Tuesday, February 13, 2024
Today started out sunny at 46 degrees. We left Wilderness Lakes Thousand Trails in Menifee, California at 9:30 a.m. and headed toward Idyllwild Thousand Trails in Idyllwild, California.
It was a short but winding, mountainous drive from an elevation of 1,424 feet in Menifee, California to 6,381 feet in Idyllwild, California (a change in elevation of 4,957 feet).
Following California Hwy 74, we could see the mountains in the distance that we were heading toward.
As you can see in the picture above and below, there had been a lot of snow in the San Jacinto Mountains. The Idyllwild-Pine Cove-Fern Valley area that we were heading to is located in Southern California's San Jacinto Mountains, which contains the 10,834-foot high San Jacinto Peak -- Southern California's second highest mountain after Mount San Gorgonio.
Soon we were beginning our ascent into the mountains (see above and below).
The highway quickly became very curvy, winding its way around the mountains and up in elevation as we went.
We soon passed Mountain Center (see above), that had a population of 350 and an elevation of 4,444. Mountain Center was an unincorporated community in the San Jacinto Mountains within western central Riverside County, California in the southern division of San Bernardino National Forest. Mountain Center was just north of Lake Hemet, midway between Hemet and Palm Desert, just south of the town of Idyllwild, and it is southeast of the city of Riverside, the county seat of Riverside County.
Idyllwild was now only five miles away (see above).
It was here that we left CA Hwy 74 as we turned left onto CA Hwy 243 (see above).
We are now at an elevation of 5,000 feet (see above).
We continued our climb in elevation with every turn around the mountain.
We were now in Idyllwild, that has a population of 3,870 and an elevation of 5,303 (see above and below).
"Mile-high Idyllwild" was a mountain resort flanked by two large rock formations -- Tahquitz Peak and Suicide Rock (also known as Lily Rock) -- which were famous in the Southern California rock-climbing circles.
As we entered Idyllwild, the amount of snow on the ground increased tremendously. It was just like putting a 'white coat' (of snow that is) on the mountains. In Idyllwild, it felt like we were at a summer camp -- at over 6,000 feet in elevation, with tall pines and aromatic cedar trees. It was truly a 'mile above and a world away' from the hustle and bustle of the Southern California cities and beaches. It was a very rustic, eclectic community.
Shown above was the 'Welcome to Idyllwild' sign.
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BRIEF HISTORY OF IDYLLWILD
Idyllwild was once the summer home for bands of Cahuilla Indians, who migrated there to escape the heat of lower-elevation deserts. Some of the Cahuilla's grinding slabs can still be seen in Idyllwild.
According to Cahuilla legend -- it was often recounted how tribesmen chanted over the body of their fallen chieftain Tahquitz, who had been possessed by an evil spirit and killed his sweetheart. Suddenly his body began to glow like fire, and he rose and settled on Idyllwild's Tahquitz Rock - a 1,000 foot tall rock face that projected from the side of the mountain. According to the legend, Tahquitz was trapped beneath the rock with a rattlesnake and a condor for company, and when the mountain shook and trembled, it was not an earthquake, but Tahquitz who was up to his evil tricks on Lily Rock.
Originally, Idyllwild was known as Strawberry Valley because of the wild strawberries that grew there, especially beside Strawberry Creek that runs through the town. Shepherds regularly brought their flocks to the valley. In the 1880s, the Domenigoni family of San Jacinto homesteaded land near what is now the Idyllwild Arts Academy. In 1889, George and Sarah Hannahs built a summer camp next to the site of their sawmill in upper Dutch Flat. They named it Camp Idyllwilde. By the 1890s, a toll road had been built from Hemet, which opened Idyllwild to settlement, logging, and tourism. A post office was established in 1893; and at this time, the town was called Rayneta after the Hannahs' son Raymond. In 1901, the Idyllwild Sanatorium was built to treat tuberculosis patients. The sanatorium was soon remodeled as a resort called "Idyllwild Among the Pines," and, later, "Idyllwild." That same year, the town's official name was changed to Idyllwild.
