Wednesday, January 27, 2021

California here we come!

 Another sunny day when I got up at 8 this morning.  Wasn't sure what to do today.  I'm low on a lot of grocery items so I was thinking I would move to Yuma. But after texting with Dolly, I made the decision, I would head towards Borrego Springs, California instead.

By the time I got breakfast done and get everything packed away it was 1 o'clock and there's a lot of driving to do.  

Goodbye to Palm Canyon.

First thing I did was to go north on hwy 95 to the Pit Stop in Quartzsite to get propane, water and dump the tanks.   

Surprised the Big Tent is still standing.

After those choirs, I stopped and filled the White Lion and the Jeep.  By this time it is 3 o'clock.  

Heading down into the Colorado River Valley.

Crossing the Colorado River into California.

My plan is to drive I-10 to Blythe, California.  Then exit and take hwy 78 to Black Mountain Rd and hopefully, spend the night there.  Peter, one of my readers mentioned I could take the Jeep to the top of the mountain to where all the communication towers are.   Beautiful views from up there.

Things didn't work as planned though.  As I made a turn in the road, I suddenly saw the sign to Black Mountain Road, but I was moving too fast to catch the turn.  Then I thought I would find a place to turn around but it was a number of miles before I did and I just decided to go on to Glamis in the sand dunes and spend the night there.

Nope!  No overnight camping in Glamis, so kept on trucking looking for anywhere to camp for the night.  By the time I stopped for the night, I was in Brawley, California at the Walmart.  Now it is 5:30 Pacific time and the sun is going down.

Not the best planned travel day, but I'm in for the night.  Just barely made it here before running out of sunlight.  Had a nice dinner and when done with this post, Yuma and I are going to bed.

At least I'll be ready for shopping in the morning and it is only a little over an hour to Borrego Springs from here.  I just hope I can find a decent place to park when I get there.  We'll know soon enough.

See you later.

15 comments:

  1. Your trip was longer than anticipated, but you only have a short trip tomorrow. Beautiful pictures of the sunset and your night's setup. Too bad you missed Black Mountain. Maybe you can hit it on your return trip. Enjoy Borrego Springs and l the sculptures.

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    1. Thanks Dolly. It was a long day. Hate it when I don't have a sure destination in mind 😕 Hope I can find a place near Borrego Springs to camp.

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  2. The Big Tent normally takes a week or longer to come down.
    Glad you're Safe for the Night.
    With the Rock House Road dry camping being closed I'm bot sure where you'll stay in Borrego Springs.
    If you check Al's Travels With The Bayfield Bunch you might find some interesting places.
    Be Safe and Enjoy!

    It's about time.

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    1. Thanks Rick. Plans are to get close and drive Jeep around to check it out.

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  3. Been there, done that. It's always a trial when you can't turn around at any corner. At least Brawley will have good groceries. You can catch Black Mountain on the turnaround trip. I do love those sculptures in Borrego Springs.

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    1. I'm finding that there are lots of circumstances where 40 foot motorhomes are a hassle. Decided to move towards Borrego Springs and check the place out.

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  4. Bad timing ... ABDSP is still closed for overnights both developed and dispersed camping is not yet permitted. Last I heard it was to open Feb 4th. That means Pete's, Yaqui Pass, Blair Ocotillo Wells, etc are not permitting overnights.
    The Texas Dip, and the playground across from Pete's and Coachwhip are popular areas outside the park outside the park.
    Weather hass cancelled this Friday's (1/30) farmer's Market.
    BLM such as the Yuha Desert is open, nice Jeep Trails down there. Search my blog for Yuha or email for other ideas at the southern end.

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    1. Thanks for all the information, Jeff. Had to really think hard on what to do and where to go. Decided I wanted to visit Borrego Springs so moved near Salton City to check things out

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    2. Good idea! There may be boondocking south of the American Legion, but not sure it 40' will fit. Of course you could visit Niland's Slab City and East Jesus :)
      good Luck and let us know what you find! Keep an eye on the weather app !!!

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  5. My goodness. All the years living in this area and I never knew that section of the desert was called the Yuha desert. There's always more to learn. I'm glad you were able to park at a Walmart. Makes it convenient for grocery shopping. Hope you find a great place for your next adventure.

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    1. Glad Jeff told me the park is closed to camping. Decided to camp near the Salton Sea in the Truckhaven Recreational area and drive around in the next few days to see what's going on.

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  6. Sounds like you had a fun travel day. Even with two of us watching we have done that same thing, seen the turn off as we are going by. Then, of course, no where to turn around in sight. Hope you find a great spot to park near Borrego Springs. Looking forward to the pictures. Enjoy and be safe.

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  7. Thanks Deb. Wasn't planning to drive all the way to Brawley but turned out okay. Very quiet there.

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