OUR CALIFORNIA HOME AWAY FROM HOME…….

OBSIDIAN BUTTE …A FINAL LOOK AT THE SALTON SEA BEFORE EXITING THE AREA THIS MORNING

The strong fish/chemical smell nearly knocked me right back through the doorway into the Motor Home first thing this morning when I stepped out but a shift in the wind about an hour later brought in some welcome fresh air.  No matter, it was time to go.  Enough was enough & I just couldn’t take the smell anymore.  I may never eat fish again, ever!!

 

 

LEAVING RED HILL MARINA HEADING FOR SONY BONO NATIONAL REFUGE CENTER 

Scurried around in a hurried state packing things up & by 9 we had the big wheels rolling.  Too bad about the smell because we might have stayed longer.  Drove the rig & Jeep a short distance to the Sony Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge.  Nice visitor center & complex with lots of trees and a large bird viewing platform.  With a refreshing southern breeze the air was clear. 

 

NATIONAL REFUGE PARKING LOT & SIGNING THE GUEST REGISTER IN THE VISITOR CENTER

Parked the rig in the parking lot, jumped into the Jeep & headed off to the Obsidian Butte a mile or so away.  Wished we had scouted out this area before setting up camp at the old Marina site.  A little more upwind of the Salton Sea plus more scenic.  Closer to the birds with waterways & large tall reeds & clean looking green ponds complete with ducks.  And of course, lots of shiny black Obsidian rocks.  Ranger said we could boon dock anywhere there if we wished.  If we ever come back to this area we will come to Obsidian Butte.

KELLY LOOKS FOR SOME SMALL OBSIDIAN ROCK SOUVENIRS

 

SHINY BLACK OBSIDIAN ROCKS

  

A NICER AREA AROUND OBSIDIAN BUTTE & THE AIR WAS CLEAR:))

Back at the Visitor Center we hooked up the Jeep & hit the paved road heading south for Westmorland.  It was if we were driving through the summertime southern Ontario countryside back home.  This is all agriculture here with flat green fields stretching along both sides of the road for as far as the eye can see.  At Westmoreland we hung a right up highway 86 to the big Arco station in Salton City at the corner of highway S22 heading west.  Picked up some gas, filled our propane tank & topped off our fresh water tank.  This is an excellent stop for RV’ers with about 5 modern free dump stations & water.  Gas, diesel, propane, etc.

THIS FLAT AGRICULTURAL LAND SOUTHEAST OF THE SALTON SEA REMINDS ME OF OUR ONTARIO FARM LANDS BACK HOME IN ONTARIO

I like the 30 mile scenic dipsy doodle drive from Salton City to Borrego Springs.  Always a nice feeling rolling down into the great Anza Borrego Desert valley.  This is our 6th time here & I have to say Borrego Springs is one of those few places that does feel like coming home for us.

 

WESTBOUND ON S22 FOR BORREGO SPRINGS

We were happy to see fewer rigs this year in the area we usually park & even happier to see an old favorite spot was vacant with no other rigs near it.  Wow, talk about a stroke of luck for the Bunch.  Again, we’re looking forward to just blending into the scenery, keeping a low profile & just enjoying the great area we are in again.  If anyone is interested about all our adventures here over the past 5 years just type Borrego Springs into our ‘Search’ bar & I’m sure many of my posts & photos will pop up.

 

TOUCH DOWN IN THE HEART OF ANZA BORREGO

Our Verizon coverage here is OK but it’s not great so I will have to keep that foremost in mind before loading up my posts with photos.  I was kinda chomping at the bit late this afternoon to head into Jilberto’s for my burg & fries but Kelly made me put a lid on it & eat a celery stick instead.  Ya, like that would ever happen.

PORK CHOPS ON THE BBQ…..JUST GOTTA LOVE THE WIDE OPEN SCENIC VIEWS OF THIS AREA   

Couldn’t help but notice while setting up that as I opened bin doors, unfolded blankets & set out chairs that we had definitely picked up a stinky fish odor smell from our two days at the Salton Sea.  Guess that would explain why we were escorted out of the Brawley Walmart store Tuesday by 6 burley employees with clothes pins on their noses.  We may have to get a big campfire going tomorrow & burn all our clothes…………:((

IN THE MORNING WE WILL ONCE AGAIN HIKE THE TRAILS OF COYOTE MOUNTAIN

Maybe some of the excitement is gone from our early years here in Borrego but I’m glad we made the decision to come here again this year.  There are 3 traditional things I always look forward to while in Borrego Springs each winter.  My hamburger & fries at Jilberto’s, my walk and shuffling of feet on the fine green green grass of Christmas Circle, & my annual trek up Ghost Mountain to visit the old homestead of the MARSHAL SOUTH family.

