BLT 2012 Blog
1/18/12 -1/22//12
We left Sacramento and spent our first night at Orange Grove RV Park on our way to Lake Havasu, AZ for the 2nd Annual Balloon Festival. We love staying here because we park in the middle of an orange grove and campers are encouraged to pick fresh oranges to take with them.
Thursday evening, we arrived at the Crazy Horse RV park on the shore of Lake Havasu. Within a few minutes, a hot air balloon landed right behind our motor home.
Early Friday morning we were invited on a boat ride with Tony & Sharon and John & Eileen to watch the balloons from the water. We cruised under London Bridge and enjoyed seeing the balloons floating overhead and then gently dipping their baskets into the water. In the afternoon we were joined by our friends from Parker, Roy & Diane and Lloyd & Joanne. We went to the main festival site and watched the 4:30 p.m. balloon ascension. We were able to walk right up to the balloons as they were being inflated. It was very impressive. We stayed until dark when the balloons are tethered and enjoyed the Night Glow. The individual balloons take turns with their burners, lighting up the interior of the balloons, creating a beautiful colorful glow. Saturday was too windy for the balloons but they were able to fly again on
Sunday morning.
1/23/12-2/3/12
On Monday we headed 50 minutes South to Parker, Az. This is the first year the Pirates’s Den RV park has been open. It is right on the Colorado River adjacent to La Paz County RV Park where Roy & Diane stay.
During the week we visited some area state parks and the Bill Williams Bird Refuge. We also took a drive to Quartzsite. Chig, Diane, Tony & Sharon played a round of golf at the Emerald Canyon Golf Course. Roy & I rode along. The championship course is very scenic.
Our longest day trip was to the town of Wickenburg, a mining town from the 1800’s. At one time it was the largest town in Arizona. We went on a historic walking tour and went through the Desert Caballero’s Western Museum. Because the miners did not want to take time to build a jail, prisoners were chained to a tree. The original Jail Tree is still in the town.
We ended the day with a visit and hike through the Hassayampa River Preserve.
On our last day we drove across Parker Dam to Black Rock Landing on the West shore of Lake Havasu. On the road we saw at least 50 wild burros. That evening we returned to Lake Havasu for a visit and dinner with Tony & Sharon, Vern & Kathy. During our stay the weather was beautiful ( 70’s) although we had several days of high winds.
2/4/12 – 2/9/12
Our next stop was in La Quinta, to the Southeast of Palm Springs. We stopped along the way to visit the General Patton Museum. Patton's army did a lot of training in the Southwest Desert areas.
We stayed at Lake Cahuilla. Although we were only a mile from residential neighborhoods and golf courses, it felt very isolated. It was one of the quietest campgrounds we have ever stayed in except when the Sheriff's Department was using the nearby firing range. The lake surface was like a mirror and beautifully reflected the nearby mountains.
The first day we visited the Shields Date Farm for lunch and a delicious Date Shake. On Tuesday, Chig played a round of golf at a municipal course.
We spent Wednesday traveling around the Salton Sea. It is a huge body of water 35 miles long and 15 miles wide, and it is California’s largest lake. It is over 200 feet below sea level. The surrounding area is very barren and desolate. The sea was originally part of the Gulf of California. It eventually became the Salton Sink and was seasonally filled with water. In 1905 Colorado River flowed into the sink when a canal breach occurred. The water level is now maintained by agricultural drainage. On the way to the Salton Sea we drove into Box Canyon. We wanted to drive into Painted Canyon but the road was very sandy and for 4 wheel drive vehicles only Box Canyon goes right through the San Andreas Fault line. All of the surround mountains are tilted.
