Back to the Desert (Anza Borrego Desert State Park)

I love the RV park in downtown Long Beach, but oh do I ever HATE getting or leaving there!  Strange how all the expressways of Chicago don’t seem to bother me that much, but LA’s freeways seem to make me insane!


But finally after a few hours, we had broken free of the freeways and come to my favorite drive along Montezuma Valley Road (County Road S22) down into Borrego Springs and the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.  From the West, you drive many miles through rolling hills of ranch and farm lands, when suddenly, the land drops off and gives way to the broad desert with the large Salton Sea off in the distance.  It’s quite a visual treat, and fun little hairpin turns make it an exciting drive down into the valley as well.

We made it to the place I had been dreaming of boondocking ever since seeing it last year—Clark Dry Lake Bed just off of Peg Leg Road about 5 miles east of Borrego Springs.  We were lucky to have warm weather, calm winds, and quiet neighbors while there!

After her first night of peaceful desert boondocking, I took my mom for a nearby off-road drive to Font’s Point.  We drove 4 miles down the sandy and bone-rattling washboard trail and came to a turnaround that had a few walking paths up a hill.  Not wanting to have driven all this way for nothing, we figured we might as well get out and walk up the path to see what was there.

Just like the surprise the night before of the land suddenly dropping on Montezuma Valley Road, we were surprised to find an amazing expanse of badlands beneath us.  What a way to start the day!

 




After returning to the RV to drop Mom and Millie off, I drove down south to drive some other off-road trails in the Blair Valley area.



I had hoped to find some wildflowers starting to bloom, but the desert was still pretty dry and colorless other than a few Yucca and Agave.  This big old tree was interesting, though.  Note the shoes hanging from the branches!  Perhaps good luck to return from a hike safely?  Or someone who took a wrong turn and ended up this tree?!!

Maybe it’s just a way of saying “I’ll be back”, which is certainly the way I feel about this very special park.