You could roam some of the grounds for free and for a few bucks, you could see more of the estate, which we did.  The landscaping is just marvelous.  More than 70 species of arid-adapted plants in the gardens.

You know I love these sharp spiny barrel balls!

The Living Pyramid.

Jimmy at one end of the reflecting pond.  This water feature cycles water through a subsurface basin, creating the sound of water and a cooling space on hot days. It also provides water access to wildlife that come through Sunnylands.

Jimmy parked on a replica bench given to the President of the People's Republic of China by President Barak Obama at Sunnylands in 2013.

The cactus garden is fabulous.

The grounds walking tour was 1.25 miles and an hour long.  Above is the rear of the house, surrounded by the greenest of green grass.

Each lake we saw had lots of water fowl, as well as art depicting birds.  Walter was a birder!  The grass harbored ants and I wore sandals, so, naturally, I got bit.  

Isn't this lovely?

Their rose garden contained many rose varieties, all named and all very pretty.  The two yellow flowers on the left are hosting bees!

We also took advantage of the onsite café, enjoying a yummy salad lunch on the patio.  We counted Sunnylands as a delightful way to spend an afternoon, and recommend a visit if you're in the area.

* * * * *

OMGosh, it was so windy in Desert Hot Springs on Thursday!  We decided to escape the wind and head up the mountain with our packs and a lite lunch.  We pulled in at Big Morongo Canyon Preserve to check out their hiking trails.  The wind was strong up here, too, but not as strong!  Thanks to the Morongo fault, ground water rises up year 'round, creating a marshy habitat and a great wildlife attractor. The Preserve is an internationally-recognized birding site.  We saw lots of birds eating from feeders, but nothing I hadn't seen before.

We strapped on our packs and headed out on 9-mile Big Morongo Canyon Trail, nestled into the Little San Bernardino Mountains.  At the start, the trail follows willow-lined Big Morongo Creek, before the creek vanishes. From the canyon floor, we gawked at steep-sided and sometimes towering canyon walls. I hoped to see Bighorn sheep, which occasionally perch on the rocks above, but nope.

Probably not the first people to take a photo at this spot!

Heading down on the Mesquite trail before reaching Canyon trail.

These willows are showing some spring color!

We could hear froggies, too!

We're always curious, but often there's no answer.

Very old, and, no, we don't know.

On the canyon trail.  Native plants are still in winter mode, and this is arid high desert, so it will never look like Sunnylands with drip irrigation!

But we did see a few flowers, bushes of Bladder Pod

Peritoma arborea - with a visiting bee 😊

The site of a landslide sometime in the past, this striated rock was the perfect seat for me to eat my lunch.  Jimmy chose a different rock nearby.

I imagine there are times when floodwaters roar through this canyon. 

We turned around after a couple of miles.  Little did I realize that our track was pretty much downhill, but when we commenced our return, I soon found out why the trail is considered moderate; for a while hiking to the car was tough!  Till we got out of the canyon and spotted this handsome dude.  I think it's the same Anna's Hummingbird that we feed at our house.  All-in-all, we put 4.5 miles on our feet.  Tomorrow we rest!

Man, look at the lenticular cloud gone tornado-gaga!  Sorry about the power poles.  Sometimes you can't get past 'em.  We don't always see clouds in the desert, but when we do, they can be crazy!

So we're still living the life down here, appreciating our great good fortune to be where we are.  Happy to share it with y'all.