Wednesday, December 24, 2014

AWWWW NUTS WE SLEPT THROUGH OUR FIRST EARTHQUAKE & INTO THE VALLEY OF THE GREAT STONE SNAKE & OH YES…….MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE:))

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A HAPPY LITTLE SHOPPER AT BORREGO SPRINGS CHRISTMAS CIRCLE THIS MORNING

Apparently we had a 4.2 earthquake with 5 aftershocks out here in the desert late Tuesday night but neither Kelly or I felt anything.  We were both probably sound asleep.  Even if I had felt something I probably would have assumed it was just Pheebs jumping up onto or off my bed.

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OUR MORNING SUNRISE

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WE BEGIN OUR CLIMB TO FIND THE GREAT STONE SNAKE

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AND BY GOLLY WE DID FIND IT TOO

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It was 7:20 a.m. & we were out the door with our feet (& paws) walking west towards Coyote Mountain.  Quickly found a  familiar footpath & we were on our way up over a couple ridges to the wee valley of the great Stone Snake.  Kelly brought a walking stick with her & was up to the challenge of the sometimes slippery stone covered trail.  So nice to see her energy is back.DSC_0013

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OTHER STONE CRITTERS ARE ALSO BEGINNING TO POP UP IN THIS WEE VALLEY

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Happy once again to see the Great Stone Snake has not been disturbed.  In fact there appears to be a few other stone Critters popping up in the area as well.  Nice to see people being creative.  Am suspecting the creators of these stone anomalies may be from a popular RV boondocking area below called Peg Leg Smiths.  Great views from where we stood looking towards Borrego Springs about 5 miles away at the foot of the San Ysidro Mountains.  From our scenic elevation I counted about 31 rigs scattered about in the desert to the east where we are.

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PEG LEG SMITHS BOONDOCKING AREA IS KNOWN FOR IT’S GATHERING OF CANADIAN SNOWBIRDS & THAT IS THE TOWN OF BORREGO SPRINGS UPPER RIGHT NESTLED AGAINST THE SAN YSIDRO MOUNTAINS

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THIS IS US

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TECHNOMADIA & WHEELING IT WITH THE HIGHWAY LEADING TO SALTON CITY IN THE BACKGROUND

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GAELYN FROM GEOGYPSY

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AND BY GOLLY I’M WONDERING IF THAT COULD BE NAN & JOHN TALLEY WAY OUT THERE FROM TRIPPIN WITH THE TALLEYS

Nina had left a note in our Shout Box about the market being open this morning on Christmas Circle in Borrego Springs so it was off we went to pick up some veggies & things.  Pheebs stayed in the rig to keep an eye on stuff.  I love going to Christmas Circle & shuffling my feet on the soft green grass.  It’s probably the largest circle of grass this side of the San Ysidros.  And you know how we northerners like our green green grass under foot.

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HARDEST PART IS ALWAYS COMING DOWN THROUGH LOOSE GRAVELY STONES

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THIS IS WHY WE LIKE BOONDOCKING CLOSE UP TO COYOTE MOUNTAIN

Figured we might recognize a few familiar faces & sure enough within minutes we bumped into Gaelyn buying half a Duck for Christmas dinner.  Had ourselves a chinwag before we all scurried off in search for fresh vegetable bargoons.  Well not me so much.

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MAIN STREET BORREGO SPRINGS

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I haven’t eaten any burgs & fries for about 4 months now but knew I would be making an exception to that when in Borrego Springs.  Has kinda been a tradition of mine to get a burg & fries at a Mexican eatery on main street called Los Jilbertos & sure enough we made the short walk from Christmas Circle over to Los Jilbertos this morning.  Kelly had a couple fish tacos.  Kind of a groovy breakfast I would say.  A walk across the street to Borrego’s Nature Store netted us a schedule for all kinds of events coming up over the next little while or so.  Photography & Astronomy outings, hikes, Jeep tours & the list goes on.  Borrego Springs is a great place for people looking for interesting things to do.  In the past we’ve been on a couple Jeep tours & I have been to an Astronomy seminar as well as an early morning photo shoot a few years ago.  Dis is da place to be folks:))DSC_0045

