Borrego Springs, CA - May 2-10, 2012

After a one day delay to get the bedroom shade restrung, we left Palm Creek in Casa Grande, AZ and headed West to our first stop of the 2012 Spring/Summer tour. 

We headed West on Interstate 8 and just inside the California line we came to what looks like the desert we see in the movies.  It is the North Algodones Dunes Wilderness - now that's desert!!

As we came close to the RV park we were startled to see this magical menagerie of freestanding life-size sculputres of prehistoric creatures that roamed the valley millions of years ago.

Our first stop, The Springs at Borrego Golf and RV Resort, is quite a beautiful park.  A championship nine hole golf course with a signature island hole, a waterfall and some beautiful views of the mountains inside the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

What I enjoyed most were the organized activities: Hatha Yoga, Tai Chi, Water Aerobics, Qi-Gong, and a golf lesson from Matha Mitchell who really gave me some great pointers!!  We also went to the Friday Night Wine Tasting but we were on the golf course during the Saturday Ice Cream social.  The pool is salt water and it makes the water wonderfully soft.  They also have tennis and pickleball but it is already low season so not a lot of activity there.

The RV Park has a very active Wellness Center.  In addition to the classes they offer massages, acupuncture (which one of our neighbors utilized and was amazed at the results) and acupressure, a herb garden that you just pick whatever fresh herbs you want, and very soothing hot mineral water spas.  After water aerobics I would go and enjoy the massage jets in the individual mineral spa!

Borrego Springs is a rather small town with a minimal amount of places to shop.  But, we did enjoy the Friday Morning Farmer's Market in the town Circle.

We enjoyed a happy hour and a round of golf with our park neighbors Demara and Steve.  Neighbors on the other side, Bob and Jean recommended we take a trip to Julian, CA.  It is known for growing apples and their apple pies.  So we took a trip up the mountain and the higher the elevation the greener it got and the cooler it got.  It was amazing to be an hour out of the desert and I was cold.  But we enjoyed a great lunch at Apple Alley Bakery and naturally bought an apple pie to enjoy at home!

We also found a great value at the nearby Borrego Springs Resort Golf Course - $25 for 18 holes with a cart and free range balls.  It just doesn't get any better than that!!!  This is a beautiful resort and the golf course actually has 27 holes but they close down 9 during the off season.  Notice the beautiful flowering cactus on hole #9!

Last, but far from least, one of the highlights of this stop was a chance to catch up with my family.  My step mother Marlene had scheduled the unveiling of the headstone on her mother's gravesite.  It was north of  L.A., a little over 3 hours away, so we took the trip.  I got to see my Dad, who will turn 89 this September, Marlene, Elliot, my younger brother, and Beth, my step-sister, and her husband Greg and son Eddie Ray.  Here is a photo of me with my brother Elliot and my Dad.  It was great to get the opportunity to see everyone!




We have really enjoyed this stop but its time to head out to the next stop, Outdoor Resorts Rancho RV Park in Aguanga, California.