bigfella
Full Access Member
Hello All!
Let me set this up a bit first. My lovely wife is always after me to go do "nature" things with her. I was a scout for years and in the Army resrvers for a number of years as well so my camping days are numbered and nature is well, boooring! So anyway, we got some tickets to see the Padres this year and my wife exclaimed that if I was going to be gone nearly every night between bowling, softball, poker night, and then Padres, that I had to do something with her. OK so we needed a plan.
The local paper ran a nice story about a lady who does these day trips to the areas around San Diego, California. So the one two weeks ago she borrowed or was loaned a KJ from a local dealer and took it on a stroll through Anza Borrego Desert Park about an hour east of San Diego. I read it and though what a great idea! The author even mentioned needing 4-wheel drive in places...EUREKA!! A plce we could take the dog, the wife could look at flowers and rocks, and I could actually use 4-wheel drive! So I told her two days ago about the plan and she was really happy.
This morning, great morning, 70 and sunny in San Diego (our boring year round weather) we set out for the Anza Borrego Park. We get to the turn in for the park. It's 60 degrees and sunny in the Desert! Very cool. So we find the "trail" marking and turn off the road and proceed to drive around in the park. They had markings every once in a while and if you followed the trails it was a awesome drive. Lots to see and lots of Jeep driving.
Now let me say that when I moved to California I had heard the stories of the Tree Huggers and all that but in these parks you pretty much have free reign! Anyone who has the chance to come and go through these parks should, especially when all the wildflowers are still growing. This year because of all of the rain we had lots of growth in the "barren" desert and it was a very cool drive. As far as 4-wheelin goes, the author chick was nuts! If we stayed on the trails she rode I didn't need it at all!! Sooo we picked a second trail that led out to the "Desert Wash" where the rain runs off the mountains and created this huge mud flow zone. Granted it's all dry but it looks very cool and at the end of this trail I did get to use my 4-wheel drive. If I had not we would not have made it to the end of the trail to see the flows!
Rating this ride? I would say it was Easy-Moderate and I was in a bone stock KJ limited with the Street tires!
Here are some pictures of the day:
Someone planted a "Hollywood and Vine" Street sign in the middle of the trails!
The way to the mud flows...
My wife Sarah and the dog standing in a "mud cave". Note there is NO ROCK in this picture!!
Wildflowers spotted along the way:
I took this *standing* at the bottom of the incline. This trip really opened up my wife's eyes for what the little KJ will do. We hit a rock and she says "you need that lift" WOOHOO!
Jeep, Dog, and I
The dog standing in the flats above the flow area
The little hills behind the jeep are all mud flows. You can't see them too good in the picture but they were all bigger than the KJ and the trail carved around and through them. Very cool drive!!
Let me set this up a bit first. My lovely wife is always after me to go do "nature" things with her. I was a scout for years and in the Army resrvers for a number of years as well so my camping days are numbered and nature is well, boooring! So anyway, we got some tickets to see the Padres this year and my wife exclaimed that if I was going to be gone nearly every night between bowling, softball, poker night, and then Padres, that I had to do something with her. OK so we needed a plan.
The local paper ran a nice story about a lady who does these day trips to the areas around San Diego, California. So the one two weeks ago she borrowed or was loaned a KJ from a local dealer and took it on a stroll through Anza Borrego Desert Park about an hour east of San Diego. I read it and though what a great idea! The author even mentioned needing 4-wheel drive in places...EUREKA!! A plce we could take the dog, the wife could look at flowers and rocks, and I could actually use 4-wheel drive! So I told her two days ago about the plan and she was really happy.
This morning, great morning, 70 and sunny in San Diego (our boring year round weather) we set out for the Anza Borrego Park. We get to the turn in for the park. It's 60 degrees and sunny in the Desert! Very cool. So we find the "trail" marking and turn off the road and proceed to drive around in the park. They had markings every once in a while and if you followed the trails it was a awesome drive. Lots to see and lots of Jeep driving.
Now let me say that when I moved to California I had heard the stories of the Tree Huggers and all that but in these parks you pretty much have free reign! Anyone who has the chance to come and go through these parks should, especially when all the wildflowers are still growing. This year because of all of the rain we had lots of growth in the "barren" desert and it was a very cool drive. As far as 4-wheelin goes, the author chick was nuts! If we stayed on the trails she rode I didn't need it at all!! Sooo we picked a second trail that led out to the "Desert Wash" where the rain runs off the mountains and created this huge mud flow zone. Granted it's all dry but it looks very cool and at the end of this trail I did get to use my 4-wheel drive. If I had not we would not have made it to the end of the trail to see the flows!
Rating this ride? I would say it was Easy-Moderate and I was in a bone stock KJ limited with the Street tires!
Here are some pictures of the day:
Someone planted a "Hollywood and Vine" Street sign in the middle of the trails!
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The way to the mud flows...
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My wife Sarah and the dog standing in a "mud cave". Note there is NO ROCK in this picture!!
You must be registered for see images
Wildflowers spotted along the way:
You must be registered for see images
I took this *standing* at the bottom of the incline. This trip really opened up my wife's eyes for what the little KJ will do. We hit a rock and she says "you need that lift" WOOHOO!
You must be registered for see images
Jeep, Dog, and I
You must be registered for see images
The dog standing in the flats above the flow area
You must be registered for see images
The little hills behind the jeep are all mud flows. You can't see them too good in the picture but they were all bigger than the KJ and the trail carved around and through them. Very cool drive!!
You must be registered for see images
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