Elfin Forest

The mind does wander while hiking up a steep hill.  Recently, I started thinking about people asking where home is for us. I usually say "Colorado." That is where I grew up and raised my family.  Home for us isn't a building or place but matters more who is across the table from us and how our days are spent when we are "there" where ever that is.  Our cozy trailer is a good place as long as it moves from time to time.  I guess for us "home" is more of a feeling than a place. But not for more than 3 months at a time.

We had been missing our hikes and decided to head to Escondido to Elfin Forest. We were glad to get an early start since it gets pretty warm inland and appreciated the clouds of May Grey during the steep climb up the Way Up Trail. 

The creek as we crossed into the Elfin Forest

I have never seen bells offered for use at a trailhead for mountain bikers.

Olivenhain Reservoir and Dam is a good thinking place. It helps that there was a good breeze to cool us down.

The Elfin Forest is not only great for hiking but also for delving deeper into the mysteries that surround this area and is rumored to be haunted with hundreds of stories and sightings.

The most popular myth is about the white witch. As the story goes, her husband and son were murdered out here a long time ago. Rumor has is she is still looking for her family, or the person who murdered them. There are also stories of the Northern Diegueno Indians haunting these grounds.

We didn't feel any spirits. We just sweated a lot. Maybe the bike bells help scatter the spirits...

This was a fat horned toad that would not move wither than his eyes would blink. Maybe, he thought we didn't see him or the sun just felt good.

Yep, we made it clear to the top. The lake is on the other side.

What makes your home a "Home"? We like to hear your stories.

Modesto, CA and Labcorps

I don't start working in Oceanside, CA for 2 more weeks and we decided to spend some time in Yosemite. I didn't take the job in WA because they switched shifts on me and passed on Monterey, as much as I wanted to stay, there was no place to stay with less than an hour drive. The company usually provides the housing if I don't find a good RV park. I couldn't even find a bad one and CCTC wasn't up for finding an apartment on this contract. As we were leaving Monterey, the nurse manager from Oceanside called and made an offer for the job there if I would like. We liked. 

There is a time factor when accepting a contract and knew I would have to get a drug screen and TB test before going into the National Park. Stacey found a Labcorp in Modesto on our way (kind of) to Yosemite and faxed over the order so we could stop in. We arrived at noon but Labcorp does drug screens at 1pm and would have to wait until 3 for the blood draw for TB.  We headed over to the library to print some forms and got groceries to fill the time. Then off to Yosemite, finally.

These had to be the windiest 8 miles of road we have ever driven and were pretty relieved when we got to our campsite. Backseat driving can be exhausting.

The drive was only 190 miles but we were pretty well done from finding our way around Modesto and decided to have a down day the next day. Mike started the day with a great breakfast.

We watched the ducks fly up and down the Tuolumne River next to our camp site and read our books. 

 Creek side dining with a fire and wine at the chef's table with the chef. 

It snowed on us in Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree is made up of the  Colorado Desert which part of the Sonoran Desert and Mojave Desert. The vegetation is very different without Saguaros.

Grinding was done here. I could imagine the ladies working away.

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The amazing geological formations were formed by molten liquid, heated by the continuous movement of Earth’s crust, oozed upward and cooled while still below the surface.

They grew some interesting rocks out here.

Skull Rock

A wealthy rancher from Montana, J.D. Ryan's ranch to supply food for the workers for his gold mine.

I had to put the coyote in after Mike followed him determined to get a picture.

Looks like it might fall if I kick the rock holding everything up.

There were so many short interesting  hikes. We would imagine being "back in the day" as we walked.

Cattle grazed throughout the park from the 1870s until 1945. The cattle companies located springs, dug wells, and developed rainwater impoundments called “tanks,” which can be seen today at places like Barker Dam.

The cattle's water troughs.

Petroglyphs

I have a hard time being the driver as we go through the wind farms. They were all moving and mesmerizing, I was watching them instead of the road. Good thing I was off driving duty.

Indian Canyon

Fifteen miles long, Palm Canyon is one of great beauty. Its indigenous flora and fauna, which the Cahuilla people so expertly used and its abundant California Fan Palm are breathtaking contrasts to the stark rocky gorges and barren desert lands. A moderately graded, foot path winds down into the canyon near the stream. 

While walking through the oasis, we would get lost in our thoughts and imagine the natives enjoying the cool breezes through the canyon.

After hiking along the stream, we returned on the Victor Trail on the ridge above the canyon.

Still plenty of snow in the mountains after the Sunday storm.

A scenic foot trail leads through the canyon passing groves of  palms, unusual rock formations and the perennial Andreas Creek.  could still see bedrock mortars and metates used centuries ago for preparing food.

Had to try out the Carne Asada and green chili. Two thumbs up from us.