INSIDE LOS JILBERTOS & HERE COMES 1 BURG & FRIES PLUS 2 FISH TACOS

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KELLY CALLS HER MOM THIS AFTERNOON USING SKYPE

On the way back to the Jeep walking across Christmas Circle I heard a “Hi there” but didn’t instantly recognize the person behind the dark sunglasses underneath a floppy Santa hat despite the fact I was keeping an eye out for her.  Yesireeee it was Nina from WHEELING IT alright.  Minutes later Chris & Cherie from another popular blog TECHNOMADIA walked up & we finally got to meet them as well after all these years.  Chris & Cherie are very active folks in the social media side of things & they got themselves a neat old bus too.  We plan to have a look at that Saturday afternoon.  (big Hootenanny planned) How nice to see Nina again.  Paul is in Miami visiting family.  Nina & Paul boondocked just down the road from our Congress digs on Ghost Town Road last winter.  Coincidentally I first met Nina a couple winters ago right here in Borrego Springs at Christmas Circle one morning.

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AND YES I AM GOING TO END UP CARRYING THAT 45 POUND BAG OF VEGGIES ALRIGHT

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WE FIRST MET GAELYN THEN CHRIS, CHERIE,  & NINA

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JUST GOTTA LOVE CHRISTMAS CIRCLE

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JUST WASN’T SURE WHICH ONE WAS THE REAL SANTA CLAUSE THIS MORNING

Kelly wanted to pop into the Frugal Coyote Thrift store while in town so we headed on over there before heading back to the rig.  Normally I just wait in the Jeep but this morning I decided to go in & check things out.  Within minutes I found myself a shirt I liked & within another dozen minutes I found something else I considered a real bargain.  The camera case I have been carrying on my belt 365 days a year for the last 5 years or so had pretty much finally disintegrated & I was in desperate need of a new case to house my Canon Powershot SX210IS.  Spotted a black case in the showcase which looked promising.  Price was $6 & that included the Samsung S860 camera inside.  ‘WOW’ now that was a totally unexpected bargoooon. Now we’ve got ourselves another digital camera.  That makes 7 working digital cameras in the family plus 2 cell phone cameras.  I tested the Samsung when we got home & the camera works great.

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THE 4 PHOTOS BELOW WERE TAKEN WITH THE SAMSUNG

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MY SHIRT, CAMERA, & CAMERA CASE WHICH WAS THE ONLY ITEM I WAS ORIGINALLY LOOKING FOR

Spent ourselves a quiet afternoon just soaking up our quiet surroundings.  It was so quiet we could have heard a pin drop in the desert.  Our kind of Christmas & I was just saying to Kelly this morning that it all started 10 years ago now.  We had made a quick trip to Big Bend in Texas & on Christmas Eve we sat atop a hill watching a beautiful sunset.  Christmas day morning we went hiking in  Boquillas Canyon & I still remember us standing on a hill looking over the Rio Grande River into Mexico.  We both agreed this was the way we wanted to spend our future Christmas’s quiet & relaxing somewhere in the gentle arms of Mother Nature.  And that is what we have managed to do every year since…………..:))

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THIS 7 YEAR OLD PHOTO TAKEN CHRISTMAS EVE 2007 WAS ALSO IN BORREGO SPRINGS NEAR THE SPOT WHERE WE ARE CAMPED ONCE AGAIN TONIGHT…IN FACT IF YOU LOOK OVER OUR HEADS & SEE THAT BROWN MOUNTAIN COMING IN FROM THE RIGHT WE ARE TONIGHT RIGHT WHERE THAT MOUNTAIN MEETS THE DESERT FLOOR

So from the Bayfield Bunch way out here in California we wish everyone a very Merry Christmas & a big thank-you to all the folks who have sent so many good wishes & well meanings our way through Emails, Comments, Shouts, & Facebook messages:))))))))))))))))))))  

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WITH MY CAMERA ON A TRIPOD & A LONG EXPOSURE I PAINTED THIS GREETING TO EVERYONE WITH MY FLASHLIGHT ON THE SIDE OF OUR DAMON MOTORHOME AT THE TIME…………….:))

GROANER’S CORNER:(( I had the toughest time of my life. First, I got angina pectoris and then arteriosclerosis. Just as I was recovering from these, I got tuberculosis, double pneumonia and phthisis. Then they gave me hypodermics. Appendicitis was followed by tonsillectomy. These gave way to aphasia and hypertrophic cirrhosis. I completely lost my memory for a while. I know I had diabetes and acute ingestion, besides gastritis, rheumatism, lumbago and neuritis. I don't know how I pulled through it. It was the hardest spelling test I've ever had.

