January 4-5, 2022 Aqua Caliente State Park, Julian California

 63 degrees and sunny.

We drove through Yuma, Arizona, the church is on the Quechan Indian Reservation in the center of Yuma, the Colorado River at the state line about to enter Mexico, these fields are in the Salad Bowl of America around Yuma. Most vegetables this time of year come from here, the All American Canal with water from the Colorado River heading west, giant windmills and the border patrol check point. The California State Line in the middle of the Colorado River. 

Welcome to California, entering pacific time zone, the highway follows the border of Mexico for a bit, in Winterhaven we had to go through the agricultural inspection station, the pyramid is at the Center of the World roadside attraction, along the road we saw this monument that says 'This is the desert. There is nothing out there. Nothing. We crossed the Algodonas sand dunes, a huge area open for recreation.

Entering Anza Borrego desert state park. Dropping down through the badlands in Anza Borrego Desert state park.

Welcome to Agua Caliente County park where we will spend the next 6 days. A cholla forest along the road

The reason we came here, the Agua Caliente hot spring spa. AAAHHHH. Badlands surrounding the campground. 

The bus in our site. Evening light on the hills across the valley. 

John having dinner at sunset. When we crossed into the Pacific time zone we lost an hour. The sun set at 430, we thought it was 530. 

70 and sunny. We hiked Moonlight canyon around the campground. Some flowers seen today, barrel cactus and a twisty shrub. 

A spring in Moonlight Canyon.

John coming through a shrub tunnel on the Moonlight Canyon trail. Moonlight Canyon.

John ahead in Moonlight Canyon. Agave and cholla.

John on the trail near the top of the pass. Agave, ocotillo and cholla. 

Cholla forest. A view of the Agua Caliente campground as the trail heads back to camp.

One of the outdoor pools at Agua Caliente. We soaked inside, the water was warmer. New moon setting in the sunset.