Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park Hike

I love wildflowers! I love how for a couple months out of the year, hillsides are shades of green sprinkled with yellow and violet instead of  the normal golden brown that we Southern Californians are so used to. New life is everywhere and I do my best to soak it all in. Whether its yellow mustard, California poppies, larkspur, or  heart-leaved keckiella, there is something special about each and every flower. I couldn't help but notice we were in peak season so we decided to take a hike and enjoy all the color nature had to offer.

Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park, located in Foothill Ranch, CA, is still recovering from the Santiago Fire of October, 2007 but amidst the blackened bark of oaks and sycamores is a world of green. The land is recovering wonderfully and now is the time to visit. We began our hike on the Borrego Trail which begins in a shopping center but quickly  transports you into another world.  The trail is shared by hikers, horses, and mountain bikers and is quite popular on the weekend. It is wide enough for a jogging stroller which comes in handy when the little ones need  a break. It is not, however, even terrain and does require some careful maneuvering. Non-jogging strollers are not advised.  After recent rains, there are some small streams that hikers must cross but they are nothing big enough to warrant any concern.  The trail is 1.3 miles long and then splits off into a variety of other trails such as the Red Rock Trail (which we wanted to take but somehow missed. It is very clearly marked. I swear we are blind. We saw it on our way back. It will be another hike for another time), the Mustard Trail, and the Billy Goat Trail. The 2.6 mile round trip is perfect for families with little ones and full of wonderful scenery.

I encourage you to go out and look for signs of spring in your area. Enjoy all that color and new life and appreciate the little gifts God gives us.

Tucson Part 2: Saguaro National Park

The desert is full of life.  I noticed it more on this trip than ever before. Perhaps because spring was just around the corner and the desert was just beginning to bloom. Maybe it was the sound of all the birds singing as if they were enjoying the weather as much as we were. Or maybe it was the forest of cacti filling the desert with green.  Whatever it was, I was happy to be there. We had a new national park to explore!

Saguaro National Park is located on either side of Tucson. It is separated into the Tucson Mountain District and the Rincon District. We didn't have time to do both so I did some research and decided the Tucson Mountain District would be best suited for us.  There seemed to be more trails that were short and accessible which is usually a good sign that they are toddler friendly.

We began our trip at the Red Hills Visitor Center where we could get our National Park Passports stamped, check out the exhibits, and get some good advice on which trails to take from the always helpful National Park Rangers.  The ranger was very helpful and suggested we start our journey at the Cactus Garden Trail and Javelina Wash behind the visitor center. It gave us an opportunity to get learn about the different types of cacti and plants in the Sonoran Desert while stretching our legs and spotting some wildlife.

From the visitor center we took the scenic Bajada Loop Drive which was quite gorgeous.  I think the kids were more interested in Dumbo playing in the back seat than the view but I really enjoyed the drive. The road was dirt but it was easy enough for a 2 wheel drive vehicle to take.

Our next destination was the Signal Hill Petroglyphs Trail. We decided to have lunch before heading out on our hike and found a great  area with a little stone house protecting a picnic bench. It was the perfect spot for lunch because it kept us out of the sun and the kids loved playing in and around their little house.

 

The trail to the petroglyphs is short but it does involve quite a few stairs up the side of the hill. The kids did great and we made it up the hill relatively quick.  At the top we were able to get up close and personal with pictures carved into rock over 800 years ago. I tried to explain to Mari that their were pictures on the rocks and that one of the pictures looked like a horse. She thought I was pretending that the rock was a horse and proceeded to point out which rocks were kitties, which were elephants, and which were monkeys.  The concept may have been lost on her but at least she was having fun. Ben was more interested in the rocks that he could throw. That's my boy!

On the way back down the hill we met a very nice family who got a kick out of the kids and let them try out their walking sticks.

By the time we got down the hill the weather was getting a little too warm and the kids were getting tired so we continued our drive and I stopped for photo ops as the mood struck me. I found this area to be exceptionally beautiful.

I was thrilled to find an area of the desert had started to bloom. There is something truly special about experiencing the short time in which the desert is filled with flowers. It is something I hope to see again soon.

That was the end of our day at Saguaro National Park but certainly not the end of our Tucson adventure. Tune in next time to hear all about the fantastic time we had at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Its a fantastic zoo that showcases life in the desert beautifully. I hope I have inspired some of you to start planning your own adventures in the desert.

Blushing Buttercream Pettiskirt GIVEAWAY!!!!

Blushing Buttercream Pettiskirt GIVEAWAY!!!!

Sunday Laundry Shirt Dress GIVEAWAY!!!!

Sunday Laundry Shirt Dress GIVEAWAY!!!!

And the winner is....

Kristi at Live..Laugh.. Love for the Ski and Stay giveaway package. I put down everyone who entered on a numbered list in Excel and then used Random.org to generate a number. Kristi you were lucky #70! I hope you enjoy your prize. I sent you an email to get your info and I will be contacting Ski and Stay today to make arrangements! Thank you to all who entered. I wish I had enough packages to give to everyone. I really appreciate you all making this giveaway a success. Even if you didn't win it doesn't mean you can't take advantage of a Ski and Stay Package. Check www.SkiStayPA.com for great deals. There should be plenty of fresh snow right about now!

