A MORNING OF VISITING, AN AFTERNOON OF RELAXING

FRIDAY MORNING MARKET AT CHRISTMAS CIRCLE, BORREGO SPRINGS

Last summer was probably the last time I was outside after dark with a short sleeve shirt on….until last night.  Warm nights under the stars are always the best part of hot days for me & these great Borrego evenings are just great.

REMEMBER ‘SPEEDY GONZALES’ FROM CARTOONS YEARS AGO?  WELL, HE’S ALIVE & WELL LIVING RIGHT HERE IN THE DESERT JUST OUTSIDE OF BORREGO SPRINGS

With our higher viewpoint here at the Clark Dry Lake Bed we can see the twinkling lights of Borrego Springs about 5 miles away.  Always so pretty.  Could see a few flickering campfires here & there around us too which looked nice under the starry skies.

Borrego Springs has always been known for it’s superior dark skies & has always been a popular place for Astronomers.  But, standing outside last night looking around I couldn’t help wonder how much longer that can last as the mega population along California’s coast continues to grow.  The light pollution to the North & West was obvious from the glow coming over from the other side of the mountains.  Another glow to the Southeast was probably the growing city of Brawley.  I feel Borrego Springs dark nights are surely threatened.

For any of you folks who have a Sirius satellite radio you might find it interesting to know that name comes from a mythical hunting dog high in the winter’s sky right now.  If you know where the winter constellation Orion is, just look below it towards the horizon for the brightest star in the sky.  That is Sirius, the dog star & is one of the great hunter Orion’s 2 hunting dogs.  Check out, BIG DOG IN THE WINTER SKY.

 

NO, THIS IS NOT SIRIUS THE DOG STAR….IT’S PHEEBS, THE BAYFIELD BUNCH STAR:))

Had ourselves quite a ‘visiting’ morning.  I was in the shower when a knock came to our door somewhere around 8.  This is an area where it is safe to open your door by the way.  When Kelly opened it, the fellow said, “Hi, I’m Dez & I’m from Fort Canada.  Some may recall the photo in Thursdays blog I had of the group near us flying American & Canadian flags.  I captioned that photo, ‘Fort Canada.’  Dez was a scout sent out from the Fort.  Someone had noticed our Bayfield Bunch logo on the back of the rig & looked us up.  Dez is from St. Albert Alberta.  Had ourselves a chat & exchanged ideas of things to see & do in the area.

FIGURED I WOULD RE-POST THIS PIC FROM A COUPLE DAYS AGO WITH FORT CANADA JUST RIGHT OF CENTER

Had ourselves a short morning walk & noticed how hot it was already getting.  We had more people to meet so headed off into Borrego Springs.  Besides, it was market morning on Christmas Circle & I was looking forward to my annual shuffling of feet on the soft green grass.  We take grass for granted at home but here in this desert like setting, grass is a true luxury.  The kind you walk on of course:))

I LOVE SHUFFLING AROUND ON THE GRASS

We had met another RVing couple a few years back while Ranch sitting near McNeal Arizona.  Fellow Canadians from the Ottawa area.  Thelma & Skip have been following our blog for a few years & dropped by the Ranch to say Hello.  They are leaving Borrego Springs this morning for 29 Palms so we arranged a visit at Christmas Circle.

SKIP, THELMA & KELLY

But, just after parking our Jeep & before meeting them, I had walked over to have a look at another Jeep with a similar aerial to ours when from behind I heard.  “Hi Al, is that you??”  It was fellow RV’er Nina from WHEELING IT.  We knew Nina & Paul were somewhere in the area but hadn’t emailed them yet.  How great to meet her.  Paul hadn’t come into town & was with the rig out at the Clark Dry Lake Bed.  Kelly was already browsing in the market across the road so we hustled off to find her.  Of course with RV’ers it’s always a quick bond, especially with lateral interests like blogging & boon docking.   Had ourselves a great chat for about 20 minutes & both Kelly & I took a liking to Nina’s youthful warmth & charm.  Nina & Paul are leaving the area today heading back to San Diego & Nina had groceries to get.  Hopefully we will meet again somewhere down the road.

 

IT WAS GREAT TO MEET NINA THIS MORNING

Minutes later Thelma & Skip spotted us in the crowd of market shoppers & we quickly commandeered a round cement picnic table in some partial shade.  Nice to touch base with these folks again.  They actually crossed the border at Port Huron just a couple of hours after we did back in November on our way to the Southwest.  When I had my kidney stone problem back in December they were in Tucson & emailed to say they would come to the hospital if needed.  Now, how’s that for thoughtful and caring people.  Thelma & Skip had to get rolling because they had to be out of Anza Borrego State Park by noon.  Take care guys & hope to see you again.

