Mini rally in Borrego Springs

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Tom

Tom

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After a delayed start, we left the fog, cold and damp of the CA Delta, and headed south on Monday. Stayed at the Antelope Valley fairgrounds in Lancaster Monday night, and arrived at Borrego Springs yesterday afternoon. We'd barely parked the coach when Jerry Fitzgerald walked up to say hello. He and Ardra are camped just a few sites away from us.

Also just a few coaches away are friends and forum members Dave and Lisa Heller, and mutual friends Kent & Katie Higgins.

Following the freebie cook-your-own hot dogs & chili provided by the park, 6 of us gathered outside Dave & Lisa's coach, huddled around their campfire in a can. Jerry and Arda joined us on their return from sampling the local cuisine with Terry & Betty Brewer and Russ Mahoney (they're boondocked at nearby Peg Leg Jim's).

Anyone who's spent much time around the Fitzgeralds knows you're in for some good storytelling, and they didn't disappoint us.
 

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Sounds like some good times.  Wish we were there.

Say, that's some pretty good night time photography, Tom.  You must have got a TTL flash as I wouldn't expect the on-board flash to be that strong ?
 
George,

It was the built-in flash on my new Canon SX20, and I was in my point-and-shoot mode. Couldn't see the controls to do much else  ;D
 
Jim, it's called a "Campfire in a can'.
 
It looks cold there ! Which park are you staying at?

Wendy
Fantasy Springs Casino, Indio
 
Wendy, it's The Springs. Gets cool when the sun goes down.
 
Today Betty Brewer found about 25-30 huge sheet metal sculptures of pre historic animals and Terry found a Slot Canyon.  So Betty, Terry, Jerry, & Ardra had a great day hiking and seeing great stuff.

JerryF
 

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Breceda's sculptures are pretty cool, huh? They've been there for a couple of years. That big bird in the picture was supposed to be free floating and swivel with the wind but apparently that didn't work and they anchored it. Did you see the vineyard and workers sculptures? And the priest and dog? Also bighorn sheep. And according to the signs, Avery will let you boondock for 3 days free on his land where the sculptures are.

Wendy
 
Wendy said:
Did you see the vineyard and workers sculptures? And the priest and dog? Also bighorn sheep.
Click to expand...
Wendy,

We  saw the vineyard workers on our way home from our day.  We did not see big horn sheep or priest.  We will search for them tomorrow.  I have seen many art forms but this was among the top art in public places I have ever observed.  Just fantastic and free!

Betty
 
Very cool sculptures, aren't they? The Chamber of Commerce has a map of locations but it's not the greatest. The priest & dog and bighorn sheep are on the north end. Hey, wouldn't one of those sculptures go nicely in your Yuma backyard?  ;D

Where was the slot canyon hike?

Wendy
 
Wendy said:
Where was the slot canyon hike?
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The slot Canyon is located of Highway 78 just west of Ocotillo Wells.  It is advertised as a narrow passageway but I did not  imagine  they were referring to the width of your feet.  It was narrow and very fun. 

Betty
 
Betty Brewer said:
It was narrow and very fun. 
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Cool. We'll add it to our next year list of places to visit. There's just too much to do in ABDSP.

Wendy
 
Wendy - The Anza Borrego booklet map says it's called Palm Slot and it's at the same turnoff as the Calcite mine.  The other day we did one called simply The Slot and it's farther south.  This one was much more narrow - had to remove my backpack at one really narrow place.

Here is the web site to see some of the scuptures Betty mentioned.  http://www.galletameadows.com/gallery/

Don't know why it's taken us so long to get to A-B.  Neat place!

ArdraF
 
Ardra,

Those of us that have been to Anza have tried to keep it a secret. ;D ;D I hope Jerry was able to do the hike with Terry. He and I have done it just about every time we were there. Sure miss it!! Maybe we will have a little time after Yellowstone to make it back to AB.
 
Yesterday, while we visited Russ at Peg Leg, he drew a map of where to find a number of the metal figures. We took a neat drive finding them and a number of others.

We also drove to the visitors Center. Hadn't been there since we were there with Pat & Jim a few years ago. I'd forgotten how much good info was available. The video on the formation/evolution of Anza Borrego was captivating.

Next stop was the SP campground, where the rangers welcomed us in to look around. Many long sites, mostly pull-throughs, with full hookups. The sites were blacktop, although most would require some leveling. Current prices:  $35/night, $17.50 handicapped.
 
Tom said:
Yesterday, while we visited Russ at Peg Leg, he drew a map of where to find a number of the metal figures. We took a neat drive finding them and a number of others.

We also drove to the visitors Center. Hadn't been there since we were there with Pat & Jim a few years ago. I'd forgotten how much good info was available. The video on the formation/evolution of Anza Borrego was captivating.

Next stop was the SP campground, where the rangers welcomed us in to look around. Many long sites, mostly pull-throughs, with full hookups. The sites were blacktop, although most would require some leveling. Current prices:  $35/night, $17.50 handicapped.
Click to expand...

Been going to AB for 10 years Tom..never heard of Peg Leg's Pete and the stone pile, etc...
would you give me directions from Christmas Circle or the Visitor center at Borrego please?
Maybe because I have been tent camping down there and this is first year in RV...

TIA,

Rich and Stefanie...

 
Mastermtn said:
Been going to AB for 10 years Tom..never heard of Peg Leg's Pete and the stone pile, etc...
would you give me directions from Christmas Circle or the Visitor center at Borrego please?
Maybe because I have been tent camping down there and this is first year in RV...

TIA,

Rich and Stefanie...
Click to expand...

From Christmas Tree Circle, head West out of town on S-22.  The road passes the airport and then turns left, north.  Continue on S-22 until it turns again, this time to the right, back west. 

At that point you should see a bunch of motorhomes all parked in a bunch around a large pile of rocks about 200 yard off the road to the north.  If you pass Rockhouse Rd. on your left, you have gone too far.

The rock pile is the Pegleg memorial.  Bring a rock.
 
What Carl said. We got there via the back roads from our campground (The Springs on DiGiorgio Road). From S-22, north on DiGiorgio, east on Henderson Canyon Road (past the palapa-covered fruit stand). The road goes right by the place where Terry, Betty & Russ are boondocked (on left).
 
I hope Jerry was able to do the hike with Terry.
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It was the two Brewers and two FitzGeralds.  We had some great hikes, including up Palm Canyon, The Slot, and Palm Slot, plus shorter ones at various viewpoints.

We've joined Russ and the Brewers at the Peg Leg Smith monument.  Not quite sure why they don't call it that, but according to the plaque his name was Smith.  There's a triangle of land between where S22, Henderson Canyon Road, and Peg Leg Road meet and the free camping is within that triangle.

ArdraF
 
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