Vacation Wrap-up

Thursday we attempted a trip to Anza-Borrego State Park. We started out very early in the morning, drove up into the mountains and continued south to the historic mining town of Julian. Breakfast was in Julian, then we drove east (and downhill) into the desert. I was surprised at how dry the desert was- we stopped at a desert wetland (I know, it sounds contradictory) that was completely parched.

We started discussing where we might like to go for a hike, and it came out that we were both feeling a bit queasy. Leon was feeling worse than I was (my turn would come) and wanted to head back to the resort. We decided that we would stop briefly at the visitor center on the way out (among other things, you are guaranteed a clean restroom there). We did manage to snap a few photos near Font’s Point on the way out.





















































By Thursday evening, we were both feeling kind of green. Friday, we just hung out by the pool. Leon was feeling better (I was not), and strolled around Palm Springs photographing cycads. Dinner that night was just soup for me, but I started to feel better. After dinner we waited around for Spo and Someone to show up. They finally rolled in around 11:00.

Saturday the four of us spent together. We spent much of the morning poking around downtown Palm Springs and much of the afternoon by the pool. I was delighted to receive a Spo shirt as a birthday present. The fabric was some that I had found several months ago. It depicts a variety of insects along with killing jars and a notebook prominently marked "Entomology Journal." I knew that I wanted Spo to make a shirt out of it as soon as I saw the fabric.

Saturday evening we had a fabulous dinner at a fairly new restaurant called Copley’s. Fortunately, I was feeling sufficiently mended by then to have a full dinner (including cocktail and dessert). Crème Brulée figured prominently at dessert.

I’m typing this on the plane as we head home. Despite the damper on the hiking at the end of the trip, it was a great vacation. The weather was just about perfect. The hiking that we did get in was fun and beautiful. Getting to share hiking experiences as they happen in a Blog setting is a novel experience for me, and I’ve been thoroughly enjoying it. Most of all, I got to spend an entire week with Leon, and a few days at the end of the trip with some friends that we enjoy immensely and don’t get to see often enough. What more could one want in a vacation?