A LLAMA, AN ALIEN AND THE UNIVERSE

IT WAS STAR NITE AT THE DUARTE HISTORICAL MUSEUM!  THE LLAMA LADY BROUGHT COPPER THE LLAMA FOR A VISIT:

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A STRANGE SIGHT

 

 

 

 

 

 

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                                               The first llama museum visitor

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                                        Coach Jefferson meets the Alien

 

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     The Alien is welcomed to Duarte by Councilmember Margaret Finlay!

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                                    Pat De Rose meets the Alien man

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The Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers give us a glimpse of the universe.

Thanks to those who brought us a great show!

Morris Jones, 14.5-inch reflector
Jane Houston Jones, 12.5-inch reflector
Gary and Catherine Spiers, 4-inch refractor
Todd Kunioka, 8-inch Schmidt Cassegrain
reflector


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                         We all got to see the moon and jupiter 

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Even Copper the Llama wanted to take a look!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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                     THE POTLUCK DINNER WAS A HUGE SUCCESS

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MEANWHILE, THE ALIEN IS SOCIALIZING WITH THE EARTHLINGS

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Mary (above) doesn’t look too sure about the Alien’s intentions.

 

Martha (right) is now a believer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Jack isn’t sure about all this!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Alex makes a friend.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Carie wants to know if Aliens are vegetarians.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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                                                             THE END

SPRINGTIME MEANS CAMPING IN THE DESERT!

 
 

JOSHUA TREE:  A one-tank-of-gas trek during grandkids’ spring break.

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Finding a campsite at any of the Joshua Tree Campgrounds can be a challenge.  Jumbo Rocks is usually your best bet.  Either get there early in the day, or watch for people vacating camp.  Many people use the campsites to rock climb and then leave.  Jumbo Rocks has sites big enough for RVs. There is no water in the campgrounds.

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The rocks beckon and the kids

climb their hearts out!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Frustration is watching the kids climb and climb, and you can’t keep up.  Fortunately they were all sure-footed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Standing at the foot of these giant rocks teaches us something about how small we are.

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With some direction from the local spelunker the kids learn the art of chimneying.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A favorite hike located outside of Hidden Valley Campground is the trek to Barker Dam.  A little over one mile round trip, it takes us into the area’s history.

 

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The dam.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A pipe from the dam delivered water to the trough for the livestock to drink.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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                         WHAT A THRILL TO FIND A CAVE WITH INDIAN PICTOGRAPHS

Wildflowers were spotty, but we did find fields bursting in color. 

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The chia was not only beautiful, but the fragrance was sweet. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Lots of yellow!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                              
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                                                                THE RED FLOWER ON THE OCOTILLO MEANS THAT IT HAS RAINED RECENTLY.

  THIS CACTUS HAS GIVEN US A WEATHER REPORT.

 

 

 

 

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                        THE CHOLLA GARDEN

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 Back at camp Alan & Rekah put the shrimp on the barby for cocktail hour:                                                                                                                                             

                                               

                                                                                        

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                              When the sun went down, the cold set in!

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                     The heart of camping:  a campfire.

                                                                          

  ANZA BORREGO:  another one-gas-tank trip.  But first a night at the SALTON SEA:

 

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  This sea has its issues:  high salinity, fluctuating shoreline, dying fish, searing summer heat.  But it also has its beauty:  the sunsets, the birdlife, the mild winter temps.  Given half a chance, it will capture your heart.

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AND ON TO ANZA BORREGO STATE PARK, A SHORT TREK AWAY:

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The statues in Galetta Meadows are amazing, as are the wildflowers in the spring:

 

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                                                           Laker colors!

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We camped with The Desert Explorers for the Club’s Annual Rendezvous.  On Sunday we led a caravan to the Tapiado Mud Caves.  After traveling through the beautiful Blair Valley, past Aqua Caliente Campground, we turned on a dirt road and before we reached the Tapiado Arroyo, we fell upon a strange sight:

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My my!  Why is there a Hollywood and Vine sign here in the middle of nowhere?  Let’s go check it out!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

51434-H.Vine.kids.jpgWell, the sign is very strange, but there

seems to be something else up here. 

What could this be?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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OMG!  It’s a geocache!

 

 

 

 

 On a little further we turn into Tapiado Arroyo, trek 3.5 miles on a sandy road until we reach the caves  There are over 20 mud caves in the area, and we explored three of them.  Some have open skylights and sections that are slot canyons.  They are easy to negotiate.  You do need a good source of light.

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And back to Anza Borrego we find the last statue of the Galleta Meadows collection:

 

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