First Road to Southern California

Today is an exploring day. We drove out of El Centro on Rte 86N and followed this north and west through Palm Tree farms. Just before the junction of Rte 78W we went through our first Border Patrol checkpoint. They waved us through and we didn't have to stop, but they obviously know what they are looking for.

We followed 78W into Ocotillo Wells. This is a huge OHV (off roading) recreation area. The desert is covered with Ocotillo cactus and they are starting to get red/orange blooms on them. This is our first desert bloom! We pass a sign that says 'sea level' but soon the road turns narrow and winding as it starts to climb up the sides of mountains. We continue through the pass, around tight curves, and through wooded areas. The landscape turns from flat desert with Joshua Tree and Ocotillo to rolling foothills and breathtaking canyon views. The town of Julian sits in the beautiful Cuyamaca Mountains at 4000 ft. Julian is a wonderful mountain getaway that will take you back to the 1870's gold rush days. The town is quaint and offers hiking, wine tasting, and is known for growing apples. The trees are very short and not like the ones we have at home. We strolled through town and stopped at the Soup & Such Cafe for lunch. It was great! It's on Main Street and if you come this way you should stop in. We wandered down the other side of Main Street looking for a bakery as we had to have something Apple. We finally found the Apple Alley Bakery and got a strudle to take home.

It was still early afternoon so we wound our way back down the mountain road and into Anza-Borrego State Park. This is the largest desert park in America. We decided to take State Route 2 home which meanders through a landscape of desert, rolling hills, rugged mountains, and deep canyons. Driving through Shelter Valley we stopped at a historic landmark called Box Canyon. The canyon is a narrow defile about a mile long. Through the bottom of the wash went the California-Sonora Trail of the Mexican Era, the route of the Mormon Battalion, the Great Southern Immigrant Trail of the Gold Rush and after, and the Butterfield Overland Mail road. On their long march from Council Bluffs to San Diego, the Mormon Battalion hacked out, with axes, a way for their wagons to get through the chasm in the rocks, which, until then, had been a foot too narrow. Box Canyon became, the first wagon road into Southern California. The prairie schooners with their shuddering white tops and Butterfield's Concord stage coaches creaked through the canyon like ships through a canal with only inches to spare. We scrambled down the rough path and followed thewash with canyon walls rising high above us. I had my first interaction with a Hedgehog Cactus as I brushed by it with my leg - they hurt! - it went right through my jeans. The walk climbed over boulders and rocks, past barrel and other various size cactus, and through brush. It was rugged and peaceful at the same time.

Further down the road we found Aqua Caliente Springs and the Butterfield RV Park which looked realy nice. It had nice mountain views and grassy sites (which are unusual here). It is also right next to the Aqua Caliente Spa! We didn't stop this time, but made a note for when we come back through here again.

We found a state park campground sign and decided to check it out. Down the dirt road to the Bow Willow camp site. The road was a little washboard as we wound our way into a canyon where the sand was white and the ground was strewn with low bush and blooming Ocotillo. The Coyote Mountains rose up around us and it was magical. This is the type of camp we like best not the resort and snowbird parks. We drove through the designated sites which were large enough to fit your coach, but would not be big enough for a large class A motorhome. On the way back we took a side road that led up to the top of a good size hill. Wow... if we could park the coach here with the view and quiet - it would be unbelievable! The view from the top looked out over the entire canyon and mountains. We walked out to the point and saw deer tracks. You would think I would have learned, but I met another cactus I didn't like! We stood looking out over the immense expanse in front of us. There wasn't a sound and the silence hurt our ears.

Unfortunately we had to head back to camp. At the end of Rte S2 we turned onto I8 E. It was a fantastic trip today. Back at camp we relaxed, talked about what we saw and got things ready for our trip to San Diego. We are looking forward to it.

Today was awesome!