Desert Trip (Day 12)

We started the day with another trip to the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park visitors center. We decided to take a hike in the park this morning and wanted to discuss the various hike options with the visitor center docents. We also wanted to get a few more wildflower pictures as well as a picture of the decorative door handles on the award-winning visitor center doors. The handles represent the park's namesake (Borrego), the endangered Peninsular Big Horn Sheep. They live on the slopes above the desert floor, are very shy, and only come down to lower elevations in search of water.

After talking to a very knowledgeable park volunteer, we decided to take the Palm Canyon Trail hike. The trail starts from the state park campground near the visitor center and is a sand trail over occasionally rocky ground at the base of the mountains at the west and northern sides of Borrego Springs. The trail is a one and one-half mile out-and-back trail that rises about a 1,000 ft into the hills. We took our time, frequently stopping to take pictures and admire the scenery. It took us about an hour to get half-way out where we decided to turn around. It was perfect desert hiking weather with the temperature in the mid 60"s. We had plenty of water which is very important, even if the temperature is not too hot.

The serenity of the hike was interrupted by a medical emergency further up the trail (actually about as far out as you can get on the trail). We were told a hiker either broke his leg or had some other kind of leg/foot injury and could not walk out. As we were leaving the trail head, local firetrucks and ambulances arrived accompanied by a ranger who appeared to be a senior state park ranger. After some discussion,we heard them say it looked like an air evacuation mission. Sure enough, as we headed up the trail, we heard a helicopter coming up the canyon. It was a San Diego Sheriff's Department helicopter. Another smaller helicopter soon followed. They both flew up and down the canyon for awhile and eventually went back to the trail head. They never did land and we were told when we got back the injured hiker was hoisted into the helicopter assisted by a paramedic who was lowered to the ground. We saw the injured man when we returned to the trailhead. He was sitting in his car and talking to a park ranger and several other people. Apparently his injury wasn't too serious, but I hope he has good health insurance. I am sure the air evacuation mission was very expensive and he will probably be billed for the accident response.

The hike was excellent and just about the right length for today. We saw a lot of interesting things and even followed a seasonal stream along the trail, crossing it along the way. We also saw a lot of interesting geological rock formations as well as an old Indian grinding rock and stone grinding tools (morteros).

After the hike, we went to lunch at the Red Ocotillo (a.k.a The Krazy Coyote Saloon and Grill). The restaurant is located at a resort near the visitor's center called The Palms at Indian Head. The resort is at the site of the first lodging facility in Borrego Springs (Old Hoberg Resort). It was originally built in 1947 and was apparently a favorite getaway for many movie stars in the 1950's. It has had its ups-and-downs over the years; the new owners are currently trying to make a go of it in a tough economic environment. The food was excellent and we had an enjoyable lunch on the shaded patio near the pool.

After lunch we wanted to see one of the local tourist attractions - "Sky Art". These are metal sculptures of prehistoric animals that used to used to inhabit the valley. They are scattered all over town and were commissioned by an apparently very rich benefactor (Dennis Avery) who has a winter home in town and who who purchased the property where they are standing in the 1990's. He commissioned a Mexican artist (Ricardo Breceda) to create the sculptures and there are now probably several dozen of them. It also looks like the project has expanded to include historical people and themes (e. g. DeAnza, farm workers, etc.). Sky Art is probably something you wouldn't drive over here just to see, but while here, why not?

Our next stop was the Roadrunner Tree farm, a date and cactus garden just northeast of town. The place is a world class cactus and succulent nursery with more cactus desert plants that we have ever seen in one place . They supply a lot of the desert plants used by landscapers in places like Palm Springs and Las Vegas. They also had a small retail store where we bought dates and grapefruits (three kinds) all picked this morning. A very interesting place to visit.

Before returning to the RV we visted the Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association Nature Center and Gift Shop in town. The association was instrumental in raising funds to establish the visitor's center in the state park and is currently involved in a wide variety of natural history activities in the local area. The gift shop was very nice and has a wide variety of fiction and non=fiction books and associated desert material available for sale.

We are planning to take a 2-hour desert jeep tour with a local outfitter tomorrow up into the higher elevations of the park. It should be an interesting adventure.

We are leaving on Thursday morning and heading home. Thursday night we plan to stay at Lemoore NAS in Hanford (near Fresno), then head to Nevada City on Friday. Right now however, it looks like a major snowstorm will be in progress on Friday, so our plan is to park the RV at the Beale AFB FAMCAMP (RV Park) at least on Friday night and until we can park it at home.