Southern California Club Xterra
Southern California Club Xterra => SCCX General Discussion => Topic started by: FrankB on March 04, 2019, 09:40:56 PM
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Everyone probably knows this already, but this year is a huge one for wildflowers all over So Cal. There are some pretty good size "super blooms" in Anza Borrego. We went to see one on Sunday, on the north side of S-22 about 1.5 miles east of the entrance to Fonts Wash. You could also get to it from the part of Truckhaven Trail that runs parallel to and north of S-22 at that spot. It probably also goes without saying that with all the publicity, weekends are jammed out there.
These first three were off of Henderson Canyon Road, on the north side.
(https://photos.smugmug.com/So-Cal-Explorations-Day/Borrego-Springs-Wildflowers-Mar-3-2019/i-b6cFVSb/0/eb77a9ca/XL/20190303-00097-00027-XL.jpg)
(https://photos.smugmug.com/So-Cal-Explorations-Day/Borrego-Springs-Wildflowers-Mar-3-2019/i-vNxjcW2/0/812e6160/XL/20190303-00097-00030-XL.jpg)
(https://photos.smugmug.com/So-Cal-Explorations-Day/Borrego-Springs-Wildflowers-Mar-3-2019/i-x6Ktjhk/0/f4bd756a/XL/20190303-00097-00034-XL.jpg)
This particular bloom is mostly Sand Verbena.
(https://photos.smugmug.com/So-Cal-Explorations-Day/Borrego-Springs-Wildflowers-Mar-3-2019/i-ts5xKp2/0/31b87338/XL/20190303-00097-00071-XL.jpg)
(https://photos.smugmug.com/So-Cal-Explorations-Day/Borrego-Springs-Wildflowers-Mar-3-2019/i-LhTqpVP/0/46a536b3/XL/20190303-00097-00073-2-XL.jpg)
It was pretty windy out there, which made getting any decent photos kind of tough, but it was still fun.
(https://photos.smugmug.com/So-Cal-Explorations-Day/Borrego-Springs-Wildflowers-Mar-3-2019/i-PxPQsJV/0/41e10bdf/XL/20190303-00097-00084-2-XL.jpg)
This is looking out towards the edge of Clark Dry Lake and up towards Rockhouse Canyon.
(https://photos.smugmug.com/So-Cal-Explorations-Day/Borrego-Springs-Wildflowers-Mar-3-2019/i-qKNsjWB/0/da78f7e6/XL/20190303-00097-00054-XL.jpg)
There were only a few Lupine at this spot.
(https://photos.smugmug.com/So-Cal-Explorations-Day/Borrego-Springs-Wildflowers-Mar-3-2019/i-8LH6mLk/0/d9031408/XL/20190303-00097-00097-3-XL.jpg)
(https://photos.smugmug.com/So-Cal-Explorations-Day/Borrego-Springs-Wildflowers-Mar-3-2019/i-ffNBwkK/0/49d9e828/XL/20190303-00097-00104-XL.jpg)
(https://photos.smugmug.com/So-Cal-Explorations-Day/Borrego-Springs-Wildflowers-Mar-3-2019/i-7SCM9L5/0/ec202692/XL/20190303-00097-00111-XL.jpg)
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I should also mention that you should be careful out there. I was attacked by a giant scorpion while trying to get photos of the flowers, but I did manage to get away (obviously) and even managed to snap a photo as I escaped. I figured that our resident press photog Joe Fanaselle would have been proud of me . . . pausing my escape (and risking painful death) long enough to get a picture.
(https://photos.smugmug.com/So-Cal-Explorations-Day/Borrego-Springs-Wildflowers-Mar-3-2019/i-9FmmNDL/0/03ba98e7/XL/20190303-00098-00013-XL.jpg)
The drive over the mountains to and from San Diego was nice - in the clouds most of the way.
(https://photos.smugmug.com/So-Cal-Explorations-Day/Borrego-Springs-Wildflowers-Mar-3-2019/i-RRLxdKK/0/23c5db4c/XL/20190303-00097-00168-XL.jpg)
That little 5-mile stretch of San Felipe Road (S-2) between Montezuma Valley Road (S-22) and CA-79 was really nice too. Warner Ranch was emerald green in the late afternoon sun.
(https://photos.smugmug.com/So-Cal-Explorations-Day/Borrego-Springs-Wildflowers-Mar-3-2019/i-Kn3nWpD/0/09b0811b/XL/20190303-00097-00273-3-XL.jpg)
I'll keep this whole thing SCCX related with one last shot - my X with an SCCX sticker on the back, looking back out over Borrego Springs from partway up the Montezuma Grade.
(https://photos.smugmug.com/So-Cal-Explorations-Day/Borrego-Springs-Wildflowers-Mar-3-2019/i-3DbHD34/0/32c22500/XL/20190303-00097-00266-2-XL.jpg)
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Nice shots! Sure looks like it's going to bloom like crazy this year. We got a few bloom pictures when we were out for the AA Rendezvous. Nothing worth posting after seeing yours, though. Thanks for sharing.
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I figured that our resident press photog Joe Fanaselle would have been proud of me . . . pausing my escape (and risking painful death) long enough to get a picture.
I mean... is it really even worth the risk of potential death if you don't get a photograph in the process? 8)
Great photos as usual Frank!
Have you considered wandering up toward Lake Elsinore to check out the massive poppy bloom they're experiencing up there? Unfortunately, it's inundated with thousands of people on the weekends, but a weekday might be a little better. Any sunny day has them blooming like crazy. Jessica and I went over there a couple of weekends ago (before the crowds got really bad) and I got a few great shots. Here's a couple, just to show you what it's looking like over there. You could get some pretty amazing shots if you managed to get there on a day with no major crowds. I'm sure the flowers are twice as thick now, and I saw a bunch of purple lupines mixed in now when I drove by the other day.
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Amazing pictures Frank and Joe
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Frank...I'd like to see the photo of you on your back in the sand please. ;)