ENJOYING THE GREAT WEATHER….WHILE IT LASTS!!

 

A QUIET LUNCH IN BORREGO SPRING’S CHRISTMAS CIRCLE

It’s 11:30 Thursday morning & I am at the Library in Borrego Springs with the new computer.  Speed is so fast here I had to tie myself to the chair & put on a crash helmet.  Me & Win 7 have made up & are continuing our new friendship again because I just found my lost photos from yesterday.  Hopefully our friendship will last longer this time before our next, ‘dust up!!’  Great library in a scenic well landscaped southwestern flavored mall of sorts.  Coffee & eats around the corner plus benches & Wifi outside the library too.  We are going to try & utilize the library’s high speed computer services more this time. 

On the way in this morning we passed the Peg Leg Smith’s boondocking spot that I had mentioned in last night’s blog.  Soon as I saw it I knew right away I was going to have to go back & retract a statement I made in the blog.  It was not as crowded as I had indicated.  I had based my ‘opinion’ on the first time we were there in 2007 & of course this is 2010 & there may have  been some changes there.  Still not my cup of tea to RV like that but there did appear to be way fewer rigs plus bigger spaces between the rigs.  Didn’t appear as crowded as I had remembered it.  My apologies to to the dearly departed Peg Leg & all the Peg Leggians camped there right now.

 

PEG LEG SMITH’S NEAR BORREGO SPRINGS…..NOT SO CROWDED ANYMORE

Another ultra lite flyer came in yesterday afternoon so we have 2 machines in the air now for our early morning air shows.  A third Class A is parked further on with a kite trailer on behind but we haven’t seen that fellow flying yet.

  

A COUPLE OF FLY BOYS TALKING THINGS OVER (click pics to enlarge)

So nice to drive back into Borrego Springs this year again.  Stopped to walk on the new mown grass on Christmas Circle.  Ever nice to smell newly mowed grass again.  We northerners miss our lush greeeeeeeen grass & our big greeeeeen trees & it is so nice walking on a carpet of soft grass again.  At home we take that for granted but here in the southwest it is a luxury.  Great to see Borrego’s many big palm trees waving in the breeze & all the orange, grapefruit, & lemon tree orchards.  Borrego Springs is truly an oasis in the desert.  As far as small towns go here in the southwest I think this is just about as nice as you get.   You can drive Borrego’s wide main street from one end to the other in about 3 minutes.  No traffic lights, no traffic, no congestion, no problem.    Borrego Springs is a town I don’t mind going to & spending time in.  It has a bit of an artsy feel to it.    And, we stopped into Calicos for egg pockets this morning too.

UNDOUBTEDLY AN INTERESTING SHRUB >>>>

Well, I’ve got another new name to add to myself.  Rene from LIVE/WORK/DREAM tagged me in a blog comment with, ‘Mr. Crankypants!!’  Along with Mr. Blabberfingers I guess that makes me a Crankyblabberpants.  Wonder where she got that name.  Gee, d’ya suppose it was something I said.  Thankyou  Rene, I will wear that handle with great pride:)) 

<<<<<< HOPE THIS GUY SURVIVED THE A-10 WARTHOG THUNDERBOLT ATTACK

I sure have taken a liking to my new relaxation spot on the shady north side of the rig.  Very quiet here with only the chirping birds at our feeder & a touch of wind in the flags overhead.  Unobstructed view for miles clear across the desert floor to the Santa Rosa mountains & as I look out that way I am reminded that RICK & ROD are over on the other side probably lounging around the pool just a burnin my ears off again today.  You go guys:))

CLEANING SOME CAMERA EQUIPMENT….THESE ARE RELAXING DAYS

Heard a nasty rumor this morning that we have a winter’s storm heading this way & due in tomorrow afternoon with high winds followed by rain & dropping temps.  And here I thought we were home free from winter’s influence!!

SUNSET OVER THE SAN YSIDRO MOUNTAINS….BORREGO SPRINGS CA.

GROANER’S CORNER:((   The best way to garden is to put on a wide-brimmed straw hat
and some old clothes.  And with a hoe in one hand and a cold
drink in the other, tell somebody else where to dig.

BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

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

 

BORREGO SPRINGS CALIFORNIA....WHAT A GREAT LITTLE PLACE:))

OUTSIDE THE BORREGO SPRINGS LIBRARY & MINI SHOPPING CENTER

We have a steel roof on our mobile home here in Bayfield & right now it's raining so hard I can't even hear my own mumblings.  The weatherman sure hasn't co-operated for our Canadian Thanksgiving week-end so far.  Even the turkeys are soaked. LOOKING WEST ALONG BORREGO'S MAIN STREET FROM THE CHRISTMAS CIRCLE

Two weeks from this morning we will be busy loading ourselves into the rig for our trek to the southwest.  I will be happy to finally pull the gearshift lever into drive & end all this apprehensive waiting.  These final 2 weeks would be very exciting if I was still a kid but as an adult the excitement is always a bit subdued by the reality in thought of the journey ahead with it's concerns & unknowns.   Once the big wheels are rolling those thoughts quickly diminish & it's on with the business & enthusiasm of the journey ahead.  Nice to once again see the countryside rolling by, feel the gentle roll of the big rig underfoot, & hear those traveling tunes cranked up on the stereo.   Let er rip Mr. Nelson.......On The Road Again:)) 

GOLF COURSE & LANDSCAPING AT THE 'SPRINGS AT BORREGO'

WANDERING WILLY  had 3 posts recently about his early RV camping & trailer days which reminded me of a unique RV trailer park in Bisbee, Arizona that we saw last winter.  Called the SHADY DELL it consists of vintage travel trailers laid out in a park setting that you can stay in for the night or by the week.  Check to-days blog photo album for our walk-through the 1950's style nostalgic RV park earlier this year.

