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Borrego Springs, CA

Friday, April 10, 2015

Just had to see the dragon

I woke up yesterday and decided it was a good time to take a drive to Borrego Springs to see the sculptures of Ricardo Breceda that are located north of there in Galleta Meadows.

_MG_1772It was about an hour and a half drive that involved driving the Montezuma Valley Road.  As I crested the peak and started descending, the views were just gorgeous of the valley.  I was sure glad I was driving the car though, and not the rig.

I stopped at the Borrego Springs Chamber of Commerce to get a map to find the huge sculptures.  I had a more than enthusiastic volunteer try to talk me into buying all kinds of things from tee shirts to books about the sculptures.  I was finally able to escape, and be on my way.

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First up were Gomphotheres…

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…and Camelops.  I guess 11:00 in the morning isn’t the best time for photos.  The sun was very bright, and the white sand just reflected the light.  I was a little disappointed in my pics.  All of the sculptures are off of the road and surrounded by rather soft sand.  I took Merikay’s advice and parked on the side of the road rather than chancing that my little car would get mired in the sand.  Most of them are within easy walking distance.

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These sculptures are very interesting to see close up.  Lots of detail involved.  I’m not going to include pics of all of them, just a few of my favorites.

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                   This mythical serpent/dragon is the main reason I came here.  I just wanted to see it!

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I just can’t imagine how many pictures have been taken of this creature.  I’ve seen photos of it on several different blogs, and was happy I finally got to see it in person.  It alone was worth the trip.  Very cool beans!

I brought Emma along on this little trip, and the day turned out to be much warmer than I had thought it would be.  We stopped at Anza-Borrego State Park on the way back, but dogs are only allowed in the parking lots, campground, and on the dirt roads.  With the heat, that meant I stayed in the car with the AC on to eat my picnic lunch in a parking lot.

Before going on this little excursion, I had stopped at the resort campground to see if I could extend my stay here by another week.  I was able to do that.  I need to have some work done on the rig, and this seemed liked a good place to have that done.  With the extra week, I was able to schedule things for next week.  That was a relief to me.

I’m also seriously considering putting my name on the waiting list for a permanent site at this Escapees park.  I believe I could be comfortable here.  I’ll spend the next ten days taking advantage of all the amenities and getting a better feel for things.  That really wasn’t on my radar when I decided to stop here, but sometimes things happen for a reason.

Thanks for stopping by… talk to you later,  Judy

29 comments:

  1. I love the dinosaur sculpture!

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  2. Next time there, check out the little Mexican restaurant with the big patio (other side of Christmas Circle from the main downtown). Very dog friendly, and great food :-)

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  3. Those are some sculptures. I guess some people have too much time on their hands... ;c)

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  4. Those sculptures are just dazzling, Judy. I'd like to go that way and see them. Good to hear you are away from your last assignment and on to something new. Is Nurse Ratched anywhere nearby?

    We are still waiting for spring here, been chilly in the 40s-50s, but that's Minniesnowda for you.

    Cheers,

    Jo in DL

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  5. so glad you got to see the dragon. . .great pics!

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  6. Those sculptures are amazing. I never tire of pictures of them. Maybe someday in person. Any idea of how long the list is. Sounds pretty hot for April. I assume July is worse. Is Kurt nearby?

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  7. Nice to see you made it to Borrego Springs. It's a catchy little place. Wondered if you shuffled your feet on the grass at Christmas Circle. It's a great fix for we easterners who are used to having lots of grass around.

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  8. Those are amazing sculptures and I think your photos were quite nice.

    The nice thing about putting your name on the list is you can always get your money back if you change your mind. One might just come available about the time you'll be ready to settle down.

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  9. Something else to put on my "sure want to see" list. Those sculptures are amazing... I'm gonna have to google to see what they're composed of.

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  10. Your top photo of that dragon is certainly worthy of top billing in your blog. Wow, you captured it just right.

    A spot at an Escapees Park sounds wonderful. In a few years, we may be looking into that. First, we need to see many of them to decide for which park to put our name on the waiting list.

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  11. As long as the dragon wasn't spewing fire ;-)

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  12. I think they are great photos! I've never heard of these. Now I have something else on my list to see. At the state park where ARE dogs allowed? Not allowed in parking lots? For heavens sake. Glad you're thinking this might be a good place to settle in between adventures.

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  13. One of these days I want to see those sculptures! I am really glad to read you might have found a spot, we talked about that very thing when we went to Mexico. Hope it works out for you--how long is the waiting list?

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  14. Lovely photos of those sculptures! That sculptor sure was talented. Do you know what they are made of? Also, what repairs are you going to get done on your RV?

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  15. Because you spend most of your time at wildlife refuges, you have never mentioned swimming pools. Even if you are not big on swimming, be sure to try the wonderful pool at Jojoba. When we were there, there was a very nice, welcoming, group of people who did a water exercise group in the mornings. It would be very good for your hips and legs. I wish I were there now too!

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  16. Do you have a snow setting on your camera, if not you can buy filters that cut down on that bright light reflection. I enjoyed your photos anyway...beautiful creatures:)

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  17. I'm really sorry to see you are thinking about retiring. Are you planning to actually retire from volunteering or just take a break? I on the other hand, am just getting started and hope to be able to afford a little RV van in another few years. And I'm aiming to 20,000 hours, but probably will only get to 15,000.

    Don't you get itchy feet every three months?

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  18. Jojoba Hills has always appealed to me as a place to settle down. Hope you will take many photos and show us what it is like there. I love the year-round weather where I am in Arizona, but the camaraderie in Jojoba Hills seems genuine. I remember the publicity about the extreme care that was taken when the park was being built, and stand in awe of the selflessness of those original builders.

    Virtual hugs,

    Judie

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  19. Very interesting art:) Funny how fate works, I bought a couple of boats with the same outlook:)

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  20. Your photos turned out great...ours did not when we visited. We just left the area after spending all winter, what a shame we missed you!

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  21. I keep saying that one of these days we are going to see those sculptures in person. No idea when but someday. I love having a place to call home during the winter months here in AZ. I've heard good things about that park.

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  22. Glad you got to enjoy the sculptures. Some of them are so amazing.

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  23. How interesting. Where have I been? Never heard of them before.

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  24. We loved the sculptures. Good luck with your decision for next year.

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  25. You could do a lot worse than Jojoba.. How long is the waiting list?

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  26. Ricardo's studio is fairly close to you. You might enjoy seeing all his works. It is on the same road as Jojoba close to the horses leaping over the highway.

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