Leaving a sunny afternoon at the beach behind to find a few inches of snow still on S22 as it passes thru Ranchita on the way to Borrego Springs.
Arrived too late to get the last sunset of 2014, however the clouds cleared to preset viewing of Comet Lovejoy through a pair of binoculars as we settled in. At some point during the night the furnace stopped working. Brrr it was 26 outside!
Up before dawn to at least catch the first sunrise of 2015. The trailhead to the Bajada Overlook begins at Yaqui Pass. The overlook is a short ~1 mi. walk up a well marked trail. A few years ago the kids and I ate Julian pie here with our fingers. I brought the pie along as a surprise treat, but forgot the forks …
As the first sunrise of 2015 appeared over Sunset Mountain, the shadows disappeared as the hills behind me became bathed in sunlight.
The classic Indian Head was in clear view, as the cholla danced in the morning sunrise.
Took the ‘round ‘bout way back via Font’s Point and the Sea View Orchard. The Orchard usually has an honor system for oranges and grapefruit but had neither today. Still time to enjoy a few Galleta sculptures on the way back to Rufus.
Took the cover off the furnace and reseated all the connectors on the control board. It fired right up – Whew! … Wrong! it is dead again by morning… Looks like the ‘sail-switch’ is sticking and if course it’s buried in the middle of the furnace.
Looking for a good wakeup breakfast after a cold night? Kendall’s is hard to beat
And it was a bit of a chilly night!
as viewed from Blair Valley
Taking the Jeep along definitely extends the options for day trips. The 3 primary hikes are Yaquitepc – the Marshal Smith experiment in desert living. Every time I come up here more seems to be decayed – or maybe it’s just buried in the snow. But always a nice view even when the destination itself is lacking. The Morteros and Pictographs are also easy hikes along the well worn paths of the Kumeyaay.
I know this trip was cold, but you got some great pics!
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