Borrego Springs, California: There is yet another atmospheric river floating over Southern California. Sometimes it reaches the desert, but most times it does not. Rain is always appreciated and needed, so we won't complain we have suddenly had some rain on our 4-day vacay, but it was a very abrupt change from the 85 degrees of yesterday.
With the remainder of that huge Challah from last night, we had French Toast for breakfast, along with the strawberries from the Farmers Market. I kid you not, many of the strawberries were the size of chicken eggs! Not sure I have ever seen a strawberry that size, and they were deep red throughout and so sweet. What a great find. There were dishes to wash and exercising, but we rallied ourselves to visit the Anza-Borrego State Park Visitor Center late morning. The park is the largest in California and the city of Borrego Springs sits like an island in the middle of the park (click here to see pdf map from the park website).
The sub-terranean park information center is filled with taxidermified desert animals, reptiles and birds - including a large mountain lion perched high on a "rock" ready to pounce on unsuspecting tourists. We knew Lucile would especially appreciate the animal exhibits, and we were right (though she was very concerned if the animals on display died of natural causes). The visitor center have many knowledgeable rangers on staff to answer any questions and they also present different informational videos during the day, have ranger talks and ranger-led walks. With all the recent rains over the past month, the wildflowers are crazy-beautiful and much of the informational signs and walks are devoted to the wildflower bloom.
After our visitor center tour, we walked around the trails with signs identifying the many flowering trees, plants and cacti. There was some posing, but we were very cold.
Leo loves hamburgers. (He would gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.) When we told him the best burger in Borrego Springs was from a bar... and there are often dozens of Harley's parked outside the bar, Leo was excited to go. The restaurant, Carlee's, has no windows. We had a booth and delicious burgers (Lucy and I split a burger and it was still too much for us.) So many fries!
Due to the sour weather, our afternoon activities were mostly indoors, though late afternoon there was a little bicycling. Lucile and I needlepointed on our little (smaller sized) canvases. Start 'em early!
Bubba brought out the little gas grill and he and Leo grilled chicken legs for our dinner. We also had steamed broccoli and a tomato salad topped with red onion and sliced olives. Since the grill was out, the grandchildren grilled pink Peeps marshmallows and smished them between two Keebler Fudge Stripe cookies. (Bubbe tip: these cookies are my now go-to S'mores solution. No need for a box of graham crackers. No need to keep Hershey bars around. Just roast a marshmallow. Done deal. Also, a much smaller treat, and DT and I don't mind finishing-off a package of the Fudge Stripe cookies after the grandkids have gone home.)
After dessert, we finished off the last round of our Chickenfoot competition. Leo and Lucile began a strategy of not chickenfooting when they had a double tile. Not sure if this is even legal (Readers?), but it made for a very long row of stacked-up tiles. After our three-night tournament, Bubba won, followed by Lucile, Leo, and Bubbe coming in last.
The weather is supposed to improve a bit tomorrow.
Until my next update, I remain, your cabin-fever correspondent.
Campground Information: The Springs at Borrego RV Resort. This is a fabulous well-maintained campground. It has a regulation 9-hole golf course and a swimming pool/spas filled with natural hot spring water. Game room, spa facilities, tennis/pickleball courts, organized events. We have a paved premium (I think this means we have a picnic table) back-in site with full hook-ups with 30/50 amp service. We are paying $112 per night + tax.