LAUNDRY AT THE PALM CANYON RESORT AND UNBEKNONST TO WE FELLOW CANUCKS THE CANADIAN AIR FORCE WAS IN TOWN

THE RED STAR LAUNDROMAT IS PART OF THE PALM CANYON RESORT WHERE I TOOK A BUNCH OF PHOTOS THIS MORNING

Had ourselves a pile of laundry built up so decided to head on into town early and deal with that before the day heated up and roasted us.  Beautiful morning of course as we headed in to Borrego Springs.  Traveling around the north end of Christmas Circle a slight westerly breeze brought us the wonderful aroma of freshly mowed grass and we could see the Circle had just been mown.  We were the first ones at the laundromat along Borrego Springs scenic main drive and as usual hardly any traffic along the way.

WE WERE THE FIRST ONES AT THE RED STAR LAUNDROMAT FOLLOWED CLOSELY BY A SOUTH DAKOTA COUPLE

THIS IS REALLY A NICE LOOKING ‘WESTERN THEMED’ RESORT RIGHT IN BORREGO SPRINGS

LOVE THESE RED FLOWERED BOUGAINVILLEAS

IF WE WAS RICH FOLKS WE WOULD COME AND STAY HERE AND FROLIC IN THE POOL

THERE IS ALSO AN RV PARK HERE

While laundry was churning we took ourselves for a walk around the beautiful looking Palm Canyon Resort complex.  One would never guess they were in a desert setting with the way this resort is laid out.  There is an RV Park at this complex as well.

 

KELLY BLACKBERRIED ME IN FRONT OF THE LAUNDROMAT

While at the laundromat we met a nice couple from South Dakota.  They were Archeologists and after looking at Steven’s card I had to look up on Google what Paleolithic Research meant. Said they had a 10 acre property in SD and we were welcome to stop in for a boon-docking stay anytime.  Not likely we’ll make it to South Dakota again but one never knows.  Pheebs got along well with their dog Molly.  Nice folks with a Michigan connection going a long way back.

  

The days are very hot here right now so after laundry we headed straight back to the rig and sat outside in the shade trying not to exert ourselves in the heat.  I was in the direct line of the Sun’s rays while setting up our Shaw satellite dish and the heat almost knocked me right into the middle of next week.  At least there is no humidity in this heat and that of course is a big plus.  I remember as a younger fella liking hot days but those times are long gone.  We might have to head ourselves off to higher elevations with cooler weather soon because these mid 80 temperatures are here to stay for the next couple weeks.

THIS IS THE MAIN PALM SPRINGS RESORT OFFICE WHERE KELLY POPPED IN TO SEE IF THEY HAD ANY FREE FRESH COFFEE….THEY DIDN’T

 

THE DARKER BUILDING IS ACTUALLY A LARGE MEETING ROOM

 

REFLECTIONS OF SELF

Okay so where the heck are we anyway.  I’m sure some have already figured it out.  Chris was close when he guessed Tamarisk Grove at the junction of Yaqui Pass Road and highway 78.  That’s about 7 or 8 miles west of where we actually are.  Coming in out of the desert Sunday morning to empty our tanks at Borrego Spring’s Legion with the intentions of heading east we ended up staying right here at the Legion.  We had seen RV’s in here boon-docking on the east side of the property over the years but hadn’t paid a lot of attention simply because we wanted to be out of town up high with great views all around.  Thursday, Friday, and Saturday we had that but for some reason it wasn’t working for us this year.  While doing the tanks Sunday morning we noticed a spot alongside a grove of Tamarisk trees that appealed to us.  We had a good feeling about the site so decided to stay for the night.  It’s a big dirt parking lot we’re in but so far we are all by ourselves and that works for us.  With the way we have our rig positioned our side door opens into a nice spacious side yard area under the Tamarisk trees.  We couldn’t believe our luck as we sat outside Sunday afternoon with no other RV’s close by.  For us, we had the best spot in the whole place.

AMERICAN LEGION BRANCH 853 BORREGO SPRINGS CALIFORNIA

HAD MEANT TO TAKE A FEW MORE PICS LIKE THE SHOWERS AND 30 AMP RV AREA BUT FORGOT.

So let me tell you about some of the benefits we have found boon-docking here at the Legion.  This is an active forward thinking progressive Legion chapter.  Nice building and patio with new cement walkways and a wheelchair accessible ramp.  Plans are in the works for a building addition too.  They have Sunday breakfasts and Wednesday is hamburg and hot dogs day.  In between they have special events like come on in and BBQ your own steaks, etc.  Food prices are very reasonable.  Brand new  free spacious shower area.  There are maybe a dozen cement RV pads with 30 amp service and water along a grove of Tamarisk trees on the west side of the property behind the Legion building itself.   Dump station is easily accessible for the biggest of rigs in the middle of the large dirt parking lot area on the east side of the building.  A recent concrete pad has been laid at the dump station for level tank dumps.  Two water faucets with lots of pressure. Having been in the Canadian Navy back in the mid 60’s I qualified as a Veteran so for us the dump facilities were $5 which included an overnight stay and only $5 a night after that and remember ‘free showers.’   Free dump for as long as we stay here as well.  Pet friendly and lots of doggy walking room on and off the property.  The Borrego Springs Legion is located at the very southeast side of Borrego far and away from housing and the downtown area.  A bit of traffic noise but basically we’re still out in the desert.  Don’t know why we didn’t clue into this place long before this.  But here we think might be the kicker for a lot of RV folks.  Don’t know for sure but maybe one has to be a Veteran to stay here.  Only guessing……