On the Eastern shore of the Salton Sea, we stopped by the Fountain of Youth RV Park. It is a huge park on the hillside near the town of Niland. It is very large with Snowbirds from all over the country visiting every winter. After lunch at the Buckshot Café and Deli in Niland (the best Albondigas soup I have ever had) we headed into the foothills to see Salvation Mountain. It is created against a hillside using dead trees as a frame. Hay bales, plaster and lots of donated paint were used. Leonard, the creator, is now in an assisted care facility and the future of the site is uncertain. His unique creativity is beyond imagination.
A short distance away is the area known as Slab City. Abandoned slabs have been taken over by every imaginable type of RV, trailer, camper or ?? The land is owned by the State of California and this group of anti-establishment dwellers have created their own community complete with a desert bar that features live music.
At the southern end of the lake we went on a gravel road to the Sonny Bono National Wildlife Refuge. At the top of a viewing stand we could see huge flocks of Snow Geese.
While at the lake we visited with some Canadian neighbors. They were awaiting a visit from their daughter who lives in Germany. We found her occupation fascinating. She is a horse broker and brings horses to the United States directly to the client. On this trip she was flying with several horses for delivery to the Los Angeles area. The horses are loaded into the cargo hold of a commercial air liner. Their daughter stays with them during take-off. After the horses are settled, she has access to the passenger area via a stairway that comes out near the rear attendant area. She returns to the hold every 30 minutes to check on the horses. Up to 60 horses can be taken at a time. I remember hearing a dog barking in the hold on one of our flights. I think I would have been shocked to hear a neigh!
2/10/12 -2/15/12
Fri - We next headed to Agua Caliente Park, 85 miles to the Southwest of La Quinta. It is a San Diego County park. During the 1800’s into the 20th Century, it was a popular destination for those seeking the benefits of the healing natural pools. We arrived via a very narrow and windy road. At some point I failed to fully investigate the location of this park. It is miles from anything and has NO PHONE SERVICE OR WIFI! What was I thinking? Electronic withdrawal is about to happen. There are many natural hot springs and a very nice indoor therapeutic pool. There are also several hiking trails.
Sat - Today it is VERY windy. We went on a 2.5 mile hike and at times the gusts of wind nearly blew us backwards. The hike was a 2 hour challenge for me but I made it. The ranger told us hikers reported seeing mountain sheep from the trail but we did not see any. In the second picture you can see the group of motor homes below. You may also note how desolate the entire area is.
I have almost made it 24 hours without access to the internet or phone. It must get easier after a few days????
We drove 4 miles to Vallecito Regional Park, an old stage and mail stop for the San Antonio to San Diego line. If you position yourself in an area about 20’ by 20’ you get cell and WiFi service. I quickly checked my email and voice messages before losing the signal. We returned to Agua Caliente and soaked in the mineral pool. Yesterday the temperature was 86 when we arrived. Today the high was 64.
Sun – We decided to take a day trip to the town of Julian located 40 miles from here. The day started with wind gusts but plenty of sun. We packed light jackets but were not prepared for the misty, drizzly 3000 ft. mountain town. The drive was beautiful and the town had many interesting stores and shops but we were both too cold to stay. We had a quick lunch and headed back to the warm desert town of Borrego Springs. It is located in the middle of the Anza- Borrego Desert State Park which is the largest park in the state of California and home to the endangered Peninsular Bighorn Sheep. As we approached the town we started seeing huge amazing metal sculptures of elephants, birds, mammoth on open land along the roadway. After going to the park visitor’s center we learned a town benefactor, Dennis Avery, hired California sculptor, Ricardo Breceda, to create and install the sculptures on parcels of desert land owned by Mr. Avery. They are easily accessible and the public is encouraged to drive up, examine and touch each one. We enjoyed what we saw of the park and town and hope to return at some time in the future.
Monday - We started to go on a hike but it was too windy and cloudy so we headed South instead towards I-80. We stopped at an overlook and saw the Carrizo Badlands. The Badlands extend for miles with nothing else in sight.
We drove to I-8 and had lunch at a small cafe. We stayed for three hours so I could post on this blog and get caught up on my neglected emails.
