Wrong Way Corrigan!

Friday, February 3, 2017

This morning as I awoke and looked out the back window which is facing East, I could see a beautiful sunrise.  I was prepared.  Yesterday, I took a photo through the back window, but it was so dirty I couldn’t use it.  Today, it was clean.

Yuma and I laid in bed as the sun slowly rose through the clouds and at 8 a.m. we were ready for the day.  Already 56 degrees, so it is going to be another warm one.

After all our morning chores, it was getting on noon, so best be going or the day will pass us by.  As I was sitting at the kitchen table I peeked out to the West and the blue puffy clouds were building,

so I pulled out all the maps I had gotten yesterday and started planning.

We decided to just drive over to Blair Valley and do a little sight-seeing and see what we can find.  That is a beautiful area with lots of things to see and do.   Yuma was waiting and ready to go at any movement I made towards the door.

Hopped in the Jeep and headed toward Borrego Springs

and made a left turn at the school and headed South on S3.  Here’s looking back towards Coyote Mountain.

 

We went through the beautiful Yaqui Pass.  The Yaqui Ridge hills look beautiful.

A couple of years ago, Dolly and I saw a herd of Mountain sheep crossing the road right in front of us.  I stopped right in the middle of the road to take pictures.  Lucky, we weren’t killed.  Here’s the blog for that day.

Hwy S3 dead-ends into hwy 78 at Tamarisk Grove Campground about 10 miles from Borrego springs. 

We took a left on hwy 78 and headed through the hills towards the Vallecito Mountains in the distance.

We weren’t in a hurry and I saw signs for washes, so pulled into the Quartz Vein Wash and drove to the end of it. 

 

I thought this would be a good place to let Yuma run and stretch his legs.  The road ended and there was a camper at the end of it in a tent, so we turned around and parked, so we could walk up the wash where only foot traffic was allowed.

Some neat looking rock formations at the start of our walk.

Such a beautiful day to be walking in a wash with not a soul around.  Just the sound of the wind.

When I was ready to turn around, I called out to Yuma and nothing.  I called and called and still nothing.  I’m nervous now.  Walked further down the wash but still he did not come.  I’m getting frantic now; calling and calling!

Dejectedly, I decided to walk back to the Jeep, thinking if I started it, he would hear it and come running, like he did before.  I was cursing myself for not watching more carefully;  but he should be responsible enough to stay fairly near by.

As I approached the Jeep, there was a woman standing there.  I said “hi” and she said that she was staying at the tent and she saw a dog come up to the Jeep and sit at the back of it.  She figured, the dog belonged to the Jeep, so she opened the tailgate and Yuma jumped in.  I looked in the Jeep and there Yuma was, staring out the front windshield at me.  Oh, was I relieved!

Evidently, the wash we were walking in went in a big circle and ended up right up the wash from where I parked the Jeep.  While I was taking pictures, Yuma ran all the way around and saw the Jeep and waited for me to arrive.  I don’t know what to do with that dog.  I don’t want to hook him to a leash all the time, but I don’t want him to scare me like that either.  I guess I just need to trust him.

We continued East on hwy 78, but things didn’t look right.  I should be near Blair Valley, but I was running out of nearby mountains and there was nothing but desert ahead.

 

Off in the distance what did I see?  It was Al and Kelly’s rig in a beautiful and secluded site overlooking the Borrego Valley.  I figured I would stop and ask how far it was to Blair Valley, but unfortunately, the Jeep wasn’t there and no one was home.

Just as I was walking away, there comes the Jeep! 

They had just been on a long day’s Jeep tour and I’m sure they weren’t really wanting company, but since I was there, we sat and chatted for awhile.  Tried to keep it quick.  Sure hope I didn’t overstay my welcome, but I really like Al and Kelly. 

Yuma and Pheebs are becoming friends too.  Sorta.

When I asked how much further down the road to Blair Valley, Al had to laugh.  I should have turned right at the end of S3 onto hwy 78 and not left!  What a dummy I am.  I was so sure I knew where I was going, I never stopped to check the map.  Too bad I didn’t have my navigator, Dolly with me.  She would have set me straight.

Of course, after my visit, and the long distance back, my day was over.  I’ll save Blair Valley for another day.  But, it was all worth it to be able to spend a little time with Al, Kelly and the Pheebs.

We took Borrego Valley Road through the Texas Dip and finally home.

More metal sculptures.

Got to get ready for Friday night Gold Rush!

See you later.