EVERYBODY RECOGNIZES THE PHEEBS:))

Sunday afternoon at the Legion there was a birthday party for a fella in his eighties.  Could see quite a few cars over by the patio.  They have a book exchange so Kelly walked over to have a look at some books.  The birthday celebration was a pot luck affair and folks were forming up a food line.  Kelly casually walked over and got herself in line.  I was back at the rig outside reading when I noticed Pheebs tail wagging and she set off around the corner of the Motorhome.  I walked over and there was Kelly coming across the large parking lot with two big plates of food.  Roast beef with potatoes and gravy plus an assortment of veggie salads, etc.  We sure had us a fine supper but here’s the first of two kickers……..No more had Kelly got back to the Motorhome when a man walked around the corner not far behind her and said, “are you the Bayfield Bunch”??  I replied “yes we are”.  He said, I recognized Pheebs when she ran out to greet Kelly”.  Think this fellas name was TJ from Texas and he had been over at that birthday party affair.  Now if that wasn’t enough, after we finished our supper Kelly went back to the birthday party which was just wrapping up and scored two pieces of the birthday cake……..Now  having told you the above I have to tell you this.  Earlier in the day a fella by the name of Bill who runs the Legion had told Kelly about the birthday party and said there would be lots of food there if we wanted to go ahead and help ourselves……so that’s what Kelly did:))

ENTRANCE TO THE PALM CANYON RESORT

The couple at the laundromat today told us the Canadian Air Force was at the Borrego Springs Airport and they had seen a big airplane in there.  They also said it had something to do with parachutists.  Forgot to go have a look at that on the way back to the rig but later sitting outside I heard the drone of a heavy multi-engined propeller plane overhead.  Looked like a C-130 Hercules and knowing the Canadian Air Force flys those I kept an eye on it.  Half an hour later through the Tamarisktrees  I spotted the big plane to the East fairly low making a steep bank to the right so quickly grabbed my camera and slipped through the trees to watch it as it moved away from me.  Then I saw something that looked like a second distant plane but there was somthing odd about it because it wasn’t flying like a plane and it was coming straight down.  Peering through my 300m lens I saw right away it was a single dark colored parachute and the person dangling under the chute appeared to have something dangling from him.  He/She was probably more than a mile away but through my lens I was able to follow the chute all the way to the ground where the person landed seemingly out in the middle of nowhere west of the Borrego Badlands.  Minutes later I saw a red pick-up truck heading across the desert floor in his direction.  Meanwhile I tracked the low flying Hercules which had turned and headed back to where I knew the Borrego Springs Airport to be.   Through my lens I watched it come in low and slow and land on the runway.  Below is a series of photos I took of all this.  Because of the looooong distance they are not the best but here they are anyway………….

IT WAS ABOUT HALF AN HOUR AFTER I TOOK THIS PHOTO THAT THE C-130 RETURNED AND I SPOTTED IT FLYING LOW THEN SAW THE PARACHUTIST BELOW LEFT

 

PHOTO AT RIGHT SHOWS THE C-130 HERCULES AT THE TOP AND PARACHUTIST PERSON BELOW

PARACHUTIST HAS SOMETHING DANGLING BELOW

‘TOUCHDOWN’

TURNING MY ATTENTION BACK TO THE PLANE I SEE iT BACKGROUNDED BY THE SANTA ROSA MOUNTAINS AS IT LINES UP WITH THE BORREGO SPRINGS SINGLE RUNWAY DESERT AIRPORT

THOSE WHITE OBJECTS IN THE BACKGROUND ARE RV’S BOON-DOCKED IN THE ROCK HOUSE ROAD AREA

AND THOSE RV’S IN THE BACKGROUND ARE AT PEG LEG SMITH'S PLACE

‘TOUCHDOWN’ FOR THE C-130 ON BORREGO’S RUNWAY

THE HERCULES ROLLS ALONG THE RUNWAY PAST A LARGE BANK OF SOLAR PANELS

TURNING MY ATTENTION BACK TO THE PARACHUTIST I SEE A RED PICK-UP TRUCK HAS COME TO MEET THE CHUTIST

THE RED TRUCK WOULD HAVE BEEN A PRE-ARRANGED PICK UP IN THE DROP ZONE

Think we may have an engine battery problem in the Motorhome.  Battery barely turned over the engine last couple times and Sunday morning we had to use the rigs ‘Battery Boost’ system to start it.  We also have a rusty tailpipe hanging down that needs to be replaced too so we have to find us a garage type facility shortly and preferably in Arizona where things are cheaper than California.

GROANER’S CORNER:((  A hillbilly was making his first visit to a hospital where his teenage son was about to have an operation. Watching the doctor's every move, he asked, "What's that?" The doctor explained, "This is an anesthetic. After he gets this he won't know a  thing."  "Save your time, Doc," exclaimed the man. "He don't know nothing now."

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“I tried to tell the doctor the long story about how I hurt my thumb but it was all disjointed.”

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You know how to you make God laugh?
Tell him your plans.

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A little girl asked her father, "Daddy? Do all Fairy Tales begin with Once Upon A Time?"
He replied, "No, there is a whole series of Fairy Tales that begin with 'If Elected I promise...'"

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