Tuesdays for Tuesday

I wanted to start this Tuesday by telling you about another child who has been diagnosed with neuroblastoma. Nathaniel was diagnosed with a stage 3 neuroblastoma on Feb. 5, 2009 when he was fifteen months old.  He had stopped walking (and then sitting and crawling) over the days leading up to Feb. 5, and when they did an MRI of his spine they found the tumor which had wrapped around his spinal cord.  He had an emergency surgery on the 5^th to remove part of the tumor for biopsy and perform a laminectomy to relieve pressure on his spinal cord.   The neurosurgeon who did his surgery thought it would take him months to recover his motor skills but he has already started to roll, sit, kneel and crawl.  Nathaniel and his family need our prayers and support. He is another reason why we need to bring more awareness and funding towards neuroblastoma research.

You may have noticed a new icon on my blog called "For the love of Tuesday".  It is a blog created by my dear friend Alisha for fundraising efforts and news on how you can help our crusade to against neuroblastoma in Tuesday's name. Please take the time to check out this blog and subscribe to its feed. This is where we will be posting opportunities to help and many other things that fabulous people across the world are doing to help children with cancer. Alisha is also starting Pounds for Cancer. As motivation to  lose weight Alisha is going to donate $2.00 for every pound she loses to pediatric cancer research via the Tuesday Whitt Memorial Fund and encourages you to set your own goals and join her. It is a wonderful idea and great motivator. Click on the link below for details.

Also be sure to check out the new Tuesday apparel designs my friend Christy did in her Cafepress site here or on the link on the right hand side of my blog where it says to click and get your Tuesday stuff. . All profits go to Tuesday's fund. There are some cute things including mugs and journals. Come on, who doesn't need another mug? 

Finally, I am planning on having a fundraiser in the Orange County area  in the near future so those of you who live in Southern California stay tuned. I am hoping to have more details in the next week or two and I hope that together we can make it a success. 

Forever and always, dedicated to Tuesday.

Part 1: The Road to Tucson

Call me a geek but I always get excited the first time I travel a highway that I have never traveled before. There is something invigorating about cruising past sights my eyes have never seen and not knowing what to expect around the next bend. I research my route and take mental note of landmarks to look for and cities that we will cruise through along the way. This time it was Interstate 8. Yes, I got exciting about an interstate.  I have driven to Tucson on Interstate 10 but never on Interstate 8! I stared at my route on the map and read about Interstate 8 history. I became giddy knowing I would drive on the lowest part of the interstate system at -52 below sea level near Seeley, CA and that I would be within 2 miles of the border while driving through Imperial County. I know this isn't the kind of thing that sends everyone's heart a flutter but it certainly does make an 8 hour drive more interesting.

The highway did not disappoint. It starts in San Diego near Mission Bay and crosses over the rocky In-Ko-Pah Mountains. As you climb in elevation there are boulders, boulders, everywhere. I felt like I wanted to jump out the window and start climbing. There is something about the rocky desert that I have always loved.  I think in some ways it reminds me of Simi Valley where I grew up.

The closer the interstate creeps towards the border the more you start to notice the overwhelming presence of US Border Patrol. We went through quite a few checkpoints and at almost every one I noticed somebody pulled off to the side of the road for questioning. Pretty impressive considering the road was only sparsely dotted with vehicles. At one checkpoint there was a sign that stated in 2008 over 1700 illegal immigrant arrests were made at that one location along with plenty of drugs busts. I can't remember the exact statistics but it was enough to get a "wow" out of Paul and I. As I was driving along I noticed a large black fence in the distance. It was the border fence. I woke Paul from his nap so he could see it because I thought it was quite exciting.  He probably didn't feel it was worthy of being woken from a nap but he indulged me. I am not sure what I was expecting but I have to say there was something ominous about that fence.  I couldn't help but think about the millions who have tried to cross and their stories, both good and bad. I fully support border security but I also understand why people want to sneak across the border and have a better life. 

There is a stretch of desert near the border that is nothing but sand dunes. You begin to feel as if you are in the Saharan Desert instead of the Sonoran Desert. The light hitting the dunes at sunset paints the sand pastel shades of pink and blue. Oh yeah, and they also look like a blast to roll down!

We crossed over the Colorado River (which was nothing more than a trickle by the time it got that far south) and into Yuma, AZ aka: RV central. Holy cow, I have never seen to many RVs. RV dealerships , RV resorts, RVs on the highway. What was the reason for so many RVs out in the middle of nowhere? Old people. Yes. Old people. Evidently the population of Yuma triples in the winter due to snowbirds. They gather in the dry heat of the desert and play canasta and golf far away from their snow covered homes in the northern portion of the country. I completely understand the desire to flee the frost but Yuma? Maybe because its cheap? I don't get it...

The final stretches of Interstate 8 are desert, desert, and more desert. Saguaro cacti start popping up along side the road and  a more traditional southwestern desert landscape takes hold. Towns are few and far between (including Dateland, home of the world famous date shake) and the occasional cattle ranch permeates the air. Finally Interstate 8 ends as it merges with Interstate 10. It may not most popular route or the prettiest but it does have its charm.  I encourage you to take a road you haven't taken before and to stay tuned as I tell you more about the fun you can have in Tucson with kids!

 

PS- Don't forget to enter my Ski and Stay giveaway here!