beluga

beluga

Friday, January 20, 2017

catch up

Wednesday we payed it forward.   In the past, Pam and John have taken us places we never would have been able to see without their Jeep.  Wednesday we took MonaLiza and Steve to some of those same places with our Jeep.

We picked them up at their campground at Ocotillo Wells, headed south on Split Mountain road and turned into the Fish Creek Wash.   The wash was in pretty good condition considering the recent rains.  The surface was a bit squishy and quite wet around the edges but the main trail was fine driving.


Our ultimate destination was the Wind Caves but the journey was as interesting as the destination.


We stopped many times along the way to immerse ourselves in the Canyon views, high and low.







Once again, I was awed at the variety of rock along the way.   Each side of the wash looked totally different.    






small flowers bloom in the rough rock

evidence of feline visitors, most likely a bobcat
(Dave saw one nearby the other day)

roar!

the "anticline"


you can do it Steve!

Some of us were good sports and did what they were asked to in order to help the photographers showcase different formations......Thanks Steve, thanks Dave.





Eventually we reached the trail head for the Wind Caves,  took our lunches and headed up the trail.     Its not a long trail but I'm out of shape and the climb really whipped me.....I made it to the caves with a few stops along the way.   As usual I complain a bit but I'm always so happy, and feel so lucky,  to be able to see these cool places.





We climbed around and explored a bit then settled down for lunch in a shady cove.


Well, three of us ate in the shade.   My husband, the lizard, remained on a rock in the sun.    Yes, he did have lunch there.


After lunch we scrambled around some more before climbing down to the jeep.   A much easier trip!

MonaLiza contemplates the hugeness of it all

there's my lizard.....



We had a few other places on our soft agenda but when we stopped at the Lowe's campground to "use the facilities", MonaLiza persuaded us to stay and relax in the sun with promises of lumpia and Lodi wine!  

Lumpia anyone?

We're suckers for lumpia and wine......and relaxing in the sun.


It was a lovely day.   We hope to have another chance to explore later this week.  The weather doesn't look good, but we're all up for a spur of the moment trip!



Yesterday Dave and I were able to get on the golf course for a quick 18 in between those rain/wind storms.    Staying a hundred yards from the course makes us able to play on a minute's notice.    The downside, however, is that we may be a target for errant balls.....

glad this little bush was there.....



don't judge, you've been there......

 


the coming storm's clouds are reflected in the course's pond

Today, Friday, the skies were wild.   In one direction it was brilliantly blue, in another a shallow rainbow appeared, and to the west the mountains were sometimes visible and sometimes covered in heavy black clouds.  

  In San Diego these training rain/wind storms are wreaking havoc, flooding streets, uprooting trees and allowing sewage from Mexico to turn the Tijuana River into a raging, brown mess.     It has been raining on and off here all day.   Luckily we had plenty of inside things to keep us busy.    I made a list when I heard the weather forecast for this week!



6 comments:

  1. I never get tired of visiting the Wind Caves. It is such a fun adult playground. It was very nice of you to take Steve and MonaLiza:) Looked like a beautiful day. And to end with lumpia...yum! Lucky you:) Thank goodness it is almost time for us to meet up! I am making a list of trails for us to do together:) We need some strength rebuilding I see:) Glad the weather held a little for some golf:) That ball was a quite close!!

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  2. are you sure there's not a loose tiger around? those pawprints looked huge!

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  3. Yum, lumpia! The wind caves looked like a great place to hike with friends.

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  4. That first section of trail up to the caves turned us around last year, but I vowed to get up there next time! Great pics in the playground of caves - and that marvelous drive getting there!! Nice that the park provides ball-grabbing bushes at their sites :-) Love that reflections photo - so pretty!!

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  5. That's a very fun group to hike and play and have happy hour with. :-)) Love the peek-a-boo photos and the handsome lizard basking in the sun. I have my list of stuff to do here to keep myself occupied, too. It's a long list...

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  6. So glad to be the first passengers since you bought your Rocky! And so happy that you pity us non-jeep people, ha ha . We had a great time as always hanging out with you and Dave.
    Our top models were really wonderful troopers climbing and posing for us.

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