HALF WAY THROUGH OUR DOGGY SCHOOL CLASSES

ALL PHOTOS TAKEN AT OR NEAR THE BUTTERFIELD RANCH RESORT IN THE VALLECITO VALLEY EAST OF SAN DIEGO
A pleasant early Autumn morning saw Kelly, the Pheebs and I headed for 'On Golden Paws' about 9:20.   It was Saturday morning and that meant, doggy school:))  We are half way through our dog obedience classes and this morning we decided to change things up a bit.  I am usually on one end of the leash with Pheebe on the other and Kelly observing.  This morning Kelly worked with the Pheebs while I stood back and watched.  We are very fortunate to have such a great instructor.  Kelly Dearlove sure does know her way around dogs.

  
Tonight's photos are a final few from an area southwest of Borrego Springs California that I mentioned a couple blogs ago.  We took a drive part way down the Vallecito Valley 2 years ago and had us a brief look around as a possible area of interest in the future.  The future may soon be upon us.  We traveled as far south as the BUTTERFIELD RV PARK.  Can’t give you a review on this park because we only stopped in for a few minutes but can tell you that it is remote, rustic and has character.  I like that…………………………   

  
FINAL RESTING PLACE FOR SOME TIRED OLD FIRE ENGINES 

Had to trim a bit of our jungle back from one side of the Motor Home this afternoon.  The Sumacs were beginning to encroach into our living room slide space.  We did get a little more organizing done inside the coach and it is hard to believe that we may very well be pulling out of here three weeks from today…………..I’m hoping.

  

 
Three months from tonight will be Christmas Eve.  No idea where we will be except we're hoping it will be somewhere off the beaten path under a quiet canopy of stars.  Sure a welcome change from all those stressful hustle and bustle social functions of years gone by. 
 
BUTTERFIELD RANCH AND RV PARK 

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Did you know a wine drinking hangover is the wrath of grapes.
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-Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
-Until one has loved an Animal, their soul remains un-awakened.

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

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

POURING OVER MY ATLAS TODAY IN SEARCH OF NEW SOUTHWEST LOCATIONS AND ADVENTURES:))

CALIFORNIA’S BLAIR CANYON NEAR GHOST MOUNTAIN
Spent some more time with my Atlas's today looking for interesting places and travel ideas for this winter's wanderings after we leave south-western Colorado.   Warm weather and new areas will be our priority this year plus revisiting a few favourite spots. We'll probably spend a little time around Borrego Springs California again but will scout out some new boon docking areas this time. We have boon docked at the Clark Dry Lake Bed for the past 3 years but it has become too familiar for us now and we knew last winter that if we were to return to the Borrego Springs area we would be needing a change.

HIKING UP TO GHOST MOUNTAIN WITH CALIFORNIA’S LAGUNA MOUNTAINS TO THE WEST
There is a great area near Ghost Mountain in the Blair Valley that I think would be great for us but last time we were there we heard Verizon did not cover that region yet.   It is necessary for us to have an internet connection because Kelly will once again be handling all the Deer Park Lodge reservations for the following summer. We may further scout out the Vallectio Valley south of there this year as well.  The Valley is just on the east side of the Vallecito Mountains with San Diego being on the west side.   That Valley had a magic feel to it when we drove a fair ways down through it two years ago.  Not a lot of civilization in or near the Blair or Vallecito Valleys which of course makes them great nature areas and……….perfect for us.   Always love the challenge and great scenery of new and different areas.

LOTS OF ROOM IN BLAIR CANYON FOR BOON DOCKING….PHOTO TAKEN FROM ATOP GHOST MOUNTAIN LOOKING NORTH WITH THE SAN YSIDRO MOUNTAINS ON THE FAR HORIZON….BORREGO SPRINGS IS TO THE RIGHT AND AT THE FOOT OF THOSE MOUNTAINS



FROM ATOP GHOST MOUNTAIN THIS IS LOOKING SOUTHEAST OVER THE VALLECITO VALLEY WHERE WE MAY SPEND SOME TIME THIS WINTER…SAN DIEGO IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LAGUNA MOUNTAINS TO THE RIGHT…..TOP LEFT HORIZON IS MEXICO
In case anyone happens to be interested in my 4 treks up Ghost Mountain in the last 3 years to the Marshal South homestead, you can just type either ‘Ghost Mountain’ or ‘Marshal South’ into our search bar at the top of the right hand column of our blog.  The Marshal South site spoke to me like no other place I have ever been and it has continued to draw me back up Ghost Mountain every time we are in that area.  I fully expect to be up there again this trip, standing atop my favourite large boulder, wind blowing through my hair with the Vallecito Valley stretching out to the horizon below and beyond.  The above photo was taken from atop that rock. 

CLIMBING THE STEEP ROCKY PATH TO GHOST MOUNTAIN WITH BLAIR VALLEY IN THE BACKGROUND

GHOST MOUNTAIN IS DEAD AHEAD ON TOP OF THAT RIDGE
GROANER’S CORNER:((  My mind works like lightning,...........one brilliant 'Flash' and it is gone!!
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-Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.
-Until one has loved an Animal, their soul remains un-awakened.

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

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