BIN & JEEP DOORS ARE OPEN TO RID THE VEHICLES OF THE DEAD FISH SMELL 

And, something else I like about being here.  Tipping back in one of our lounge recliners & blogging outside after supper.  Night’s are warmer in this part of California.  The sun has just gone down over the San Ysidro Mountains at my extreme left.  Borrego Springs sits 6 miles away at the base of those mountains.  To my center left are the much smaller, but closer, Coyote Mountains.  In the distance behind them are the mighty Santa Rosa Mountains stretching all the way across to my extreme right.  Now, how’s that for a mighty fine side yard.  And, in my panoramic view from left to right there is not a single rig in sight.  Also to my close right sits our Bose/iPod with the hauntingly beautiful strains of WILL ACKERMAN & his melodic guitar.  Pheebs is on a mat to my left watching the distant mountains.  In another hour we will have a ka-zillion twinkling stars from mountain top to mountain top with a Moonrise lifting slowly over the Santa Rosa Mountains Yep, this is our kind of RVing alright……………:))

OUR DISTANT NEIGHBORS…..THAT GROUP IN THE MIDDLE WITH THE FLAGS ARE CANADIANS

Forgot to add a new Blog Follower yesterday but today we welcome Michelle from MICHELLE'S BIG DREAMS.  Here’s a Gal still having to get up at 3 a.m to catch a train into work at 4:30 a.m.  I’m sure many RV’ers out here can identify with those kinds of days.  Welcome aboard Michelle & hang onto that dream:))  Also, Janine from JANJOURNEY joined us today.  No postings on Janine’s blog yet so she may need a little inspiration.  Welcome aboard Janine:))

 

JUST OVER THAT SANTA ROSA MOUNTAIN RANGE LIES THE BUSY SIDE OF CALIFORNIA

The Last Paragraph: A few final thoughts about the Salton Sea now that we have moved on.  The Salton Sea just brings sadness to my heart. It is dying a slow death & it didn’t have to be. The south end of the sea is a major agriculture area. Tons of pesticides & fertilizers drain into it’s already stagnant waters. The Salton Sea’s water level continues to drop leaving behind large expanses of salt encrusted mud flats & dead fish. The smell here is not of just dead fish though. I feel (in my opinion) all the GEO THERMAL POWER PLANTS may very well be a major contributor to the overall bad smell in the area as well. We noticed at the Mud Pots Tuesday the definite smell of sulphur coming out of the ground. Combine that sulphur smell with fertilizers, pesticides, dead fish, & the power plant emissions & you end up with a very pungent smell in the air. A power plant stands less than a mile away from those Mud Pots. Another plant is under construction nearby and another mega plant is due to be built with the sole purpose of powering Phoenix Arizona. And, I’m sure the prevailing westerly winds dump a lot of California’s dense coastal pollution into this area as well. In fact we have always noticed smog in the air heading into California from Arizona. Like I said, I feel very sad for the Salton Sea & this whole area of southeastern California.  And, what will become of all the hapless waterfowl??

 

THE SHADOWY SAN YSIDRO MOUNTAINS ADVANCE UP THE SIDE OF THE SANTA ROSA MOUNTAINS EAST OF BORREGO SPRINGS

GROANER’S CORNER:((  A family took their frail, elderly mother to a nursing home and left her,
hoping she would be well cared for. The next morning, the nurses bathed her,
fed her a tasty breakfast, and set her in a chair at a window overlooking a
lovely flower garden. She seemed okay, but after a while she slowly started
to tilt sideways in her chair. Two attentive nurses immediately rushed up to
catch her and straighten her up. Again she seemed okay, but after a while
she slowly started to tilt over to her other side. The nurses rushed back
and once more brought her back upright. This went on all morning. Later,
the family arrived to see how the old woman was adjusting to her new home.
"So Ma, how is it here? Are they treating you all right?"
"It's pretty nice," she replied. "Except they won't let me pass gas."

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