The RV lots which are owned (most of them) have been highly customized and developed, very like several we have stayed at in Florida. Large covered outdoor areas have been built with huge outdoor kitchens, seating areas, extensive landscaping and hardscape. Here are a few photos of the campground.
I noticed on a walk the other day one owner's developed site which I will try to get a picture of today. It is over the top of anything I have ever seen anywhere else in places like this. Hope to post it later.
Our first day here we went wine tasting in the Temecula Valley, which has become a destination wine region for tasting within the last 20-30 years. They are making some very nice wines here, and the tasting rooms rival those of any in Napa or Sonoma Counties. We stopped at one such place, Oak Mountain, and thought some of their reds were excellent. Had a wine country picnic which was just like the many we had when we lived in Sonoma County - nice views and warm temps.
Yesterday we did a scenic drive to Julian, CA, a historic mining town and now a charming tourist mecca. We had lunch there and walked around. Nice little shops. The drive getting there was beautiful - poppies are in bloom and many other wildflowers. While in Julian, one shopkeeper told me that they had received 1 ½ feet of snow on New Year's Eve, and another foot in February, so the surrounding area is currently quite green and hence the wildflowers. We had been in Julian years ago with Gary's dad when his second wife was living - we went with them to her second home there. Julian is noted for apples and the shops selling apple pies.
These photos are from the Internet - forgot to take some.
We continued our drive to Anza Borrego State Park, hoping to see some more wildflowers. That was a pipe dream because it was 96 degrees in Borrego Springs, and it was apparent that the desert blooming period was at least a month ago here. We didn't stay there very long - way too hot. But I did snap some photos of the area around the visitor center which give an idea of the landscape.
We continued our loop drive, heading back to the RV park. As we climbed out of the valley where Borrego Springs is located, we ascended to 4000 feet and the temperature dropped 30 degrees! We once again reached the wildflower region.
As we drove, we saw a bicyclist standing beside his bike by the road, trying to hitch a ride. A quick appraisal said this guy was OK to pick up and needed help. We stopped and he introduced himself as Jack Something originally from Des Moines, which is, of course, where Gary is from. Small world and coincidences are really amazing sometimes. He told us his gear shift was not working and he needed to get to Anza, a ways north of our RV park where he had found the nearest bike shop. It all aligned - our direction and his need - and we loaded him up. Gary has a bike rack on top of our Saturn, so they got it up there, and away we went. Jack is in his mid 60's, retired, no wife apparently, and is committed to traveling around the country on his bike. He had come from San Luis Obispo where a daughter lives, and was heading east - wants to go to the Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, etc. Frankly I think it is a little late this year, given the weather temps already, to be doing this, but he was undeterred. He has no particular agenda, no schedule, just goes with the flow. This seems like the right attitude. We dropped him at the intersection with the road heading for Anza, and as we were turning away, we saw a pickup truck stop and it was apparent that he would have a zero wait time to get another ride to his destination. He told us he had been amazed at how many nice people there are in the world. Everyone was always ready to help him if he needed it. Glad we, too, could help Jack.
I so wish I had snapped a photo of him with all his stuff, getting picked up by his next ride, a very old pickup truck from somewhere around here.
