MECHANICAL PROBLEMS CHANGE PLANS

We had planned on being home by now, but 2 hours out of Borrego Springs, our motor home radiator cracked and all the coolant blew out.  Fortunately, we were just exiting the freeway at Temecula, CA, to pick up some groceries for the trip home.  We stopped in a parking lot before any further damage to the engine and arranged for a tow to an RV service center.  That’s the good news.  The bad news is that we have been stranded here for a week waiting for a replacement radiator to be shipped from Oregon.
More good news is that Giant RV found a place for us to boondock in their parking lot while waiting for the parts. 
 
We’ve been here for a week and have used the time to explore the area and do some more hikes.  It’s been pleasantly warm so the time has gone quickly.  This hike was over 4 miles in the “Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve’.  In the late 1800’s this was a cattle ranch and the hike we took ended at the old adobe ranch house under a 500 year old oak tree.
The 4 hour walk took us through open meadows and cool shady washes. 
  
The meadows were in full bloom.
 

LAST DAYS OF HIKING AND HAWKS

Our last days in Borrego Springs were taken up with hiking and hawks.  The last hike we took was 6.5 miles up the California Hiking and Riding trail.  A climb of 2,500 feet that took us a little over 3 hours.  We shuttled some cars to the top so that we did not have to make the down hill trip on foot.
 
 

The day before we left, we went out early in the morning to take part in the “Hawk Watch”.  The night before, approximately 200 Swainson Hawks had landed in the palms.  With no winds and warm temperatures, it was anticipated that the hawks would start to kettle and move out around 9:30 in the morning.  We gathered with a group along Di Giorgio Road to wait for lift off.
Hal Cohen, the coordinator took the opportunity to educate the newcomers on what was happening.
At about 10 a.m. the hawks lifted off.  These photos are taken on a later day, but they show the beauty of the hawk lift off.
 
Approximately 200 hawks left the valley that day.