Carol writes: Our next evolution pointed three hundred miles south to Borrego Springs, a small desert town completely surrounded by Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
For the entire month of November, we planned to set a much slower pace in Borrego Springs at a relatively new first-rate RV park with all the bells and whistles, so to speak. As part of regrouping for the next year on the road, we had plans to service the Jeep in Temecula, take care of a few small motorhome repairs, and undertake some deep-cleaning of the motorhome, both inside and out.
Our campsite looked out on the 2nd tee of the RV park’s immaculately groomed golf course, which in turn was surrounded by a spectacular desert panorama.
A treasured patch of shade at our campsite
provided the perfect position from which to capture some of Al’s practice swings on the 2nd tee… in order to obtain pictures for some self-analysis of form later on.
After a few scorching days the first week, the fall season settled upon Borrego Valley, resulting in near-perfect conditions for exploring the four corners of the Anza-Borrego Desert.
PALM CANYON
A short uphill hike through bighorn sheep habitat along the Palm Canyon Trail
led to a grove of native California fan palms, a true oasis in the desert!
We had a great conversation with an Australian couple beneath a cool shade canopy where we were surrounded by grassy palm skirts.
FONT’S POINT
One of the most spectacular viewpoints in the state park required some 4-wheeling out to Font’s Point. For geology buffs, this area was touted by park literature as “the best place in North America to view sediments of the Pliocene and Pleistocene Epochs.” More simply for us, this vantage point provided unparalleled grandiose views of the Borrego Badlands
and the entire Borrego Valley
THE SLOT
One of the most highly recommended walks in the Anza-Borrego Desert was the 2-mile Slot Hike Trail,
which included a 1/2-mile section of a narrow slot canyon of soft sandstone that had been beautifully carved by wind and water.
The downhill slope into the canyon was met on the other end by incredibly beautiful harsh desert topography that necessitated a somewhat steep climb back to the car.
By unanimous consensus, our most rewarding day of hiking in Anza-Borrego was the one we spent in Blair Valley. Three superb hiking trails captivated us with evidence of man’s previous existence in the valley.
PICTOGRAPH TRAIL
Any trail with pictographs is a winner for us!
It’s always interesting to visit sites associated with ancient human habitation. These ancient dwellers often drew pictographs that depicted meaningful objects or events in their lives; however, on this pictograph-covered boulder the interpretation appears to have remained solely with the artist.
MORTEROS TRAIL
The Morteros Trail led to curious “cupules” carved into rocky vertical surfaces. The precise meaning of these Indian grinding holes has remained an archeological mystery.
The purpose of grinding holes carved into horizontal surfaces was more obvious. These rocky impressions served as mortars for grinding various foodstuffs.
Oh, the conversations about daily life that must have played out in these “kitchens” of the early inhabitants of the Borrego Valley.
MARSHALL SOUTH HOME
The grand finale was the biggest challenge on this day of hiking in Blair Valley. The remains of an old homestead
that was once home to the Marshall South family was located on the summit of Ghost Mountain atop a 600-ft cliff that required a steep 1-mile climb to the top.
It was interesting to compare a vintage picture of the original homestead with what little remained today.
Low rock walls, a doorway section of an adobe wall, and the old stone and concrete water cistern were all that remained of the dwelling that once served as the home of the South family.
This abandoned homestead was evidence of an experiment in desert living that played out in the 1930s and 40s. Sadly, this crumbling remnant in Blair Valley was the sole epitaph to the life of Marshall South, who once said that he simply desired “silence and peace.”
I would like to think the family found a little of each, but ultimately the harsh living conditions of the desert prevailed and the dream was ultimately abandoned.
Within a few weeks we were enamored with the solitude and beautiful forbidding scenery of the Anza-Borrego Desert.
Desert art around Borrego Springs, Spanish explorer history, 4-wheeling in Fish Creek, a visit to Julian, and a look back at the park where I did my very first hike with Al would occupy our attention for the rest of November.
Desert art around Borrego Springs, Spanish explorer history, 4-wheeling in Fish Creek, a visit to Julian, and a look back at the park where I did my very first hike with Al would occupy our attention for the rest of November.
Stay tuned for Part II…
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