Southern California Desert Weekend

Cholla cacti

Hi. So much has happened as of late that it has been a challenge to gather my thoughts and write, yet here I am.

James and I were able to squeeze a childless moment away this past weekend. It has been two years since we have been able to do this and we needed it. Thanks to my parents and sisters for volunteering their time and patience to care for my little angels so we could have some essential time away.

The desert was calling our name so we headed out to Palm Desert for the weekend. We lucked out. Rain was pounding the south land, but skipped the desert area all day Saturday.



First stop, Joshua Tree National Park. We entered from the south off Interstate 10, stopped at the visitor center in Cottonwood Springs, then did a looped hike to Mastodon Peak and the Mastodon Gold Mine.



James goofing around.


Mastodon Gold Mine


We then headed northwest towards Twenty-nine Palms and viewed the Cholla Cactus Garden. The garden is amazing and the cactus looked as if they glowed. Very alien like.


We drove a full loop back to Palm Desert, but before we headed back we veered off to Pioneer Town in Yucca Valley and ate at Pappy and Harriet's Pioneertown Palace.



James goofing off again.


Out last stop on Sunday was Hadley's. I have stopped here my entire life and usually it is to get a date shake (Karen, since you asked. :) Not this time. It was freezing out so we bought other goodies for the kids and my sisters.

it has become an annual event

My parents, sisters, me, our kids, and James spent three days up at Big Bear Lake in the same house as we have for the past three years. The house sits on the lake, in Grout Bay, near the Fawnskin Marina and "quiet" side of the lake.

One year we visited in October. Last year it was June. This year, Labor Day weekend.

The weather was splendid.

For the first time we had neighbors and luckily for Julia they were her age. She would have spent the entire weekend next door if we or they let her.

Here are some pics from the weekend.

attacked by gnats

I am officially behind on posting to this blog, but will catch up eventually I am sure.

Several weekends ago Kristi and I went hiking out in the San Mateo Wilderness area of the Cleveland National Forest. Even though it is summer here and it routinely runs over 100 degrees out in the wilderness this day was cool and around 75-80 degrees. Perfect!





The plan was to hike the Bear Canyon Trail to the Morgan Trail and back. Round trip it is about 10 miles.



dead yucca


The hike was pleasant and quiet. We saw no other people on the trail. Most of the trail is a single-track and a steady climb from the side we started.

No snake sightings this time.

We did, however, spot some fresh mountain lion tracks and later when we heard a "large" animal near some oaks we definitely considered a lion (but, most likely a deer or other animal)



And no, we were not bothered by any large animals.

In fact, we were majorly annoyed by gnats.

The last 15 minutes of the first half of the hike, as we walked through a grassy, oak-lined area, the gnats began to harass and attack us in the most annoying way.

Honestly, we were swinging and flailing our arms like there was no tomorrow. This was the same time were heard the "large" animal in the bushes slightly uphill from us. We started to make lots of noise (just in case) and swing our arms like crazy people. Those bugs were in our noses, eyes, ears, you name it.



The gnats left us just before the end of the trail.

We survived, thank goodness. We ate our lunch at the Morgan Trail head and rested a bit.



looking east towards Lake Elsinore. Notice the smog. Yuck.


Then Kristi said the unthinkable. To summarize, she declared she would rather risk her life walking the Ortega Highway than go back through the gnats. So funny.

We are adventurers and taking a chance to get hit by a car is just part of adventure, I guess. :) (This is where Kristi says, "Oh, jeez.")

on the road again


We saw some new things, stopped at a day use area and looked at the California Wildland Firefighter Memorial. Interesting. Never knew it was there.





Next we walked down to El Cariso Village to stop at the Country Store. Lo and behold I ran into an old friend who bought the store. She informed us we were crazy to consider walking the road for the next three miles so her friend gave us a ride back to our car. Thank goodness for good Samaritans.



Then we had ice cream at the candy store to reward ourselves for surviving the gnats and Ortega Highway (not to mention a possible mountain lion.) "Oh, jeez."

It was a good time.

Days 10 and 11 - The End of the Road

We had a lazy morning at our friends house eating pancakes and drinking coffee and then we were off.

Today's destination? Fairfield, CA. The drive is just a few hours and we want to break up the drive home since we have a LONG drive home.

Fairfield is windy!

We toured the Jelly Belly Factory and went swimming at the hotel and plain and simply relaxed at the hotel.





The next morning we drove highway 12 which took us through the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. Fascinating!

Really.

I like deltas.

We hit one last State Park before we hit home. The Tule Elk State Reserve. It is the tiniest California State Park I have ever seen. It is in the middle of nowhere and no one was there.



searching for the Elk.


I was the perfect place to have some snacks and let the kiddos run around, but...

NO ELK.

They must have been hiding.

Oh wait there's one behind James.



The time spent together as a family was fantastic and I am truly sad it is over. I am not ready for it to be over. Road trips are my favorite vacations.

Day 9 - California again!

Driving in Southern Oregon and over the border to Northern California the landscape is pleasant. The scenery is grand. First milestone? Mt. Shasta.

Beauty.


Serena passing the time.


Snow was seen the day before and today...100+ degree heat.

Nothing says road trip like a cool snack at a gas station. (Serena spied me taking this picture)


We reached our friends house in the afternoon and it was so much fun to catch up. The kids played outside the rest of the night. Julia never took her bathing suit off. I don't blame her, it was HOT! The adults stayed with the air conditioning inside.

Trampolines and hoses make a great pair. Probably dangerous, but it worked. :)




The Nelson were kind to let us sleep in the studio above their shop. It was perfect! They cooked tacos for dinner and pancakes for breakfast. All that with great company, what more could we ask for?



The Sacramento River is at the end of their street. I took this picture at dusk...9pm.

Union Creek Resort and the Rogue River Gorge

After we visited Crater Lake we drove about 22 miles to Union Creek Resort on highway 62. where we stayed the night. The resort is really just cabins, a cafe, country store, lodge rooms above the country store, and an ice cream shop. It is pretty much in the middle of nowhere. It is however, listed on the Register of Historic Places and has had many notable visitors in the past century or so.



our cabin


The cabins are VERY rustic which was fine for us. We like rustic. The mosquitoes were out in full force that evening. The Rogue River flows right next to the resort and a creek flows on the other side.

home cooked breakfast the next morning at Beckie's




We walked a short distance to the Rogue River Gorge which was formed a long time ago when lava flowed from Mt. Mazama (Crater Lake before it was a lake :) down to the Pacific Ocean.

We saw lava tubes and lava rocks. The gorge is beautiful. Too bad the lighting was off for my pics.


lava tube next to red arrow




We left in the morning to head to Medford and then on the California border...