Desert Flowers 2010

3-28-10
We are at Peg Leg Smith Monument, near Borrego Springs, for the desert flowers.
The desert is in bloom, but not as good as we expected. With all the rain we had, we thought there would be more flowers.
There are plenty of desert sunflowers, the desert verbenas are only at certain places.













When we arrived here I had to fix a water leak. Doreen had told me that it sounded like the water was running. I was convinced when I saw the water come out from under the sink. The hose for the filtration system was torn and the clamp was also not working any more.
I cut a piece off the hose and installed a new clamp.
It is warm here and everything will be dry in no time.
In the afternoon we visited Ron Carlson. He enjoys his new home.
After dinner we went for a walk and saw the WIN decal on one motorhome. We had to see who it was.
When a gentleman came out of the motorhome, I told him that he was late for Thanksgiving. He told us that he never left. He met a lady in town and stayed. That is what women do to you.
He will leave though in a few weeks for a cooler place.
There are seven rigs here at Peg Leg, plenty of room, not like when we have our Thanksgiving outing here.
There are new statues at Borrego Springs. They are harvesting grapes.














Another beautiful moon in the desert.











3-29-10
Early this morning I took a walk up the hill to take some pictures. The lupines are really pretty now. One of them cuts our motorhome in half.













Brittlebushes are on the bottom of the hill and in the areas where the water comes down.












There were also white flowers.











Ron came over to the motorhome this morning. We had to keep the visit short because we had to go home, by car, to fetch some of Doreen’s medication. She forgot to bring them.
It took us two hours on highway 76.
While we were at home we took showers and had lunch.
On the way back to the motorhome we saw those yellow flowers in the meadows.












This is the view from Montezuma Grade. Borrego Spings is surrounded by orange and grapefruit groves.












In the evening we saw Randy Hyde, the lonely, and only WIN, one more time.

3-30-10
This morning I walked up to my favorite spot at Peg Leg Smith. It is a hill where I can see all the motorhomes on one side and Borrego Springs on the other.
Somebody, with a lot of time on his hands, built an outline of rooms with stones.












There were large areas where lupines grow. The creosote bushes have blossoms too.














We left our campsite at 9:00 AM and arrived at Joshua Tree National Park at noon.
It took us longer than usual because the road from Mecca through Box Canyon was closed. We saw the sign, but I thought there would be a detour. There was none and we had to turn around and drive 111 North to I-10.
We came by Oasis Date Gardens and I stopped for a date milkshake. Doreen can not consume ice cream and regular milk. The milkshake helped to get over the wasted time and miles.
The Boondockers, part of the Escappees RV Club, have an outing here. We joined them. They stay at government land outside the park.
After we set up the motorhome we went by car in the park and checked out several campgrounds. Because of spring break there are no open sites. The most beautiful part of the park is in the Northern section. There are large boulders.













The chollas are beautiful now.











We saw two climbers going up a large rock.












Some of the Joshua Trees still have some blooms.











There are some red bushes which are beautiful.














When we came back to the camping area we joined the group for chips and salsa.














I looked at some of my old pictures I took in Joshua Tree National Monument in 1982.
It was not a National Park yet. Many things changed since then. The RV changed, so did the woman in my life, and the color of my beard.














3-31-10
After a morning walk we went to The General Patton Memorial Museum in Chiriaco Summit. Patton’s headquarters was at Camp Young, near Chiriaco Summit.
About a million young soldiers were trained for desert warfare, from 1942 to 1944, in training centers in Southern California and Arizona.
At the museum they have original items and copies of equipment used during that time. A copy of Patton’s famous side arm is there.












Outside are several tanks.














In the afternoon the wind picked up and we stayed home. It was a time for reading and writing.

