Not your typical Borrego weather.
The drought in California is over, now it’s a deluge, one storm after another, relentlessly pounding us. Welcome to the age of extreme weather. Boondocking in Borrego on Presidents’ is becoming a tradition. The crowds were sparse this year because of the weather, and it was nice not having some drunk guy muttering at us, “You’re not welcome here, you’re not welcome here.” The Pineapple Express blew through SoCal on Friday, so we hunkered down at home and waited till midday Saturday to head out. No sense putting one’s self and loved ones in harm’s way.
Everyone is predicting a super bloom this year for the Borrego Valley. We hope the predictions are correct, if so we will be back out again to witness it. We saw a decent amount of flowers this trip, but a super bloom is insane. Imagine the stark valley floor turning into a carpet of colors, so many flowers you can hardly walk without trouncing on them.
The great news is there’s a new restaurant in town! Kesling’s Kitchen, it’s attached to the Borrego Art Institute, right on Christmas Circle. Their banner caught our eye. Wood-fired Pizza, Sandwiches, Salads, 8 Beers on Tap! The eight beers on tap really raised our hopes. We were joking the 8 beers better not be Bud, Bud Light, Coors, Coors Light, PBR, Old Milwaukee, MGD, and some other swill. When we walked through the front door it was as if we entered a parallel universe, one where I owned and operated the restaurant.
It is quick casual, order at the counter, get a number, grab a table inside or out, and relax. The wood-fired oven is the center piece of the restaurant. As we were ordering Steve Earle was coming through the speakers. When we sat down, we were by the kitchen and all the food coming out looked amazing. Johnny Cash, Robert Earle Keen covering Peter Case’s Traveling Light, Dylan, Wilco, and Sun Volt playing in that order, while sipping on our beers. What a music mix! Where the hell are we? The place was bustling with business, the vibe positive, and the views through the big windows awesome. And the Fresh Funghi pizza was delicious. It was not quite Industrial Eats magic, but it was damn good and a huge surprise for Borrego Springs. We will definitely be back!
Desert Sand Verbena.
Brittlebush on the verge of exploding.
Baby Jimsonweed.
Jimsonweed.
Second water crossing in Coyote Canyon. As one would expect with all the rain, Coyote Creek was flowing. This is as far as we drove.
For once the road in Coyote Canyon wasn’t sandy. Amelia couldn’t pass up the hero dirt.
So she rode back.
She’s thinking, hurry up mom before someone catches you picking those lemons!
Wet, but beautiful morning. All the dampness was from fog. It was the first time we experienced fog in the desert.
That’s a band of fog against the mountain rolling back in from Clark Dry Lake.
Brown-eyed Evening Primrose.
Pygmy Gold Poppy.
Desert Chicory.
I just had to include an Ocotillo.
Bigelow’s Monkey Flower.
Rock Daisy. It was my favorite.
I ran into this long lean athletic chick in Henderson Canyon.
Arizona Lupin. All those green splotches in the wash will become Lupin.
Desert Lavender.
Gold Poppies.
Desert Lotus.
No swill at Kesling’s! Amelia had the St.Archer White, I did the Duet.
Here’s some of the menu, really reasonably priced.
Busy short trip, but we still slipped in a bike ride before leaving on Monday.
Greg & Amelia's Airstream Adventures 