Southeastern CA Wanderings

February 16-28, 2020
We took our time leaving Death Valley as our next stop was an overnight at the Barstow/Calico KOA, 169 miles away, we had a water electric site which sufficed for the one night there. A stop at Walmart and a great Mexican dinner at a local restaurant. Verizon signal just a few bars and hard to get a Dish Satellite signal.

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The next day we headed to Yucaipa Regional Park in Yucaipa CA, 97 miles away but in the direction of crazy traffic. Our ride got crazy just south of Victorville CA on I15, there’s a long descent and we were in stop and go traffic. It never quit until we got off onto I10 where there was hardly a car around. We finally made it to the campground, what a pretty little county park it is and it has full hookups. Dish satellite was no problem but the Verizon signal was just a few bars.

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And who just happened to be staying in the same campground, our friends Alex and Paul. We introduced them to Curt and Glenda, then had dinner out at a local Asian restaurant with everyone.

The next day Dave, Curt, Glenda and I got out and did a hike in the park. Followed up by dinner at Alex and Paul’s with a round or two of cards made for a great day.

He never did find the cache

The following day Alex and Paul left for AZ and Curt and Glenda went to visit family who lives locally. Dave and I took a ride to Joshua Tree National Park, we’d been there years ago but there’s a part in the north western area we hadn’t driven thru yet.

It was time to move on and off to Leapin’ Lizard RV Ranch we went, 127 miles and we were in Ocotillo Wells, CA. For years I’ve wanted to visit the area to see the sculptures in Borrego Springs.

After we were all settled into our sites we hopped in Curt and Glenda’s vehicle and headed out in search of creatures in the desert. 

Always a geocache to find

The next morning we checked out the farmers market in Borrego Springs, found some great Greek goodies, before heading to the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge in search of birds. Afterward a stop for some thick date shakes and we’d had a full day.

It was recommended we hike “The Slot” so off we went the following morning. It took us a bit to find the trailhead but once we did what a great hike we had.

The next day we headed to BLM-Pilot Knob Camping Area, time to boondock again, just over the CA border from Yuma AZ. Great Dish satellite signal but just a couple of bars of Verizon.

The next morning we headed to the nearby border town of Los Algodones Mexico to get our teeth cleaned. We did some online research beforehand so we had a couple of names in mind as we crossed into town. We finally decided on Castle Dental where they cleaned our teeth for $35/person, of course for this price we saw no dentist but neither of us has any teeth issues, that we know about. It took a few hours so after our cleaning, we went in search of lunch, and what else are you going to have when in Mexico but Mexican. A long line that moved slower than I would have liked and we were back in the USA again.  Another great experience in Mexico. 

One morning we headed over to Fortuna Foothills Farmers Market, what a cute market with just enough stuff. We stocked up on some fresh produce then took the back roads back to Pilot Knob, along the way we found a produce stand and date farm, both stops provided products that just seemed to have come with us. Nearby Pilot Knob is Felicity CA whose claim to fame is they are the Center of The World. Now, who would have figured it would be here, in a town with a population of 2, on the AZ/CA/Mexico border, but it is and they have the documentation to prove it. You can read all about it here.

Our friends, Rick and Gail, now winter in Yuma. We first met them in VT in the summer of 2013 when they came and stayed at our home campground there. They were the first bloggers we had ever met, Gail no longer blogs but we keep up on Facebook and meet up when we’re near them. We all met up with them at the Prison Brewery where we enjoyed a few hours of eating and talking. Afterward, they invited us over to check out their winter home that has 2 RV pads at it. Gave us some things to think about, Yuma might be a place to spend a month one winter, another area to check out further.

The next day we decided to make it a big one, a nice ride to the Imperial National Wildlife Refuge by way of the Yuma Proving Ground Open Air Museum where we found lots of tanks.

Painted Desert Trail-Imperial NWR

After our hike we headed back towards Yuma, we made one more stop, at the Bridge To Nowhere. From 1929 to 1968 it spanned the Gila River until a dam was built upstream and the river diverted. Ironically in 1993, a flood took out the new bridge leaving the Bridge to Nowhere standing.

Just for you Debbie!! 

Our last day at Pilot Knob Dave and I decided to take a hike up Pilot Knob, which proved to be a bad decision. Soon after starting the hike I could feel the vertigo set in, I had decided I wasn’t going to continue and as I turned around I fell on a pile of rocks, after a while I finally braved getting up though it was very painful. Thankfully we hadn’t come very far yet.

While nothing appears to be broken I have bruised a number of my ribs on my left side, making it hard to do much of anything. In the morning we leave for Cave Creek Regional Park in Phoenix where I’ve been looking forward to hiking again. Our friends Curt and Glenda are going their own way for a few weeks, we’ll meet them on 3/14 in Page AZ.

Until next time…