Sometimes I know exactly where I am going. In that case it’s easy, pick a route and go.
More often I have an idea where I’d like to end up, and generally speaking a direction to go.
Once in a while I just follow the front wheel and see where it takes me.
If you've been around here long enough, maybe once read some of the stuff I've posted, and have a really good memory you might remember that opening bit.
Yesterday, I was in second mode. I was in bad need of some air in my face, so I headed to Julian, CA. I really thought I'd be in time for the spring bloom, but I was mostly a little early...
I was out for a ride, and don't do a lot of 'fooling around'. I needed some time to think and my best spot is on the seat of a motorcycle.
Pictures of Lilly
I've always said I'd rather be lucky than good. I was. I am an old man, and when it's time for me to pee, it's time. I planned a stop at Box Canyon, but I couldn't make it. I pulled into a wide spot an a very lightly used road. As I started I saw this, a Desert Lilly. The are quite rare, and don't last long.
Box Canyon
Box Canyon Grounds
Box Canyon is a state Historical site that commemorates the Mormon Battalion's efforts widening this canyon with picks and shovels to a width where a wagon (or later, the Butterfield stage) could go through. It was the first overland route into Southern California and saved travelers hundreds of hard miles. The canyon is cool, but the grounds are a real representative spot for high desert flora. Prominent in this photo are Ocotillo, Agave, Bitterbrush and Cholla cactus.
The road is wonderful from the time you leave the I-8 freeway until you rejoin it. Mostly very good paved county roads. With lots of corners and very little traffic. The last 10 miles up to Julian is like a carnival ride...
North Main, Julian
A sleepy Thursday look at Julian. I talked to the two deputies parked there, and told them I was glad they were here and not on Banner Grade (the previously mentioned 10 miles) when I was coming to town. I think that made them nervous...
Jack's Grocery
That long bench outside Jack's is a wonderful place. There were lots of hikers from the Pacific Crest Trail getting supplies and a hot meal. Several used the bench throughout the time I was there.
The Miner's Diner where I ate lunch is visible on the right side of this photo at the end of the block. Bison Burger, French Fries and a Chocolate Shake, thank you! It was terrific.
The Bluebird
This was really taken for a friend. When she owned part of it the name was "The Bluebird Inn". It's not, anymore. I met her there to go hiking and birding with her a couple of times...
So. It was a really good ride, and a good run. It's also really good to be posting about it (or anything). I'm not sure that it'll last at all but it's good to be back.
All words and photographs in this post are mine. For better or worse Photos taken with an Apple iPhone 14 at normal setting.
Thanks for the banner below, Kitty.
Good afternoon, dear friend @bigtom13
Welcome, it's great to read about your adventure trips again.
Beautiful places you've visited on this trip.
I don't know how long it's going to last, but it's good to be back. Always good to see you my friend!
We appreciate your work and your publication has been hand selected by the geography curation team on behalf of the Amazing Nature AN Community. Keep up the good work!
Interesting history about the Mormon Battalion and Box Canyon!
Happy riding and happy Hiving, hope to see you here more often!Hi @bigtom13, what a nice surprise seeing you here! You may call yourself an old man, but you're still riding and seeing the country.
Lizelle! What a joy!
The Mormon Battalion did some really nasty stuff in the far west, but it's important to remember that they did some good, too. This was one of the good things... It saved several hundred miles to get to San Diego and Los Angeles, and later was a main pathway for the big California Gold Rush.
I am an old man, but a very lucky old man. I can still ride :) Which is a good thing because I have places to see:)
Always good to see you my friend!
I'm not familiar with that history. Awful how ordinary people do bad things in the name of whatever they want to achieve!
You are a lucky old man then! Keeping active is likely what keeps you on the road. There's never enough time to do all the things we want to do and see, not so!
Keep those wheels rolling, my old friend, have a great Sunday!
From your very old friend😅
Looks like it was a really great ride! Nice to see you are still keeping the rubber on the road! I was really hoping to see some wagon wheel ruts when my wife and I traveled out to Colorado this past summer, but it just wasn't meant to be. Next time I guess!
