Borrego Days - Borrego Springs

The 54th annual Borrego Days Desert Festival was held under beautiful blue skies last weekend.  This is always a fun opening celebration to welcome in their tourist season.

The theme ‘Bloom in Borrego’ brings awareness to the beauty and fragility of Anza Borrego.

We arrived Friday afternoon and setup camp at Peg Leg Smith.  For a longer stay Clark Lake offers more privacy and less traffic noise.

Friends Doug and Marilyn, along with their grandson Tim joined us.  We parked the RVs to offer shade and block some of the wind that is common once the sun sets.

We're here watching the hummingbirds discover my little feeder and how to get the nectar out of a flower they are not familiar with.  In all 5 different hummers enjoyed a free meal.

As night fell the sky filled with stars, long before the moon rise.  The Orionid Meteor Shower will peak in a few days. We did see a few streaking across the sky, and Fran pointed out several satellites I missed.

Saturday Morning before the parade begins at 10 am, a traditional fly over is performed.  The flyover is led this year by 4 classic biplanes.

There were 18 planes in the flyover this year, but none trailing smoke, nor perform a rollover.

Anza Borrego is the only state park with a full time ranger pilot, who passed over with lights and siren.

Always a few car clubs in the local small town parades.

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Borrego High does not have a band.  But the excellent bands of Holtville and Brawley are here every year.  Both are very good, Brawley has marched in the Rose Parade.

Borrego does have cuteness in abundance.

Miss Borrego and her court.

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Miss Borrego was the last entry in the parade.  From here we walked over to the Mall for the small car show staged there.  Many of them were in the parade.

A woody without a surf board ....

Fran's brother worked on an MG restoration.  

An Italian Abarth - this is likely the only one I've seen.  The logo is a scorpion, perfect for Borrego.

From the Mall we crossed the street to the Library - not just free WiFi, but it is air conditioned!

Walking back to Christmas Circle from the library we passed the Community Garden.  During the public input on the Library Park, I (and certainly others) suggested citrus.  The decision was an emphatic "No citrus, it requires too much water."

But here with the vegetables and herbs are citrus trees!  Whoot whoot!

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We're back at Christmas Circle for the food, music and a lot more cuteness.

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Back at our campsite Tim mentioned his surprise that our Jeep was a manual shift.  He's only 10, but quite the car nut.  Doug went over the shift pattern with him and I took him out for a ride.  Almost like driving an automatic, I did the clutch and he selected the gear, including reverse and neutral.  He didn't miss a shift.

Doug, Tim and I took the ride out to Font's Point.  I think Tim might have a little fear of heights.  His first "Whoa!" as we walked to the edge was classic.  I did not get a picture of the plane that flew by below us!  That's the first time I've seen a plane below Font's Point.

The September rain has confused a few plants.  The Ocotillo are already in bloom. 

I know this post is a bit long, but I must give a Shout Out to a couple Snowbirds from Ontario Canada.  They eventually work their way to Borrego Springs as a turnaround point before heading back home.

Best Wishes to Al (with Kelly and Pheebe) from Travel with the Bayfield Bunch.  Al, I know you have camped throughout Borrego and also at the American Legion in Borrego Springs.  The Legion has begun their Steak Saturday for the season.  If Pheebe wants to split one with me, let me know.

Also Best Wishes to George (and Suzi) from Our Awesome Travels, who I met last year right here at Peg Leg Smith.  He has said the best charizo he's found so far is at the Center Market in Borrego Springs.

I noticed the tray was full, and the butcher explained a lot of folks take some home and they do not want to run out on busy weekends.