Kelly scooped some avocados & tomatoes at the market & we headed on up the street.  Stopped at the Nature Store, a Pottery Store, the Thrift store, Grocery Store & a Camping store.  Kelly did the stopping while I did the sitting in the Jeep.

FILE PIC FROM THE SALTON SEA A COUPLE DAYS AGO…BY THE WAY, ALL OUR FISH SMELLS HAVE COMPLETELY DISSIPATED:))

On the way back to the rig we stopped at the little Borrego Airport.  I was curious about that white Skydiving plane we saw here & suspected the sky might be full of Skydivers soon.  I was right.

A PRECISION CANADIAN SKY DIVING TEAM USES THIS SHORT SC.7 SKYVAN FOR THEIR JUMPS 

A very friendly & helpful dispatcher guy told us a crack Canadian Skydiving team was here to train some American military personnel in the finer arts of leaping out of a perfectly good aircraft.  He even went on to tell us we could walk out onto the tarmac & talk to the jumpers & military people.  I wasn’t comfortable with that because why would these professional people in the midst of a training exercise want to stop & talk to a couple little Bozo’s from Bayfield Ontario.  What would we have said to these guys…"hey, how’s it going, eh”.   The airfield dispatcher told us where the drop zone would be sometime this afternoon.  We could see a lot of young guys over near one of the hangers packing chutes, etc.  Decided to head back to our rig & listen for the Skyvan to take off.

SPOTTED THIS SPIFFY LITTLE NUMBER ROLLING IN

Sat outside listening for the big bulky Skyvan to lift off in the valley below about 3 miles away.  Dispatcher assured us we would hear it taking off.  I did hear 2 planes take off & the third one sounded heavier so picked it up in my binoculars & decided that could be it.  Hopped into the Jeep & raced to where I knew the drop zone to be about 8 miles away.  Kept watching the sky all the way there.  Parked, jumped out expecting to hear the heavy drone of an aircraft under heavy load high overhead.  Nothing!!  No sound & nothing to be seen in the sky.

Stopped at the airfield on the way back & they said the boys had already jumped earlier so I missed it.  A second afternoon jump was scheduled but maybe not because of the increasing winds.  Back to the rig & waited for the sound of aircraft taking off again.  But, it never happened.  Am guessing they cancelled the jump because of wind.  Not likely to be any more jumping now because we have a weather front coming in tonight with high winds forecast for the next two days.  Too bad because I was looking forward to cracking off some groovy Sky Diver photos.

KELLY USES THELMA’S CAMERA FOR SOME PICS >>>

Later in the day I heard a heavy drone high overhead & spotted the Skyvan in my binoculars flying straight & level in a northerly direction.  Assumed the plane may have been headed back to Canada.  But, one puzzling thing.  It appeared the large jump ramp was still open at the back of the plane……..  And, thanks to long time reader Tom up there in that Alaska place for identifying that plane for me saying, “You found my old office I worked in at my days with Arctic Circle Air. That is a wonderful Shorts Skyvan. It looks strange, but is fun to fly and a real money maker.”  Thanks Tom:)) SHORT SC.7 SKYVAN.  The plane is affectionately called "the shed" by pilots and crew.

And, a quiet thank you to our neighbor for not cranking up his radio up today.  Very much appreciated by all of us here at the Bayfield Bunch:))  I always figure if a person wants to make, or be around noise, then just go to where noise lives & have yourself a blast.  Leave the quiet desert for those of us who love & appreciate it:))

Plenty warm again today & I think we got up to around 82F with a big blue sky & some high wiffy clouds.

STATUE OF JUAN BAUTISTA DE ANZA BEZERRA NIETO, THE MAN WHO EXPLORED THROUGH MANY CALIFORNIA AREAS & FOR WHO ANZA-BORREGO STATE PARK IS NAMED

GROANER’S CORNER:((  A pastor of a church is sitting in his study when the phone rings.

"Hello, is this Reverend Jones?" the caller asks.

"It is." replied the pastor.

"This is Bill Johnson with the Internal Revenue Service. I was wondering if you could answer a few questions?"

"I'll try." said the pastor.

"Do you know a John Timmons?"

"I do."

"Is he a member of your congregation?"

"He is."

"Did he donate $10,000 to the church?"

"He will."

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The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of
right now...AL.
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