4-1-10
We left Joshua Tree National Park at 9:00 AM and arrived at the Elks Lodge in Indio at 9:35 AM.
After setting up the motorhome in the dry area we were informed that we have to park in the area with water and electricity. The reason was that they have too many empty sites there, and of course they rather take $20.00 than $10.00.
I tried to get into the Elks computer system and was lucky, without leaving the motorhome.
At 1:00 PM we left for Palm Springs. We had late lunch at Ruby’s Diner and then walked Palm Canyon Drive, where all the expensive stores are.
















The plan was to stay for the Thursday Evening Market. They close down Palm Canyon Drive at 5:00 PM and at 6:00 PM the market starts. There are food stalls, vegetable stands, and other items.
By 4:00 PM we were tired and headed for home.
We stopped at Shields Date Garden and I had a date milkshake and Doreen had a date ice cream.
It was a beautiful day, the wind had stopped last night and there was no wind today.

4-2-10
Today we went to the Elks Lodge in Riverside. I always wanted to see the Mission Inn in Riverside.
After setting up the motorhome and having lunch, we drove there.
I was impressed. All the articles in the travel magazines are correct. It is a beautiful, large hotel. The outside eating areas are just as beautiful, and colorful.
















Doreen is sitting in President Taft's chair.













Across the street is a statue of Mahatma Gandhi.













Our next stop was the California Citrus Fruit State Historic Park. Here we learned about the start and importance of the citrus industry for California.












We also stopped at the first Washington Naval Orange tree, the Parent Tree. It was started from cuttings from a tree in Brazil.












4-3-10
We are at home again.

Carlsbad Flower Fields 2010

3-26-10
Our flower fields are in full bloom again.
The fields are about three miles from our house. Tractors with trailers take guests around the area.
There is a charge for visiting and riding around this colorful piece of land.
We locals walk above the flower fields, where it is free.
















Our garden looks pretty good too.
Instead of looking at flowers I could be shoveling snow. I did plenty of that in Chicago.

Temecula Bluegrass Festival 2010

3-19-10
We left at 11:45 AM for Temecula, California. There we have our Bluegrass Festival outing with the Shanty Shakers, the Southern California chapter of the Escapees.
Chappy and Dottie are here too.
At 5:00 PM we had Happy Hour. There are 14 rigs in attendance. We are parked on an empty lot of the former Kentucky Fried Chicken Restaurant. The restaurant building is still there, but not being used.














3-20-10
Early in the morning I walked to Temecula Old Town. I wanted to check how far the theater is from where we are parked. I am used to walking so it was no problem.
I also checked the schedule of the free trolley.
Later, the four of us took the trolley to the farmers market, and from there it was a short walk.
We stopped at the outdoor stage and listened to Sligo Rags, an Irish band. They are always good.













It was warm though, sitting in the sun. After this band we went to Rosa’s Mexican Restaurant for lunch.
Dottie and Chappy walked to the theater after we ate and Doreen and I went back to the motorhome, where we met Frank and Rhonda, Muzzy. They are in the process of buying a motorhome. So we had a lot to talk about.












We skipped Happy Hour, did shower, and just took it easy the rest of the day.

3-21-10
Early in the morning I walked again to Old Town. I took some pictures since there were not many cars on the street.















At 10:00 AM we went to the theater to listen to the “Lonesome Otis” band.












At 11:00 AM the “Alan Munde Gazette” band started performing.












At 12:00 noon we went to “The Bank”, a Mexican restaurant. It used to be a bank, and the vault is still there.
After lunch we walked along Front Street where some bands were playing on street corners. We stayed a while where the “Older than Dirt” band was playing.












Then we watched an artist hammering metal art.












At 1:00 PM we went back to the theater and enjoyed the “Bluegrass ETC.” band. They are very popular and the theater was filled with fans.












At 2:00 PM the “Highway 76” band had their turn. They were very good too.












