11/20 Anzo Borrego Desert State Park, CA

It's been a long drive getting here.  The first day I drove 310 miles to Bakersfield, then the second drove 180 to Riverside, staying at a really nice regional campground called Rancho Jurupa.  I liked it because the roads and sites were paved, and it had very nice landscaping.  Great cell service also!  It would be a terrific place for kids because it has a playground, mini-golf, splash pool, and fishing pond. 

So, I had only 110 miles to drive today.  A lot of it was the usual southern California dry-looking hills and chaparral, like this:

Then, as I got closer to my destination, the road went up over a mountain range, and it began to look more craggy.

Finally, as I came around a curve, I saw the Borrego valley spread out before me.  Now, I was really in desert!

 

Wow!  What a view.  I took these from one of the few pullovers coming down into the valley.

Here is the campground backed up against the mountain.

And my campsite--full hookups, no less.  It had been cloudy and cool on the other side of the mountains, but warm and sunny here.  The temperature was a very pleasant 72!

 

I will have to get my bike out tomorrow and go exploring.  I'll be here for a whole week, so have lots of time.