Anza Borrego State Park

[Ki6ker]

Anza Borrego

Wow, what can be said. The place is truly a wonderful place. The vistas, the terrain, even the feeling you get just standing around. I always knew a 3 day weekend event there would be a success. My first attempt set off a true series of events, I noticed that others responded well to the natural wonders of a small area of the Sonorian desert bound in a geological diverse and active area. There is terrain for everyone, sites to see and places to explore. It seems you could spend years down thee and always find more to do.
I am glad, 3 years later, that this has lived on, that OAUSA has seen to keep this event, within this vast area of diverse landscape alive with a 3rd year. I was afraid when I gave over Adventure 4x4 that this event would be dropped.
Anyway, the trip: We were not going stay the night, things going on around the house and stuff meant I need to be here on Sunday. So we decided to go down on Saturday and spend the morning and afternoon wheeling then go meet everyone at the campsite for evening festivities. Simple plans that would soon go joyfully eschew.
We left Riverside a bit late, 8 am, Don’t blame us, we had a Denny’s moment. So we knew we would be wheeling by ourselves. I think we have done this more than wheeling with groups, our idea of wheeling is a little different from most. Myself, I like to see new places, explore historical areas, search out lost history and see the wonders the earth has set out. Missy is more of the passenger wanting to have a bit of fun, but be assured we know where we are going, I lie to her a lot. I do like organized trail runs down difficult trails, but would rather go exploring. This means I end up in some really tough spots, have to go over some rough terrain, and rely on Jerry cans and packed snack bars with gallons of water stowed in crannies a lot. I guess we are well versed in it and the Jeep is almost a self contained recovery and repair shop.
Borrego Springs sits in an interesting area for us to get to, we have 2 paths to follow and neither is direct. We either beat down the 10, then turn off and go south and return west. The other way we go down the 15 till we beat west for over an hour, Either way, it is a drive and we usually have to entertain ourselves for a few hours along the way. Thank God we just installed a 1200 watt stereo system.
We hit town and there was some kind of major do dad going on. The streets were blocked off for a parade. I truly have not spent a of time in the Town of Borrego Springs, I now decide to rectify this. Using the Magellan we soon got to the camp ground to find, yep everyone was gone. Well we had expected this our plans were made that we would be on our own. We set out to find a place to picnic, and where is a better place to picnic than the bottom of Font’s Point looking up at those going to look down.
Face it, I have this evil sadistic streak, I figure these guys are going be looking for that pristine soul stirring nature experience looking out over the badlands of the Sonora desert. Focusing on it’s stark and lonely vast emptiness and imagining a time of the pioneers first crossing this void of habitat. Expectations are high and they seek a moment of enhanced nirvana. They come to the rim looking out far focusing on what they have been told they would see gathering in all that is…..wait what is that down at the base right there, why it is a couple sitting on lawn chairs, with a table between them enjoying lunch and drinking out of wine glasses.
Maybe it is just me, but I love it.
Actually, after running up the twisting wash, axles articulating over the water carved switchbacks cut into mud walls the color of a rainbow. Running in narrower and narrower terrain traveling to the base. You meet up with a place where few have been, enjoy the quietness of a area little afforded in our world of hustle and bustle we call home. The area offers a surreal softness that in reality is a harshness that destroys those unprepared to survive. I turned on sharp blind corner and the jeep was drawn into a washout putting it on its side. It happen so quick I almost went in so far I would have needed others to recover. With the jeep at a sever degree, and 2 wheels off the ground., wife hanging above me strained in the seat belt, I decide I need to work quick. I switched into 4 low, shifted into reverse, and was lucky enough to recover without having to pull out gear. That would have been a nasty recovery as shovels and winch would have been needed to avoid damage to steering parts. Missy is kind enough to let me know she will remind me of that chasm on our way out. Trust me, I will not be forgetting it either. We traveled on. Soon hitting a place that had limited shade.
Lunch was nice, a smorgasbord of offerings from a local deli and cold water from the ice chest, somehow in places like this, simple items prevail, the true greatness is the land you are in. Quiet, so quiet you sit back and close your eyes, letting your ears search, wanting so hard to find a sound, but all the time knowing that sound would destroy what you have found. Anza Borrego affords this in many places, in many ways. I love this place and can never get enough.
As we sit there we search the landscape of this place called Rainbow Wash, the colors are red, brown and other earth tones painted in lines angled from the level. One of my comments is about this areas tectonic history. How everything is at angles and curves. Believe me whenever in the area you are just seconds from witnessing the history of our earth.
Water has carved this all, but in an area that affords very little water. But then it is water that has exposed what we see. Millennia of storms have caused the twisting and turning of the earth to be exposed here. And it is a place we love to see.
We get up, time is set for us to travel, as I pour one jerry cans worth of fuel into the tank Missy starts to clean up so we can set off. It is time to explore Borrego Mountain. I am looking of for a vista I found 5 years ago. I took a picture there that still stirs my soul and want a chance to take more. It is a view of a valley narrowing into a pass with a winding trail leading in. I love the picture as it pulls at me to take the trail just to meander down it, falling into it’s embracing clutch as I move onward in a journey that only the trail knows where it will end. Time really has no effect here. It passes at a rate that is only it’s own to control, you are just observing and it allows you to be here. What goes on, what evolves. Life that is lived and the death of something giving life to something else, is far from your control. Nature at it’s best is here, you just observe.
The desert is rich with life, every resource is used to support the life of another and nothing is wasted. Life abounds in ways habitats with greater offerings could never produce. And yet we think of it as a waste land.
We get over to Borrego mountain and I find a curious rock formation. I pop out to take some shots and I discover the camera is giving me error messages. I knew I should have broken down and bought that new body last year. I am notoriously hard on camera equipment and after 6 years it appears the Nikon D70 is dead. I see a new D300 on the horizon, but until this economy improves I am afraid I am regulated to the Cannon for photography.
As I travel on, disappointed about the camera, I hear something going on in the front end. I have a theory about Jeeps. I will share it with you. Jeeps like to be fussed over, they do not respect anyone that cannot work on them. No I have never been left in the wilds by any of my jeeps, they always just want the warm feeling of greasy hands and tools being rubbed against them. Tightening this and that. I actually like that, keeps my mechanical skills up. Well it was my sway bar disconnect system. I park under a tree for it’s shade, grab a chair for Missy and get a blanket and tools for me. Wrench, pound, tighten, cuss, assure wife she will not die here of dehydration. And it is fixed. Nothing really was wrong, just a few bolts needed tightening. I wish I could say all my 4x4s were so easy to fix, but Jeeps, they are special.
We go up several canyons, run up to a bunch of VW’s on an outing. See some more nice sites and find the trail I am looking for. With no camera, I will just need to bookmark it on the GPS.
I will have to get back to my trail, at least I found it again, it is time to find the highway, air up the tires and head to camp.
We soon are in Borrego Springs and pull over to a local bar and grill for a few Magi’s and sandwiches. Stomachs full, attitudes adjusted and we head for the campgrounds, along the way I see CruiserLarry at a gas stop and pull in to chew the rag. All is well and we have found the group.
I really enjoyed the day, and plan on many others in the area, sorry about the camera. I really would have loved to include some pictures.

Jim

[Sanderhawk]

I love the story good read. I have to say I burst into tears laughing when I got to the part about the lawn chairs and lunch table.

[BorregoWrangler]

Great write up! And I agree with your theory on Jeeps.