Anza Borrego Desert State Park (San Diego, California)

I love to hike! Finally being back to the places that literally beckon me to don my hiking boots, grab my walking sticks, and set out on the trail has done wonders for my spirit. From the coast to the desert, San Diego seems to have it all, too, with no shortage of scenic hiking trails to discover and explore. On Tuesday April 9 Dan, my sister Jennifer, and I set out for the Anza Borrego Desert State Park located within the Colorado Desert of Southern California, about 90 miles northeast of San Diego, but still within San Diego county (that's one big county!). Often notable for the lavish displays of wildflowers this time of year, we were disappointed to find just the opposite to be true. Two years in a row of below average rainfall was to blame for the lack of color in the park, but we still had a very satisfying hike on the Palm Canyon trail which winds back into the hills to a hidden oasis. Here we were treated to waterfalls, trickling streams, a stand of palm trees, and patches of greenery you normally don't expect to find in a dry desert setting. We kept an eye out for the native longhorn sheep that had been sighted along the creeks recently, but didn't see any that day. Below are some pictures from our hike.

Torrey Pines State Preserve (San Diego, Califorina)

Friday April 5th, and we're finally back in California! San Diego was our first destination in our wonderful home state, and here we spent a week visiting with my sister Jennifer. Since she has lived here for over 20 years, Jennifer is well acquainted with this part of California, and does an excellent job as travel agent and social activities director each time we come to visit. J San Diego is a beautiful city and I always wish I could spend more time here. We really enjoy hiking in the Torrey Pines State Reserve when we get the chance, a coastal state park within the San Diego city limits, and bordered immediately on the south by the Torrey Pines Municipal Golf Course. This is a rugged and beautiful part of the Southern California coastline, with eight miles of trails within the park. Many species of wildlife and flora are found within the reserve, including bobcats, foxes, skunks, raccoons, coyotes, rabbits, cacti, coastal chaparral, and the rare Torrey Pine. From the cliffs it is possible to see La Jolla to the south and Del Mar to the north, and during whale migrations, it is sometimes possible to see whales from the cliffs as well. On Saturday we packed our lunch and took the hike, and we couldn't have picked a more perfect day to do so. Here are some pictures of our outing.

Tucson, Arizona & Saguaro National Park

Tucson was our next destination as we continue to work our way west towards California. We wanted to stay in Tucson for a few days to explore the area, scope out the RV Parks, get a feel for the golf courses, and see if this is somewhere we would like to spend next winter. We arrived on a Friday afternoon, stayed four nights, and what a whirlwind trip. Saturday we did nothing but visit RV Parks, from one end of town to the other. Wow, is Tucson ever spread out!! We gathered data on prices, location, amenities; proximity to golf courses; proximity to shopping centers. It seemed that each park had things we liked, and things we didn't, and by the end of the day we didn't feel any closer to making a decision than when we had started.  

Easter Sunday we checked out a couple more RV Parks in the morning, and then took off for a hike in the Saguaro National Park. Although at first glance, the desert seems like a vast and barren landscape, it truly has its own beauty that can only be appreciated if you give it the time and attention it deserves. Walking along the trail we saw many different desert flowers blooming, lizards scurrying about, interesting rock formations, and multiple types of cacti, with the saguaro, of course, holding court over all.  

Monday we played a round of golf on a true desert style golf course. All I can say about that is you don't have to worry too much about losing your ball in the water. Now those hundreds of sand bunkers, that's something else altogether! We left Tucson Tuesday to head for Yuma for another exploratory trip. 

Below are some pictures from our hike in Saguaro National Park.