The next band was Sligo Rags. Since we saw them yesterday, we went back on the street. We all had an ice cream and listened to a street corner band.
The rest of the afternoon we spent outside the motorhome. About an hour with the group, and some time with Dottie and Chappy.
At 7:00 PM Dottie and Chappy came to our motorhome to watch “60 Minutes”
This was another wonderful day. It was a little cooler than yesterday and perfect for walking on the street.
The Shanty Shakers are a nice group and we really enjoyed this outing.
The couple behind us, live in the little Casita trailer full time. They are now one year on the road. When Doreen found out that they live in that tiny trailer, she asked them whether they are still friends. They told her that they are married for 42 years and it is getting better. They looked very happy. Their house is rented out and they want to spend a lot of time outdoors while they travel.











3-22-10
We are home again. The flowers in the desert, near Borrego Springs, are in full bloom. I hope we can go by the end of the week.

St. Patrick's Day Outing 2010

3-15-10
We are at Guajome County Park for our annual Saint Patrick outing with the Convair Camping Club.
The park is located at the east end of Oceanside, California.
Dottie, Chappy, Doreen and I are the wagonmasters.
Eleven families signed up. I pre cooked 16 pounds of corned beef for tomorrow’s dinner.
Last week I was worried about the weather. I called the county for getting the gazebo for the meals. Since we did not make the reservation as a group, they wanted $ 40.00 for four hours. I had worried for nothing, we have fantastic weather. The temperatures are in the upper 70s during the day, and we have blue skies.
Today we had heavy hors d’oeuvres. Everybody brought some food. It actually ended up as a regular dinner.
There were chicken legs, stuffed potatoes, deviled eggs, shrimp with tartar sauce, salads, and ice cream and other desserts. Nobody walked away hungry.
After dinner we sat around the camp fire, which Jon kept going.

3-16-10
Last night, Jon had put a lot of wood in the washing machine drum and he melted the top aluminum plate. He and Howard spent some time today adding steel angles to support the chimney, which had slowly moved sideways. .












This was the day for corned beef and cabbage. Denise brought the potatoes, onions and carrots to our motorhome.
Doreen and Dottie helped her peeling them.
I started cooking the potatoes, onion and carrots at 4:30 PM. They were done at 5:30 PM and I used the same pot for cooking the cabbage. The meat was already warming up in a broiler. The vegetables we put in the second broiler. By 6;00 PM dinner was ready.
There was again plenty of food and desserts.



















There was also a birthday cake for the people who had their birthday in March.













In the evening we enjoyed again the campfire.













3-17-10
In the morning Dottie, Chappy, Doreen and I went to Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base to get our annual passes for Red Beach.
In the afternoon Doreen and some of the women went shopping. I took it easy.
For dinner we had corned beef sandwiches, different salads and desserts.
After dinner Jon prepared the campfire for takeoff. Red flames came out of the chimney. He is going to melt the rest of the aluminum plate.











We had another wonderful campfire.
We were lucky with the weather. We have summer weather now, during the day the temperatures are in the low 80ties.

3-18-10
We went home to check our mail and prepare for tomorrow’s trip to the Bluegrass Festival, in Temecula. .

Pilotless Airplanes

3-4-10
Today I had the pleasure to visit General Atomics-Aeronautical, the designers and builders of the Predator and Sky Warrior pilot less airplanes.
Jim, my former boss at General Dynamics-Convair Division, gave me the tour.
Several years ago I visited General Atomics at their old plant in Rancho Bernardo. The new plant in Poway is much larger. They have big, modern machining centers and fabricate many parts on the premises.
The body of the plane is made from composite material, and also made in house.
Besides the US Forces, foreign countries and the Border Patrol use these pilot less airplanes.
They are equipped with cameras and also can carry Hellfire missiles and small bombs.
Some of them are stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The pilot and the person who controls the weapons are based on a military base in the United States.
The Sky Warrior flies at an altitude of about 25,000 feet and can stay 40 hours in the air.
San Diego is the center for pilot less airplanes. Northrop Grumman builds the Global Hawk in Ranch Bernardo.
I was also happy to see some of my former work mates, who work now for General Atomics.
Of course taking pictures is not allowed in the plant, the poster has to suffice.