Surprise! The wild flowers are out. We are still in the grips of a severe drought, but there has been just enough rain to make the desert explode with color.  After last year’s disappointing flower season we weren’t even thinking about flowers.  We went up the easily accessible and always busy Coyote Wash the first day.  Our second day, we went up Henderson Canyon.  It was our first time up this isolated canyon, but definitely won’t be our last.

The mantra this trip was, “Where’s old man Birch?”  What was to be a nice little social trip boon docking with friends, ending up being a quiet Mr. & Mrs. trip.  It was a comedy of errors that would’ve made for a great half hour sit-com.  The ingredients were a voice mailbox that hasn’t been set up, phone ringers not turned on, not having everyone else’s contact info, and not a clear understanding of the Clark Dry Lake boon docking area.  At one brief point we were probably within a half mile of each other, but we never connected.  What a shame.

There was no battery stress this trip, which was a huge relief after the debacle in Tucson.  The solar panel kicked ass.  I guess having the sun out longer and up higher, plus the low temperature of 55, instead of 18 degrees, makes all the difference.

 

File this under the little things in life are the best.  There’s nothing like driving through a lemon grove in full bloom on a warm evening with all your windows rolled down.  The fragrance is unbelievable.  Then pick a bunch of lemons and have your wife make fresh squeezed lemonade the next day in the afternoon.

San Diego County, what a great place.