With the advent of the automobile, Idyllwild became a weekend tourist attraction for people in Southern California. For many years, the town presented itself as an alpine village, and hotels and businesses had German or German-sounding names, but this practice ended during World War II. From the 1930s to 1950s, Idyllwild was a center for the production of "knotty pine furniture" -- the fine log furniture made in the Arts and Crafts style. Under the direction of Charles "Selden" Belden, the furniture was produced by the Idyllwild Pinecraft Furniture Company and later C. Selden Belden Idyllwild Pinecraft.
In the late 1960s and 1970s, there was an influx of hippies in Idyllwild, which changed the nature of the town and alarmed many longtime residents. Timothy Leary lived on a ranch in nearby Garner Valley, with the ranch serving as the headquarters of The Brotherhood of Eternal Love. Currently the ranch encampment in Garner Valley is operated by Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times, as a year-round retreat for children with cancer and their families.
From 1974 to 1979, Idyllwild hosted the Idyllwild Bluegrass Invitational -- then the only bluegrass music festival in Southern California (it was inspired by the Julian Banjo-Fiddle Contest, which still goes on today on the third weekend in September). Idyllwild also hosted the Bear Flag Festival in the 1950s through the 1970s, a festival to honor California's Bear Flag and to mark the passing of the grizzly bear from California, the last of which according to local legend was killed at Hurkey Creek in Garner Valley.
Most high school-age students in Idyllwild attend school in Hemet, which required them to travel by school bus some 35 miles in distance and 3,000 feet in altitude to and from school.
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We drove through Idyllwild and continued on as the snow piles continued to grow in size. We now had only about 3-1/2 miles north on CA Hwy 243 to go until we were at Idyllwild Thousand Trails.
We soon passed the Idyllwild Nature Center on our left. Located one mile northwest of Idyllwild on CA Hwy 243, Idyllwild Nature Center has more than five miles of hiking trails, gardens, and a museum. The museum features Native American cultural displays, live and taxidermy animals, and local flora displays.
We just passed a sign indicating we were at an elevation of 6,000 feet (see above).
Next, we passed Pine Cove (see above), which had an elevation of 6,220 feet. Idyllwild, Pine Cove, and Fern Valley were three adjacent unincorporated communities in the San Jacinto Mountains in Riverside County, California.
Look at the drifts of snow . . .
Shortly after we left Pine Cove, we turned right onto Marion Ridge Drive (see above). The Riverside County Fire Department - Station #23 was on the left.
Following the Idyllwild Thousand Trails sign (see above), we turned left onto Rocky Point Road.
The snow drifts were pretty deep and we could see areas where it was beginning to melt and run across the road (see above).
As we continued on, the Idyllwild Thousand Trails sign to follow the road Canyon Trail to the left was almost covered by a big snow drift (see above and below).
As we drew closer to the Idyllwild Thousand Trails campground entrance, the snow continued to cover more and more of the road (see above).
We had finally reached the 'Welcome to Thousand Trails Idyllwild RV Campground' sign (see above and below).
We have now arrived at the entrance station to Idyllwild Thousand Trails (see below). It's now 11:30 a.m. Mel got us checked in for our 3-week stay. The ranger told him that there were icy patches on the road ahead,and if we got stuck, we were on our own to get out. (I noticed that there was a sign posted on the entrance station that said chains were required.) Well, we shall see!
Oh the drifts, oh the drifts, oh the very big snowy drifts!
Off we go up the hill -- going as fast as we could to maintain our traction.
We saw a sign that there were 'tight turns and narrow roads ahead.' Mel decided to stop with the RV right in the middle of the road right where we were -- before we got into an area we couldn't get out of. He went to look for a workable site.
We found the only full-hookup site left that had been plowed out -- site #213 (see above and below). We were at an elevation of 6,331 feet at our campsite. We were surrounded with snow drifts and muddy, wet sand!
