Hello Family and friends from beautiful Julian CA!
We–Bajada Bill and Cactus Kate–arrived late in the afternoon Nov. 17 to this tiny San Diego County mountain town known for its homemade pies. Bill, as you know, loves good pie and had hoped to stop in at Moms Pie House for a couple of slices. But–like many small towns of character in proximity of a big city–the place was OVERWHELMED with tourists who packed the sidewalks of the tiny town standing in line to get a slice of love from from one of the half dozen pie shops. We kept right on driving to our campsite at William Heise County Park about 10 minutes’ drive away. Campsite #20 is framed by tall Coulter Pine, a number of oak varieties and even cedars. This morning we enjoyed watching the Acorn Woodpeckers tending their stash of acorns in hundreds of holes drilled in our camp site Coulter Pines.
At the moment, I’m sitting in the Julian Library the following morning, having hugged Liana, the library’s Tech II friend we made two years ago. We liked Liana, the library, and the town so much–think pies for Bill–that we camped here last year, and are staying a day longer than last year to appreciate the fall colors, the crisp air, and proximity to pies. Liana and her husband John will join us tonight at the Marian diner for spaghetti dinner.
We spent Nov. 12-17 at the Usery Mountain Regional Park, in campsite #49–the best so far–a scenic recreation area near Mesa AZ. Bill and I have family there and we enjoy the mountains and cactus surrounding our campground near the Tonto Wildnerness. I swam with American Coots at a lake in Butcher Jones Recreation Area, we walked through ankle-deep dust made by wild horses along the Salt River. With its proximity to Mesa and the greater Phoenix area, this recreation land bears the crowds that visit each weekend to re-create themselves.
Our new favorite walk is the 2.8 mile Cat’s Peak Loop Trail nearby our campground. We get a thrill walking through the cactus forest, admiring their shapes, their needles glowing in sunlight, and their ability to withstand extreme hot and cold. Saguaro are native to the Sonora Desert.
Enough photos of saguaro for you?
Changing tracks to less thorny subjects, please meet family we spent time with during this leg of our journey. Being with them charges our batteries. The Arizona peeps are a highlight.
My cousin Karen, her daughter Jayden and pet cockatiel Chili drove for nearly an hour to visit at our Usery Campground. My niece Renaya, husband Dan, sons Reid and Quinn drove in from Mesa and their busy lives. Alchemy was created around the picnic table telling stories and reveling in the connection. A fire kept us warm in the late afternoon to evening. I loved talking with Jayden and learning of her affinity for birds–she’s taught Chili how to dance and sing. And…if you want lovebirds, she’s got some for you. Her pair have made three sets of offspring. She’s a bird whisperer. Reid is an amazing sound technician–he even explained the physics of how sound waves work–at his high school. Quinn is an 3 rock bands. Check out #SMERQ–they’re on 150 music platforms. I told the boys about Rick Beato’s Youtube videos and how they’ve helped us better appreciate how to listen to rock music. Love being around these teens!
And finally, a tribute of love to Kay Poss. She was married to Frank Poss, Bill’s dad Jack’s cousin. We love visiting Frank and Kay on our road trips to Southern California, talking about the desert, Frank’s uncle and Bill’s Grandad, who was a mining engineer, and creator of the legacy that began our road trips. Kay was warm, friendly, interested in travel and we will miss her.
And, here is our last night in the Arizona desert after a fine visit with family:
2 Comments
Looks like you had some wonderful family time! I loved seeing the “pantry” in the Ponderosa pine!!
It is a nice transition from the AZ desert to the oaks and pine. Glad you enjoyed the pantry!