We used this spot as our base camp for three nights and did some exploring. The first day we drove across the Colorado river and into California. We went south to Los Algodones and parked at the border. We walked through the border crossing and into Mexico. What a place! Thousands of Americans come here each day to see dentists, optometrists, doctors and to buy pharmaceuticals for a fraction of what they would pay in the United States. There were also a few restaurants and endless Mexican goods for sale. We walked the sidewalks and were constantly hounded to buy their wares! We have been to many of the Caribbean ports and have never had so many people asking us to buy things and begging for money!
After we had a fabulous Mexican lunch and of course, margaritas, we got into a long long line to go back across the border. It took us an hour and a half to make our way through customs and back into the U.S.!
On the way back to camp we drove through old downtown Yuma, which is now an upscale shopping district. They were getting ready for the Silver Spur Rodeo and for Mardi Gras, but we were not going to be in town long enough to enjoy either one.
Our second day in Yuma we drove north to Imperial dam and saw the Yuma Army Proving Grounds. This area was used during the second world war and after as a testing area for military equipment such as tanks, bridges, and aircraft. We toured a visitor center and learned a lot about the facility.
Afterwards we drove to Squaw Lake and saw a huge primitive desert camping area on Bureau of Land Management property. There were hundreds of campers spread out across the desert and most looked like they were here long term with solar panels set up and wind turbines on a few. Interesting where some folks spend their winters! The lake was a beautiful blue with the desert and mountains in the background. Further on our tour we stopped at the Imperial Date farm and sampled dates and had date shakes for a treat.
Today we packed up and headed west. Our plan was to drive half way to San Diego and through the mountains and then start looking for a campground on the west side of the mountain. When we were about forty miles from San Diego we turned off of I-8 and into the mountains. There was a state park advertised here and we went on a search. Pretty soon we were on a twisty windy up and downhill road pulling the fifth wheel through 15 MPH s-curves and wondering where in the world we were going. We drove for about twenty miles in second gear trying to control everything and stay on the road. We finally got to the state park campground and found out we wouldn't fit! Luckily I parked on the road and walked in or we might still be there! They suggested another campground further up the road at Lake Cuyamaca. What a romantic spot that was. The lady at the bait shop gave me a map with their campsites on the lake. We drove there and squeezed into the six site camp to find three sites that were on a little hill and so close together that our awnings would touch. Nancy got out of the truck and helped guide me through to turn around and back on to the road. I was amazing myself at the fact that I was getting the truck and fifth wheel through these tiny spots! We drove on and the road didn't get any better. Twisty curves and up and down hill! We got to a small town called Julian and they had a gas station, but again I wouldn't fit! I had to go into the tiny village and find a side street to turn around in. Driving back past the gas station I pulled over and walked back to ask a Coca Cola Delivery truck driver how the heck he got back off of this mountain. He gave me directions that made my head hurt so I walked back to the gas station and bought a gas can and five gallons of gas to backtrack our way back to I-8. Another twenty minutes of twisty curvy uphill and downhill roads and we were back to the freeway.
This was getting to be another day from HE!! and it was getting later and later and we didn't know where we were going to wind up. I started dreaming of Walmart parking lots!
Nancy called a couple of campgrounds on the way to San Diego and they were booked up or not answering their phones. Finally she called the campground in San Diego where we had reservations for Sunday and they said we could come in early and they had a spot for us. Hallelujah, we drove into San Diego, realized how crowded California could be and drove the freeways to our camp on the coast. The mountains never stopped and there is very little level ground here. Unlike the vast scenery in Arizona where you could see forever, there were houses here on every hill and mountain.We are set up now and it actually looks pretty exciting. We are looking forward to exploring this area near Chula Vista and have the whole week to do it. The hurt is starting to ease up a bit after a glass of wine and a good dinner.
Some pictures from the past few days...
Desert camp at Organ Pipe National Monument
Water barrels placed in the desert for hikers
An old ranch in the park. Now deserted it is a historical marker along the border.
Stockyards along I-8 driving to Yuma
Winter crops of lettuce and broccoli irrigated by the Colorado River
Los Algodones across the border from Winterhaven, California
The line of american visitors waiting to get back across the border!
Yuma proving grounds for the U S Army.
A welcome sign
Imperial Dam Recreation area. Oasis in the desert.
This is Squaw Lake
Using the river to irrigate the fields
Cactus and date palms in the background.
The Cloud Museum. This guy had more old vehicles and equipment than most junkyards. Only his stuff is REALLY old!
Driving through the Sonoran Desert in California on the way to the mountains.
We saw wind farms and a huge solar farm here where they were harnessing nature's energy.