View Full Album

We were in Slab City California a couple seasons ago having our solar panels installed when a passing comment from a fellow RV'er about a place west of the Salton Sea led us to the quiet little desert/mountain town of Borrego Springs.

We spent 17 days boondocking at the Clark Dry Lake Bed area that time & another 17 days just this past season again.  We will likely end up there this year for a few more days as well.

ANZA-BORREGO STATE PARK VISITOR'S CENTER

BORREGO SPRINGS is literally an oasis in a harsh desert landscape nestled into the foot of the towering San Ysidro mountains .  Palm trees, green grass, lush flowers & vegetation along with acres of orange, lemon, & grapefruit trees make Borrego Springs a true diamond in the rough.  No traffic lights here, no car crazy chaos, no big box stores or chain restaurants.  No endless acres of paved parking lots with ticky tacky stores as far as the eye can see.  Main street stretches east & west for about  half a mile or so & has retained its early western flair tastefully blended with modern facilities like a great library & small shopping complex.  A large round-about & wide traffic route called Christmas Circle begins the main street from the east & is the center of events for flea markets, farmer's markets, etc.  An award winning design for the Anza-Borrego State Park visitor's center is here complete with RV Park & can be found at the western end of the main street.  There are 2 or 3 other RV Parks as well including one very high end park complete with a large beautifully landscaped golf course called THE SPRINGS OF BORREGO.  This are also permanent living units here as well. 

OVERLOOKING BORREGO SPRINGS BELOW FROM NEAR THE CULP VALLEY CAMPGROUND

TOURING THE BORREGO BADLANDS ON A JEEP TOUR WITH LOCAL BORREGO SPRINGS RESIDENTS

Despite the harsh appearance of the surrounding desert, Borrego has a very ritzy side to it so be sure to see our photos of both the ritzy & the dusty side.  Borrego has a small airstrip as well & it's nice to drive around the backstreets to see the beautiful homes with their ever creative desert landscaping.

 CHRISTMAS CIRCLE

If you check our side bar to the right you can scroll down to our archive section where you will see the months & years listed of our travels.  We have spent a total over 34 days in Borrego Springs over the past couple of years so check out 2007 for the dates between December 21rst & 31rst.  Also January 2008 from Jan 1rst to the 7th.  Also have a look at December 31rst of 08 right up to January 17th of 2009.  All photos for those dates can be found in our photo albums for those dates as well.  PHOTO ALBUMS.  You will find our day trips to the Borrego Slot Canyon, Palm Springs Canyon, Hell Hole Canyon, Marshal South's Ghost Mountain, the little mountain town of Julian, Salton City by the Salton Sea, a couple of Jeep tours with local Borrego Springs residents, the Borrego Badlands, & a drive along the old Butterfield Stagecoach route heading towards San Diego, plus hikes & drives in & around the desert landscape.  This is a very friendly little RV town with lots of activity put on by the Anza-Borrego State Park & the local townspeople themselves.  I should add that Borrego Springs is totally surrounded by the vast Anza-Borrego State Park system.

 KELLY BUYS A COUPLE DOGGY BEDS FROM A VENDOR ON CHRISTMAS CIRCLE

Oh, & I should add that the nearest Wally World to Borrego Springs is a leisurely 58 mile drive to Brawley.  That is an important factor to RV'ers for sure & I might add this is a new looking Wally World with with a real southwest design to it having only been constructed in the last couple years.  And they have a McDonald's as well as all the assorted fast food places in Brawley as well so it's is a popular last stop if your heading to Borrego Springs from the southeast. 

THE BORREGO RANCH & SPA RESORT

Turned out to be a busy afternoon here at home in Bayfield to-day as Kelly scurried back & forth to the motorhome with armloads of this & that.  Wanted to take advantage of the sunny day because next week is looking cold & wet again.  Two weeks from now we should be stopped for the night somewhere north of Indianapolis.  Yay team:))

BOONDOCKING AT THE CLARK DRY LAKE BED NEAR BORREGO SPRINGS WITH NEIGHBOR'S CHRISTMAS LIGHTS ON THEIR AIRSTREAM TRAILERS

GROANER'S CORNER:))  Two Mexican detectives were investigating the murder of Juan Gonzalez. 
'How was he killed?' asked one detective.
'With a golf gun,' the other detective replied. 
'A golf gun? What is a golf gun?' 
'I don't know. But it sure made a hole in Juan.'

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS  http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

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