There's ruts all over the West. The best/easiest location I know of is East of Independence Rock, WY. It's still original grasslands there and three primary western trails converge. Plus, Wyoming does a good job with their roadside notifications...
You can't really see the ruts in box canyon, but you can clearly see two places where they cut through the bedrock. They cut it just wide enough for a single wagon to slip through, so the roadway was abandoned when the wagons got a little wider...
Thanks for stopping by, bozz.
That is really cool. We didn't make it to Wyoming on our trip, but I hope to head back out that way one day.
Good to see you’re still hitting the road tom! Looks like an enjoyable ride that’s for sure!
Hopefully those cops weren’t waiting for you to head back lol
Weather was perfect, traffic was practically non-existant, and the sheriff's were having breakfast. I fooled them, though. I didn't go back the same way :)
It is indeed a nice adventure.
Thank you.
Wow nice ride! You came all the way from Yuma! I’m in SD and go to Julian every once in a while. We love the ciders, apple pies and all the good food.
It really is a wonderful place, isn't it? I'd thought about riding up to Mt. Palomar to ride THAT road, but decided to make a more leisurely day of it...
Definitely a little further to reach Mt. Palomar. What about Joshua Tree? Probably feels like riding in another planet, I'm sure you've done it!
You know there is a just superior Chinese restaurant in 29 Palms? I've been through Joshua Tree a number of times. The roads around Joshua Tree are often part of my "stay out of HellA" strategy :) I'll probably go that way this summer when I head north. Right now I'm planning to go via Sequoia and Kings Canyon NPs. Current plan is to spend a couple days in KC. John Muir said that was a 'more fair' valley than Yosemite...
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Sounds like a lovely journey! I always think best on a long drive as well, something about an open road organizes your thoughts imo 😄
!PIMP
All the roads on that map except the I-8 are open. Lightly traveled. On a motorcycle my thoughts get even more organized. But you are right, organized thought is the inevitable result.
Good to see you, Grindan.
I love your pics and stories from the road! And that meal sounds fabulous! 😋
Thanks, Kitty. It's a wonderful, funky place to eat. They have an actual soda fountain and make their shakes and sodas and malts with hard ice cream. It's just wonderful!
OMG, that's awesome that some places are keeping the great "old ways" alive! 😃
I've been to Julian a couple of times, it sure is a cute town. My uncle lives not far from there in Borrego Springs. I've never been to Miner's Diner, we ate at Julian Beer. Co last time we were there.
I've eaten at the Beer Company and the Wrongbranch and the Julian Restaurant. I really like the Bison Burger and the soda fountain at the Diner.
I LOVE Borrego Springs and Anza Borrego Park. Another much favored destination... Those sculptures are simply worth the ride.
Edit: for some reason the picture isn't loading.
Yes, Borrego Springs and Anza Borrego Park are really nice. Good places to hike there if you enjoy that too.
The bison burger sounds good, I'll have to see if we can try that next time we are in the area. Here is a view from the top of the mountains in Julian. A friend of the family has a little cabin up there.
I used to meet my friend for hiking and birding when she was a part of the Bluebird Inn. Really great stuff to go with someone with lots of local knowledge...
The Palm Canyon hike in Anza Borrego is probably my favorite. There's a 'palm canyon' just north of me. The two of them are thought to be the two places that palm trees survived the last ice age. The AB version is more pleasing, I think.
Finally got the photo from Julian to load below.
We've done that Palm Canyon hike a couple of times! Small world.
Back when the long riders were a thing (before we all just got too old) we used to meet up at Pinky's in Borrego Springs as a part of a charitable ride. Called it Christmas Stalking :) In mid December, of course. I still stop in now and again to listen for the echoes of some really good times.
That sounds like fun, and clever name :-)
Nice to see you pack to posting @bigtom13
Hope you've been well!
I have been well, thanks. It is good to be back to putting words on a page.
And always good to see you!
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