We got all set up and then snuggled inside the RV for the next 3 weeks, except for roadtrips to get groceries.
(Shown above is the map of the campground, with our site #213 circled in the middle.)
Nestled at an elevation of more than 6,000 feet, Thousand Trails Idyllwild RV Campground has 300 sites spread over 200 acres. Tucked away in the refreshing California pine cove region, this RV campground also has cabins to rent if you prefer not to drive your own rig up the mountain.
Later in the evening, we enjoyed a warm, hearty bowl of chili.
Wednesday, February 14, 2024
Happy, Happy Valentine's Day to all our friends and family!
Today was a chilly, yet sunny day starting out at a temperature of 29 degrees that would only reach 50 degrees in the afternoon.
(Shown above is a Valentine card, c. 1909.)
We had a special Valentine's Day dinner tonight of steak and twice-baked potatoes (see below).
I feel so lucky to be able to spend this special day with my best friend -- my husband Mel. Here's to you Mel, and may we have many more!
Valentine's Day (also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine), is celebrated annually on February 14. It originated as a Christian feast day honoring a martyr named Valentine, and through later folk traditions it has also become a significant cultural, religious and commercial celebration of romance and love in many regions of the world.
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LEGENDS, ORIGINS AND STORIES ABOUT ST. VALENTINE AND VALENTINE'S DAY
(Shown above St Valentine preaches the virtues of marriage to fellow prisoners in his 3AD Roman cell.)
The history of Valentine's Day—and the story of its patron saint—is shrouded in mystery. But who was Saint Valentine, and how did he become associated with this ancient rite?
Martyrdom stories associated with various Saint Valentines connected to February 14, include an account of the imprisonment of Saint Valentine of Rome for ministering to Christians persecuted under the Roman Empire in the third century. According to an early tradition, Saint Valentine restored sight to the blind daughter Julia of his jailer Asterius.
Numerous later additions to the legend have better related it to the theme of love: tradition maintains that Saint Valentine performed weddings for Christian soldiers who were forbidden to marry by the Roman emperor. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret.
According to legend, in order "to remind these men of their vows and God's love, Saint Valentine is said to have cut hearts from parchment", giving them to these soldiers and persecuted Christians.
When Valentine’s actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that Valentine be put to death. On the evening before Valentine was to be executed, he was supposed to have written the first "valentine" card himself, addressed to the daughter of his jailer Asterius, who was no longer blind, signing it as "Your Valentine."
Still others insist that it was Saint Valentine of Terni, a bishop, who was the true namesake of the holiday. He, too, was beheaded by Claudius II outside Rome.
February 14th became associated with romantic love in the 14th and 15th centuries, when notions of courtly love flourished, apparently by association with the "lovebirds" of early spring. In 18th-century England, it grew into an occasion for couples to express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (or valentines).
In the 19th century, handmade cards gave way to mass-produced greetings. In Italy, Saint Valentine's keys are given to lovers "as a romantic symbol and an invitation to unlock the giver's heart".
FOLK TRADITIONS
While the custom of sending cards, flowers, chocolates and other gifts originated in the United Kingdom, Valentine's Day still remains connected with various regional customs in England. In Norfolk, a character called "Jack" Valentine knocks on the rear door of houses, leaving sweets and presents for children. Although he was leaving treats, many children were scared of this mystical person.
In Slovenia, Saint Valentine or Zdravko was one of the saints of spring, the saint of good health and the patron of beekeepers and pilgrims. A proverb says that "Saint Valentine brings the keys of roots". Plants and flowers start to grow on this day. It has been celebrated as the day when the first work in the vineyards and in the fields commences.
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Friday, February 16, 2024
Today was a sunny day with a temperature of 45 degrees. We were out of milk, so we decided to go to Hemet to get groceries at Aldi and Walmart. We then ate an early dinner at Panda Express.
