Barry Goble

Dana to Yuma Arizona

Down the Pacific Coast Highway from Dana Point through San Clemente then onto the i5, south and off at Oceanside north of San Diego. A couple of Pacific Ocean view points on the way before turning inland onto C76 by Camp Pendleton towards Lake Henshaw.

1800 Pacific View Point 150120_DSF1031 — Looking out to the Pacific which is behind this bush and trash bin

1800 Pacific Coast 150120_DSF1027 — The Pacific Ocean near Oceanside

Lake Henshaw on C86, a Reservoir in San Diego County, California at the southeast base of Palomar Mountain. Here a couple of images of this tranquil body of water, private boating and fishing but a nice walk down to the waters edge after a cup of coffee at the cafe and truck stop opposite.

1800 Lake Henshaw Jetty 1 150120_DSF1041 — Lake Henshaw boat jetty

1800 Lake Henshaw BW 150120_DSF1046 — Lake Henshaw reflections

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, located within the Colorado Desert of southern California, United States. The park takes its name from the 18th century Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza and borrego, a Spanish word for sheep, although we didn’t see any baah! The view, approaching from Lake Henshaw upon high is staggering, the landscape of boulders, rock formations and sand into the badlands is akin to a moonscape.

1800 Anza Boreggo 2 150120_DSF1060 — On top before the descent to Anza Borrego and the Salton sea.

1800 Down to Borrego Springs 150120_DSF1065 — Down to Borrego and the Salton Sea in the distance

1800 Borrego Road Down 150120_DSF1066 — The 85 Mile Marker above Anza Borrego

1800 Badlands 1 150120_DSF1070 — Badlands stop for relief !

1800 Badlands 4 150120_DSF1074 — The badlands, many a western hero or fugitive travelled here to hide in the canyons.

Dana Point – California

Dana Point Harbour, with its marinas and eclectic boutiques, is a jumping off point for dolphin and whale-watching cruises. Surf waves roll onto nearby Doheny State Beach and Salt Creek Beach, which is backed by a grassy park. Trails wind through Dana Point Headlands Conservation Area, which has sweeping ocean views and an interpretive centre. Very nice fish restaurants are in abundance at the marina, we have eaten calamari steaks, mexican king prawns and good old fish and chips (American style) over the past two evenings. Some of the sports bars happy hours 4-7pm are great value for both food and drink. It’s almost impossible to not to enjoy the atmosphere of this very well to do community.

1800 Dolphin Dive 130120_DSF1009 — A dolphin taking a dive

1800 Dana Point 140120_DSF1021 — Dana Point and the Memorial Park on the cliffs

1800 Bird of Paradise 140120_DSF1015 — Bird of Paradise in full bloom

1800 Golden Eagle 140120_DSF1019 — Golden eagle at the entrance to the Memorial Park

Humming Bird cropped at Dana 140120_DSF1022 — A humming bird drinking nectar from bird of paradise in the gardens

1800 Strange Californian Fruit 140120_DSF1014 — Strange Californian fruits, not for eating!

Nevada and the Mohave

An interesting stay at Whiskey Pete’s casino and hotel situated at Primm, Nevada near the Californian border. This place looks pretty Disney from the outside, and sure is glitzy, however, the rooms are generous and the service is second to none, so for the money it’s great value. Upon entering the main building and in order to reach the registration desk you have to negotiate rows of all singing and flashing slot machines trying to entice the dollars out of your pockets. Yep! they had a couple of mine…………….

1800 Primm Signage 120120_DSF0897 — Whiskey Pete’s striking entrance signage

1800 Buffalo Bills Sign Primm 120120_DSF0893 — Buffalo Bills across the I15 from Whiskey Pete’s

1800 Interstate 15 South at Primm 120120_DSF0898 — The junction at Primm, Nevada

1800 Whiskey Petes Outside Wall 2 120120_DSF0902 — Photo’s on the external walls at Whiskey Pete’s

1800 Whiskey Petes Outside wall 120120_DSF0904 — Outside Whiskey Pete’s Casino and Hotel

The Mohave desert, California, an arid rain-shadow desert and the driest desert in North America. It is in the North American Southwest, primarily within southeastern California and southern Nevada, and it occupies 47,877 sq mi. Small areas also extend into Utah and Arizona. Our trip from Primm to LA primarily along interstate 15 took in some of the most stunning of desert landscapes, if you make the effort to drive off the beaten track ie. come off the interstate and travel some of the minor roads and tracks it is amazing what you can see.

Mohave salt lake 130120_DSF0951 — Mohave salt lake landscape

1800 Mohave salt lake bed 130120_DSF0972

1800 Salt lake California 1 130120_DSF0955

1800 Mohave Posts 130120_DSF0941

1800 Mohave lake bed 130120_DSF0977

1800 Mohave Desert Landscape 130120_DSF0970 — Salt Lake reeds and mountains in the Mohave near Baker, California.

Foggy and a Poem….

January the 8th and a brisk stroll along the prom at Brighton and Hove. Images in the mist and fog. Next week, hopefully, a bit of sun!

Very Early Spring – from the Poems of Katherine Mansfield

The fields are snowbound no longer. There are little blue lakes and flags of tenderest green. The snow has been caught up into the sky. So many white clouds – and the blue of the sky is cold. Now the sun walks in the forest. He touches the boughs and stems with his golden fingers. They shiver and wake from slumber. Over the barren green branches he shakes his yellow curls……Yet is the forest full of tears…. A wind dances over the fields. Shrill and clear the sound of her waking laughter. Yet the little blue lakes tremble and the flags of tenderest green bend and quiver.

1800 Hove Prom on a foggy morning 080120_DSC6289 — The promenade at Brighton and Hove on a foggy January morning

1800 The West Pier on a foggy morning 080120_DSC6296 — The remains of the West Pier at Brighton – January 2020

Creative – from Past Blogs

The West Pier, Brighton. Was designed by Eugenius Birch and opened in 1866. It was the first pier to be Grade I listed in Britain but has become increasingly derelict since its closure in 1975. Here it is today, a sad and sorry site for sore eye’s. The i360 has been built where the pier entrance used to be.

A poem by Catherine Mansfield – The Opal Dream Cave

In an opal dream cave I found a fairy: Her wings were frailer than flower petals – Frailer far than snowflakes. She was not frightened, but poised on my finger, Then delicately walked into my hand. I shut the two palms of my hands together And held her prisoner. I carried her out of the opal cave, Then opened my hands. First she became thistledown, Then a mote in a sunbeam, Then – nothing at all. – Empty now is my opal dream cave.