WHAT’S A TRIP TO BORREGO SPRINGS WITHOUT A SCRAMBLE UP THE SAN YSIDRO MOUNTAINS AND OVER TO JULIAN CALIFORNIA FOR SOME APPLE PIE:))

SUNRISE AND CAN YOU SEE THE COYOTE’S EYES??  I CAN’T EITHER AND THOSE TWO POINTS OF LIGHT ARE A TRUCK’S HEADLIGHTS COMING DOWN THE HIGHWAY:))
I’m not usually too thrilled about seeing a cloud cover in the morning but due to the recent hot sunny days we sure welcomed the cooler break .  Decided to extend our stay another day.  With high temperatures and hot sunny days in this region over the next two weeks we are probably going to make a break for higher altitudes and cooler air.  Just as we don’t like being trapped inside by cold air we do not like being trapped inside by hot air either.

SUNRISE REFLECTED IN A CLASS A MOTORHOME’S WINDSHIELD ACROSS THE PARKING LOT

HEADING OUT FOR A MORNING WALK

Talking to the Texas folks (the fellow who recognized Pheebs)  this morning I asked them if they had been up to Julian yet.  It’s there first time here in Borrego and hadn’t heard of Julian so they decided to stay over and slide up into the mountains today. 

CHATTING WITH THE TEXAS FOLKS SHIRLEY AND JT AND OF COURSE PHEEBS IS SOAKING UP ALL THE ATTENTION SHE CAN GET

I HAD NO IDEA KELLY WAS TAKING THESE PHOTOS
Kelly and I slid into Borrego Springs and grabbed us a couple pizza slices and coffee for breakfast and with Julian on our minds we decided to head on up the San Ysidro mountains as well. 

HOW’S THIS FOR A HAPPY LITTLE FACE CARRYING A COUPLE SLICES OF OVEN FRESH PIZZA SLICES

I HOPE MOM AND DAD INCLUDE ME IN THEIR PIZZA PLANS
Usually we go through the Yaqui Pass to highway 78 and head up through Banner to Julian and St Ysable then come down the mountain into Borrego Springs via the twisting and winding and oh so scenic Montezuma's Grade but decided let’s do it the other way around for a change and that’s what we did.  Minutes later we had Libby climbing up the east side of the San Ysidro Mountains.

FROM AN OVERLOOK TWO THIRDS OF THE WAY UP MONTEZUMA’S GRADE I TOOK THIS 300mm PHOTO OF WHERE WE ARE LOCATED AT THE LEGION….SEE PHOTO BELOW FOR A CLOSER LOOK

THAT’S OUR RIG LEFT OF CENTER ALONG THE FARTHEST TREE LINE

IN THIS PHOTO I’VE WIDENED THE LENS OUT TO INCLUDE THE SALTON SEA WITH THE CHOCOLATE MOUNTAINS FURTHER OFF ON THE HORIZON

LOOKING OUT OVER THE BORREGO VALLEY WITH BORREGO SPRINGS BEING ON THE LEFT

AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN WE SAW SOMETHING WE COULD HARDLY BELIEVE

RACING DOWN THE MOUNTAIN ROAD AT AN UNBELIEVABLE SPEED WERE HALF A DOZEN YOUNG GUYS ON SKATE BOARDS

IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY AT THESE PHOTOS YOU WILL NOTICE SOME OF THESE CHARACTERS ARE NOT EVEN WEARING ELBOW PADS…..OH THE INVINCIBILITY OF YOUTH EH:((

THESE KIDS WERE BY US SO FAST THAT HAD I NOT HAD MY CAMERA IN MY HAND I WOULD HAVE MISSED THESE SHOTS

MOTORCYCLE ON THE LEFT AND SKATEBOARDERS ON THE RIGHT

I THINK THIS GUY ON THE BIKE WAS THEIR ‘TAIL GUNNER’
There is a world of difference between the dry desert floor here in the Borrego Valley compared to the greener treed landscape up in the mountains.  Pine forests, sweeping grasslands with herds of cows, lakes, scenic winding roads, and apple pies. 

THINK I COUNTED OVER 10 MILLION COWS HERE SOUTHEAST OF WARNER SPRINGS AS WE WENT  FLYING BY

OH GEEEZZZ THERE’S ANOTHER 6 MILLION DOWN THERE

IT WAS A GOOD COW DAY FOR ME
Our first stop of the day would be in Santa Ysabel to pick us up an apple pie right from the place they are all made at the Julian Pie Company.  I’ve always had a problem with pronouncing Ysabel so I simply refer to it as Santa Yazzablatz.  Easier for me to remember:))

ALWAYS LIKE THIS SIGN ON THE DOOR AND YES YOU CAN SMELL THE APPLE PIES EVEN BEFORE ENTERING THE BUILDING

HAD HOPED TO MAKE IT IN TIME TO SEE THEM MAKING PIES BUT WE WERE TOO LATE AND THERE WAS ONLY THE CLEANERS LEFT CLEANING UP

