With the PPG fly-in coming up later this week and a wind storm with 85MPH gusts moving in this evening, we decided to return to our dispersed camping location at the Salton Sea. We first drove out to Font’s Point, which I flew over on Day 904. Better photographs were captured when we last visited here on Day 183 and Day 190, since the visits were in the afternoon near sunset, but we decided to take some photos today anyway:
The badlands cover a vast area between here and the Salton Sea:
After going into Borrego Springs to return our library books, we hitched up and drove east to Salton City, where we dumped and filled up our water before arriving at our camping location. Trish crocheted more booties today:
Thanks to the storm, which will reach here albeit with gusts only reaching 50MPH, we were treated to this rainbow:
This morning we tested the GoPro mount for M’s quadcopter that we 3D printed at the library yesterday. It seems to work pretty well:
I went out for a bike ride, passing by our campsite from 2014 and 2015 along the way. Here’s what it looked like in 2015:
…And today. We had the kids scatter the rocks before we left last time:
This ride is called “Around the Block”, which I last rode with John on Day 191. The ride climbs over three passes, the toughest being Montezuma Grade, a 3500-foot vertical climb over 11 miles which crosses the mountain range in the distance:
After summiting Montezuma Grade, I refilled my water bottles in Ranchita and descended some before climbing up over Teofulio Summit:
After a long descent, the final climb is a comparatively short but steep 300 feet of vertical to Yaqui Pass:
This morning I drove a mile or so to the empty land across from Peg Leg and took off on flight #75, flying east towards Font’s Point. Looking left, I could see our dispersed camping area. Our RV is the dark one along the right edge of the camping area:
Continuing east, I encountered the badlands:
Turning south, I followed the plateau towards Font’s Point:
Approaching Font’s Point:
Along the lower edge of this photo is the parking area for Font’s Point. For photos of the view from the ground, check out our visits to Font’s Point on Day 183 and Day 190:
I flew east along the rim:
Coming on for a landing. The Peg Leg dispersed camping area is on the left, and my truck is at the bottom of the photo:
After breakfast, we drove over to the SeaView fruit stand, where local citrus can be purchased for sixty cents a pound:
While the kids looked for books at the library, I asked about the library’s 3D printer. The library received the printer as part of a grant, and it’s free to use. I looked through the object library and found this GoPro mount for the Syma X8C. This mount will allow us to mount my GoPro camera onto M’s quadcopter. The librarian helped me get started:
M watches the part being printed:
After a little less than 30 minutes, the part was ready:
I removed it from the machine and we were ready to go:
From the library, we drove out to “The Slot”. To see photos from our visit two years ago, see Day 182:
Like last time, we really hoped that spire would hold up long enough for us to get by:
After our hike though The Slot, we drove over to the visitor center for the Ocotillo Wells State Vehicle Recreation Area, which is adjacent to Anza Borrego State Park. We laughed at this sign:
The kids completed their Junior Ranger workbooks and received their badges:
When we returned home, we installed the GoPro mount we had printed at the library:
We attached the camera to the mount. We will test it tomorrow:
We arrived last night after dark to camp in this location. This is our third winter in the Borrego Springs area. Our winter of 2014 visit began on Day 175, and our winter of 2015 visit began on Day 525. Please take a look at our last two visits for all of the amazing things to see and do in this area.
The last two winters we drove down this dirt road to a nice isolated spot, but now this sign blocks the road:
Oh well:
We walked down to visit our former spot:
M patched his tire in preparation for a ride:
I had purchased these 45mm wide tires for the bike before the trip, but they were too wide for the frame. I brought them along the last time we were in New York, and I made the tires more narrow by trimming off the outermost line of nubs. It was tedious work:
After the trim, the tires fit into the frame:
The kids and I rode and pushed our bikes up the local hill. Looking back:
We finally arrived at the location of the Bighorn Sheep intaglio we created last year on Day 533. It seems to have held up pretty well:
Other folks have built intaglios here since our last visit:
This morning I went over to the RV park to say goodbye to our PPG friends until our planned return this coming Sunday. I watched this fellow take off:
Trish photographed some of her creations for sale:
I went out for a flight in the afternoon:
Liftoff of flight #74:
These three flew in by in formation:
I flew over them as the passed by:
Coming in to land:
As we packed up the RV, the rest of the crew continued flying:
We packed up the RV and left Salton City shortly after sunset, stopping at the gas station to dump our tanks and fill up on water. We then continued west to Borrego Springs, where we plan to stay until Sunday when we will return to the Salton Sea.
See the trip map for today’s drive and our current location.
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