Monday, February 19, 2024
Today started out foggy at 45 degrees. A major storm was coming -- it was what they called an "atmospheric river" here in California. They were expecting flooding and landslides. The heavy rain started early in the morning, and continued on and on into Tuesday, February 20 and even through Wednesday, February 21.
So what are atmospheric rivers?
Shown above is an explanation from the National Weather Service on atmospheric rivers.)
Atmospheric rivers are columns of water vapor that can produce heavy rain and snow in California. They are a concentrated stream of water vapor in the middle and lower levels of the atmosphere. They’re like a continuous 'conga line of moisture' streaming across the ocean without interruption until they encounter an obstacle such as the coast ranges in California. These obstacles force the atmospheric river to start shedding its burden of moisture.
Some atmospheric rivers are weak and produce beneficial rain, and some are larger and more powerful, causing extreme rainfall, floods and mudslides. On average, 30% to 50% of the West Coast’s annual precipitation comes from a few atmospheric rivers each year.
Atmospheric rivers are roughly 250 to 375 miles wide, and a strong one can transport as much as 7-1/2 times to 15 times the average amount of water that flows through the mouth of the Mississippi River. When this atmospheric stream, bloated with moisture as it is, meets the coastal mountains, it is forced up and over the higher terrain. The moist air plume cools as it gains altitude, and the moisture condenses, falling as rain.
Mountain slopes facing the ocean and into the rolling atmospheric river of moisture will receive the heaviest rain, while some areas such as San Jose and parts of the Salinas Valley will be in the rain shadow of these mountains and will receive less rain as a result. The atmospheric river will continue on across the Central Valley and climb the western slope of the Sierra Nevada. These peaks are so high and give the atmospheric river such a workout that almost all the rest of the moisture is wrung out of it, leaving the mountains smothered in a blanket of snow and the Great Basin beyond parched in a gigantic rain shadow.
As the rain continued on -- we had a lovely bowl of spaghetti and meat sauce for dinner.
Wednesday, February 21, 2024
Today was another rainy, drizzly day. Shown below is a picture taken out of our RV door -- showing the muddy mess that the atmospheric river is causing. But one good thing coming out of all this rain -- was that it helped to melt the piles of snow.
Friday, February 23, 2024
Finally a sunny day with a temperature starting at 45 degrees, that would reach 70 degrees in the afternoon. As we were out of milk again, it was time to head into Hemet. We left at 10:00 a.m. and went to Aldi and Walmart for groceries and got gas at Walmart. Our last stop was at Taco Bell (for a create your own cravings box).
After lunch, we headed back toward Idyllwild, California. I took some pictures of the snow-covered mountains on our way back to the campground (see above and below).
The round trip to Hemet, California was about 50 miles. It looked like our Friday trip was beginning to become a habit.
Sunday, February 25, 2024
Today was a sunny day and a lot of the snow had melted away. Now that several trailers that were parked next to us have left, we can now see down to the open amphitheater (see below).
Monday, February 26, 2024
Today we spent the day in the RV. Since Mel and I both love Chinese food, and I had found a recipe for Black Pepper Chicken that I wanted to try, that is what I made for dinner. Mel chopped the chicken breasts into small chunks for me so they would be ready to use when I was ready to make dinner.
I have included the recipe below:
Shown above is Mel's plate with the Black Pepper Chicken over brown rice. So yummy! This recipe is definitely a keeper!!!
Wednesday, February 28, 2024
We didn't do much today. Mel did go for a 3.26 mile walk around the campground though (see below).
Thursday, February 29, 2024
HAPPY LEAP YEAR DAY TO EVERYONE!
Leap Year Day (February 29) was added to the calendar in leap years as a corrective measure because the Earth does not orbit the Sun in precisely 365 days. The amount of days it takes for the Earth to complete a full revolution around the Sun is not a whole number, and according to the National Air and Space Museum, the 365 days we experience is actually 365.242190 days. Since about the 15th century, this extra day has been 29 February, but when the Julian calendar was introduced, the leap day was handled differently in two respects. Therefore, during the year that is a 'leap year,' February will have 29 days. A leap year usually occurs every four years, and this year, leap day is on February 29, 2024.