23 comments:

  1. We don't arrive til Jan 15th. We'll be staying in the SP, however. We enjoy boondocking in the desert there but with an electric frig and no solar it is hard to do more that couple days. Everyone will be gone by then probably:(

    I am on a mission to locate that snake while we are there. It looks so neat. How nice that Kelly was up for the hike:)

    Sure sounds like you three are having a perfect Christmas!

    Merry Christmas, Al, Kelly, and Pheebs!

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  2. Merry Christmas Al, Kelly, and the wonderful Pheebs. Glad you are exactly where you want to be.

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  3. Yep, that is us in your picture. Did not read the invite to the big happening until
    Too late. Looking forward to seeing you two.

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  4. Congrats on ten years of spending Christmas in the South West. Just returned from Christmas Mass, 81 degrees and humid, but a nice ocean breeze blowing to keep us awake.
    Merry Christmas to all you guys.

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  5. Thanks for the nice outing to Borrego Springs. The pics bring back a lot of memories for us too. MERRY CHRISTMAS to the Bayfield Bunch.

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  6. Merry Christmas Al and Kelly, it is very good to see Kelly out hiking!!

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  7. Lovely post... Kelly looks fabulous! Merry Christmas guys!! xo

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  8. Nice to see Kelly feeling much better.
    Love the Merry Christmas writing on you Rig!
    Merry Christmas to yo as well.

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  9. So fun to see "familiar faces" at Christmas Circle - and that you each have your own private piece of desert to enjoy! That camera is a great deal - what a great Christmas present :-) The shirt is pretty spiffy too! You and Kelly and Pheebs have a very happy holiday.

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  10. Wishing you both a merry, joyous and blessed Christmas day! Love to you both.

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  11. Merry Christmas from all the Dixons.

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  12. Hi Al & Kelly, had no idea you were out here but surely do look forward to meeting up during our stay. Looks like we were scrambling up many of the same trails, some badly washed out. Fun to see the new creatures along with the serpent. Merry Christmas!

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  13. Merry Christmas, Al & Kelly! Looks like you got a great deal on your full featured camera case. Hope you enjoy your time at the hootenanny (haven't heard that word in years) on Saturday.

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  14. and a very merry Christmas to Al and Kelly... great shot of the happy camper...

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  15. You certainly got the buy of the year with the $6 camera case! The only earthquake I've ever felt was so slight I didn't realize until afterward what it was. I'm ok with that! Wishing you a happy holiday and the best for the coming year.

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  16. Nice looking shirt - and great camera bargain! Good for you...

    Merry Christmas to you and Kelly and Pheebs! :)

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  17. That's an unbelievable deal on that camera, and it takes decent pictures to boot.
    Oh and, Merry Christmas from windy Southern Ontario!

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  18. We are in total agreement about the Christmas mayhem... Somehow, we managed to be in WalMart yesterday on Christmas Eve to get groceries..What the Heck were we thinking? Yep, today just a nice walk along the canal, an egg scramble for breakfast and ribs here at the Hiker later tonight..a nice quiet Christmas for us too. Hope you had a great day you two!

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  19. MERRY CHRISTMAS SHOUT OUT TO YOU THREE !!!! Soooooooo thrilled you are having fun !!!! LOOOOOOKIN' GOOOOOOOOD, KELLY !!!!

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  20. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to"The Bayfield Bunch". Keep on clicking!!

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  21. Glad the camera worked. I made it to the snake today. Love this place.

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  22. Oh boy.. a hootenanny, now we have pressure :) So much fun to meet ya in the circle, what a charming town Borrego Springs is!

    See ya Saturday!

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