This previous week I used to be lucky sufficient to spend three great days exploring Southern California’s Anza-Borrego desert with my aunt and uncle who reside on close by Coronado Island. Collectively, the three of us drove to the Anza-Borrego state park in my uncle’s 1986 Volkswagon Vanagon and from there we explored the realm in each the van and by bike.
Right here, to your studying and viewing pleasure, is a brief account of my journey to the Anza-Borrego desert.
We started our journey in Coronado the place my aunt and uncle reside. We loaded up the van with my bicycle, meals and all of the provides we would want for our brief three-day street journey into the desert after which we drove for roughly two hours earlier than reaching the Anza-Borrego state park entrance.
Upon coming into the small metropolis of Borrego Springs, we stopped for some time to take a look at the customer heart the place my aunt and uncle bought just a few souvineers and I picked up three Anza-Borrego themed postcards to mail to some pals.
Then we drove only a brief distance up the street and picked out a campsite on the Borrego Palm Canyon campground. It was beginning to get darkish by the point we had picked out a campsite, so we shortly arrange camp after which we went for a hike as much as a close-by Palm oasis.
My aunt and uncle solely hiked the primary a part of the path as much as the oasis with me, however I continued mountaineering all the way in which as much as the highest on my own.
By the point I reached the palm oasis, it was practically darkish and I knew that I’d be mountaineering the 1.5 miles again to he campground in the dead of night. However I wasn’t too nervous about that. The path again to the campground was positioned in slim, downhill canyon. So long as I stayed contained in the canyon partitions, there was no method I might get misplaced.
My aunt and uncle had been glad to see me once I lastly walked into camp – effectively after darkish. By this time, they’d their van all arrange they usually had been starting to cook dinner dinner.
After consuming dinner contained in the van, we known as it an evening and shortly thereafter went to mattress. I used to be afraid that I’d feeze to demise within the chilly desert evening, however it was really actually heat whereas we had been there and I needed to take a few of my garments off whereas I used to be sleeping as a result of I used to be getting too scorching.
The subsequent morning I used to be pressured out of my tent when the warmth of the solar made it insufferable for me to remain in mattress any longer. Under is the view of our campsite from inside my small 1-man tent (the MSR Hubba).
Right here’s a photograph (uploaded from my Instagram account) of the surface of my tent. Notice the Voltaic photo voltaic panel exterior my door!
After consuming breakfast and packing up my tent, I loaded up my bicycle and took off from the campsite. It was at this level that I separated from my aunt and uncle. I’d spend the day alone on my bicycle… and my aunt and uncle would go off and do their very own factor. I had all the day to myself to cycle round Borrego Springs and take photographs… in order that’s precisely what I did.
The climate in Borrego Springs right now of yr (March) was good for bicycle touring. It was heat, however not too scorching. A small wind was blowing, which helped to maintain me cool at instances, and the lighting was good for taking desert biking photographs.
One of many issues that makes Borrego Springs particular is that scattered all through town’s outskirts are dozens of large metallic sculptures created by a person named Ricardo A Breceda.
Born in Durango, Mexico, Ricardo has lived in California for the final 25 years and he has been creating his life-size metallic animals for the reason that launch of the film Jurassic Park III. His daugherter’s enthusiam over dinosaurs sparked his curiosity within the creation of those prehistoric beasts.
Lots of Richardo’s most well-know sculptures are scattered all through the Anza-Borrego desert and you’ll stroll, cycle or drive proper as much as the large buildings, contact them, and work together with them.
Listed here are some photographs of my favourite Ricardo A Breceda sculptures:
After seeing just about each single one of many big metallic sculptures, I then cycled east and away from town. It was out on these lonely roads that there have been far fewer individuals. Whereas cyclists had been plentiful within the heart of Borrego Springs and scattered all through the metallic sculputure areas, there was nearly nobody on bike out on the roads exterior of Borrego Springs. But it surely was out right here that I started to actually get pleasure from myself. Visitors was gentle and the surroundings was huge.
Later that afternoon I met up with my aunt and uncle within the heart of Borrego Springs. We loaded my bicycle again contained in the van, purchased some fuel and ice cream, after which drove south to an space of the desert that my aunt and uncle had been to earlier than and needed to share with me – Egg Mountain.
It took about an hour to get to Egg Mountain from Borrego Springs, however it was definitely worth the drive. After navigating our method down a brief grime street and up a small, however steep hill, we made camp on the prime of tiny Egg Mountain. From our campsite we had close to 360 diploma views of the desert round us.
Earlier than it obtained darkish, we shortly went about establishing our distant desert camp. With no loos within the space, my aunt and uncle arrange their transportable bathroom that they’d introduced with them. I by no means used the factor, and by no means supposed to make use of it, so I had fun making enjoyable of my aunt and uncle for proudly owning such a factor.
Earlier than it obtained darkish, we loved the unimaginable views from our hillside campsite.
We ate dinner contained in the VW Vanagon after which known as it an evening. As soon as once more, it was a heat and extremely comfy night tenting within the desert beneath a large sky of stars.
We took our time leaving Egg Mountain the next morning. We lumbered round camp for some time after which slowly started packing up our issues. After the van was loaded, my uncle backed the car up and instantly turned caught in some deep sand. The extra he spun the wheels, the deeper the van obtained within the sand. So I loaded a bunch of sticks and rocks beneath the tires and we had been capable of drive ourselves out of the opening we had created.
Getting caught within the sand was a enjoyable option to finish our journey within the Anza-Borrego desert. I had an exquisite time exploring this lovely and rarely talked about area of Southern California… and given the chance, I’d positively return.
For extra photographs from my current bicycle touring adventures, you should definitely observe me on Fb, Twitter and Instagram.
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