Did you know that approximately every 100 years, a leap year does not happen? A leap year did not occur in 1700, 1800 and 1900, but did so in 2000. The odds of actually having a birthdate on February 29 are 1 out of 1,461. Our last leap days were in 2020 and 2016, and the next leap year will happen in 2028.
Sometimes to make up for decimals of time, we sometimes have to skip leap years, but that is rare. Prepare for a little bit of math as years divisible by 100 but not 400 are skipped, meaning we skipped leap years in 1700, 1800 and 1900 but not 2000. The next leap year that we'll skip is quite a ways away -- 2100.
Here are the rules of for leap years:
* A year may be a leap year if it is evenly divisible by 4.
* Years divisible by 100 (century years such as 1900 or 2000) cannot be leap years unless they are also divisible by 400. (For this reason, the years 1700, 1800, and 1900 were not leap years, but the years 1600 and 2000 were.)
* If a year satisfies both the rules above, it definitely is a leap year.
I hope you enjoyed learning more about leap year, I know I did.
Friday, March 1, 2024
It was once again Friday and our day to reprovision so we headed to Hemet. Our first stop was at Uhaul to get propane. Next, we stopped at Aldi for groceries and from there we went to Taco Bell (for a create your own cravings box).
Because most of the snow in the Idyllwild Thousand Trails campground had melted, I wanted to once again take a few pictures (see below).
Once we got back to the campsite and put the groceries away, Mel decided to take a walk along one of the mountain trails leading out of the campground.
Mel took the 'Old Logging Trail' that is shown above in the upper left-hand side of this campground map. It was a 3 mile hike.
The trail started out fairly dry and snow free.
Soon Mel came to patches of snow (as you can see below) on the nature trail -- Old Logging Trail.
Mel was able to avoid most of the snow by skirting around it (as shown below).
As he reached the highest point of the trail, the views were spectacular (see above and below).
As you can see by the map above and the picture below, Mel was getting a distant view of the Logan Creek. Logan Creek is a creek in Idyllwild-Pine Cove, California area in the San Bernardino National Forest.
Mel took a few selfies in the beautiful surroundings on his hike (see above and below).
Mel walked about a half hour and a little over a mile up this trail before he got into too much snow.
Oh what a beautiful view Mel had!
I have included a brief history of the area along the Loggers trail below:
Between 1875 and 1900, loggers and sawmills were the dominant human activity in the San Jacinto Mountains. They appeared first on Indian Creek in Hall Canyon, now home to Lake Fulmor and the James Reserve, then along Fuller Mill and Strawberry Creeks. Once steam engines replaced water wheels, logging camps spread into the forest beyond the creeks.
At least 18 different sawmills can be documented in these mountains, but exactly where each was located is still a mystery. Structures were often built to be readily disassembled, then reassembled at a new location, so most of the mills have left no trace on the landscape. Even the most recent one, which operated in Idyllwild for many years after 1920, is omitted from a 1928 village map so detailed that it depicts every existing cabin. So the mystery remains!
Saturday, March 2, 2024 & Sunday, March 3, 2024
We had been anticipating from 1 to 3 inches snow on Saturday through Sunday, but all we got was a continual rain. We just hunkered down in the RV, which was very hard for Mel as he likes to get outside. We made it through however, and sunny skies returned on Monday.
Shown above is the small snowman that someone made along the campground road at Idyllwild Thousand Trails that I took a picture of when we first got here. He no longer is around!
And as the winter in this campground that we spent the last three weeks in seems to be dissipating, I will always remember the little snowman that started out with a ball of snow and now has melted all away!
Oh the memories of the snow, the beautiful snow,
Filling the sky and earth below!
Over the housetops, over the street,
Over the heads of the people we meet,
Dancing . . .
Flirting . . .
And skimming along!
And then melting to a puddle,
A small pool of liquid . . .
It didn't take long!
Shirley & Mel
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