Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

 

The ‘Tabby Tiger’ prepares to attack!

After only a couple days spent near Why, Az, time was running out for a visit with my cousins in Yuma before they departed for the frozen north country.  Of course, I was still pondering the sign south of Tucson that made me feel almost at home (well, without the ice and snow).  I noticed that it had the distance in meters, not feet or tenths of a mile!  In the US!  Sounds like a conspiracy to go metric if you ask me!

Along the way in Gila Bend, it was time to empty the tanks that needed emptying, and fill those that required filling.  I noticed the continuing rise in the price of diesel fuel, but even GasBuddy could not help me much here.  Then it was on into Yuma for lots of catching up with family and former neighbors from Saskatchewan – and curling, on TV!  When I visited with my truck camper, it fit between the two park models with barely enough space to open the doors.  But with the fifth wheel, this was not an option, and I was not keen on the $50/night charge, so we resorted to random camping in the outskirts, which worked out just fine.  Hailey had a chance to walk the walls of a yet to be developed neighborhood. 

Of course we made the requisite trip to Algondones, Mexico while there.

Before departing Yuma for the west and the even higher prices of California, there was a quick stop at Superfuels.  Lower prices = lineups!  Check the link for the location, otherwise you would never find this place.  It is a closely guarded secret; or it was till I blogged about it!

The truck and trailer breathed a sigh of relief after a brief stop at the recycling center in El Centro, Ca.  I had been saving up things to recycle since leaving California two months ago; finding few places in Texas, New Mexico, or Arizona for that, I was glad to liberate a lot of space in the basement.

Then we continued on to Borrego Springs state park and area.  It is a very scenic area with lots of variety of terrain, camping options, and wide open spaces.  And it does not hurt that the desert is starting to bloom.  The ocotillos are growing their leaves and flowers aplenty.

It appears that the orchards have suffered from the recent frosts, but there are still semi loads of produce headed out of town.  I could not resist these sweet grapefruit in a do it yourself roadside stand – $3. a bag!

I checked out the horse camping area in the state park.

And took more flower photos!

Desert art.

And we toured a number of the plentiful back country roads that are all around the area.

The Bayfield Bunch is camped just over the hill, and Rv Life on Wheels is nearby as well.

Al, Kelly, and a couple of their furry guys wandered over for a nice visit one day.  You can check out their account of it here!  BTW, Al’s photos (and writing) are way better than mine, and he posts every day.

The sun has been shining on the solar panel, the temps have been hitting the 80F mark during the day.  They have been experiencing very frigid temps at home the last while, with more snow predicted, so I am in no rush to head that way any time soon.

Nice day for a hike or a drive in the desert!

Later …