KELLY ORDERS US UP 6 DOZEN APPLE PIES

GONNA HAVE TO DIG REALLY DEEP TO PAY FOR ALL THOSE PIES KELLY-O

OKAY OKAY SO IT WAS ONLY ONE PIE

WOW HOW’S THIS FOR A BIG APPLE LAMP

BESIDE THE JULIAN PIE COMPANY IS DON’S MARKET WHERE WE USUALLY PICK UP A FEW GROCERIES WHILE UP THAT WAY AND WHILE WAITING FOR KELLY THIS LITTLE FELLA BELOW IN THE CAR NEXT TO US SURE WAS GIVING PHEEBS THE EYE

AROUND THE CORNER FROM THE PIE COMPANY AND FOODMART IS DUDLEY’S BAKERY WHERE WE TOOK A LEG STRETCH BREAK IN THEIR PARKING LOT

From Santa Yassablatz we decided to head west on a highway we had never been on before and went as far along highway 78 to Ramona before turning around and heading for Julian.

TOOK THIS PHOTO FROM OUR TURN AROUND POINT IN RAMONA AND AT THIS POINT WE WERE ONLY 40 MILES FROM THE PACIFIC OCEAN

ROUNDING A PARTICULAR TIGHT MOUNTAIN CURVE OUR APPLE PIE FLEW UPSIDE DOWN SO WE HAD TO STOP WHILE KELLY WENT BACK AND TURNED IT RIGHT SIDE UP…..YOU WILL BE HAPPY TO KNOW OUR APPLE PIE WAS NOT DAMAGED

STOPPED HERE FOR A DOZEN ‘LARGE’ EGGS FOR EGG SALAD SANDWICHES LATER

THERE WAS A NICE STAND OF BOTTLE BRUSH TREES HERE

STOPPING FOR ANOTHER LEG STRETCH PHEEBS SCOOTS BACK UNDER A GATE
We’ve been to the popular and unique little mountain town of Julian California a number of times these past dozen years so today we just rolled in on highway 79 and hung a right turn down Julian’s main street which is highway 78 and out the other side of town heading the long way back down the south slope of Volcan Mountain to the Borrego Valley floor far below.  If you love twisty windy roads this one’s a beaut as you make your way down through Bannner, out onto the desert floor, through another twisting road through the San Felipe Hills to Tamarisk Grove then east through the Yaqui Pass on S3 to Borrego Springs.  We’ve traveled this stretch of road both ways a fair number of times and it never get’s boring.

HANGING A RIGHT TURN IN JULIAN

THINK THIS IS THE LEAST AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC WE’VE EVER SEEN IN JULIAN

BEGINNING OUR DESCENT ON HIGHWAY 78 DOWN THE SIDE OF VOLCAN MOUNTAIN TO THE BORREGO VALLEY BELOW

A REALLY EXCITINGLY SCENIC STRETCH OF HIGHWAY 78 HEADING DOWN THROUGH BANNER CALIFORNIA

SLIPPING ON BY THE COZY LITTLE TAMARISK GROVE CAMPGROUND
We were back to the rig about 1:30 and relaxed for the rest of the afternnoon.  We always like to start our day tripping days early and finish them early.  It’s how our days back home in Bayfield are structured as well.  No late starts, no late finishes.

HERE’S PHEEBS GETTING WASHED UP FOR SUPPER

‘OH NO’ DAD JUST TOOK A PICTURE OF ME WITH MY TONGUE STICKING OUT
And a surprise visit from fellow RV Blogger Pam this afternoon.  Pam and husband John are the folks from a blog I recommended last summer.  Folks will know them from Oh, The Places They Go on our sidebar.  Kelly, not feeling well after our morning drive had laid down earlier and was asleep so Pam and I sat outside and had us great  half hour or so visit.  First met Pam and John on March 12th 2016 and our meeting in a parking lot near Congress Arizona had something to do with a massacre!!  You can read about that day HERE.  Great folks these two.

LOVE ALL THE PINE TREES UP IN THE MOUNTAINS
How nice to be back in the groove again compared to where we were last week at this time when we were both stumbling about mentally and physically.  We sure went for an unexpected loop and our recovery time seemed to be a slower process than usual.  Have to chalk it up to this darn aging process I suspect……….

TONIGHT’S MOON
GROANER’S CORNER:((  Mrs. Applebee, the 6th grade teacher, posed the following problem to one of her classes: "A wealthy man dies and leaves ten million dollars. One-fifth is to go to his wife, one-fifth is to go to his son, one-sixth to his butler, and the rest to charity. Now, what does each get?" After a very long silence in the classroom, Little Johnny raised his hand.
The teacher called on Little Johnny for his  answer.  With complete sincerity In his voice, Little Johnny answered, "A lawyer!"
--------------------------------------------
The bridegroom, who was in a horribly nervous condition, appealed to the clergyman in a loud whisper, at the close of the ceremony:  "Is it kisstomary to cuss the bride?"  The clergyman replied: "Not yet, but soon."
--------------------------------------------
On a rural road a state trooper pulled this farmer over and said: "Sir, do you realize your wife fell out of the truck several miles back?"   To which the farmer replied: "Thank God, I thought I had gone deaf!"
=================================