Del Mar - Borrego Springs:
One of the finest drives I know is the RT from Del Mar, CA to Borrego Springs, CA. From the cool ocean breeze (or coastal marine layer fog) into the Live Oak-covered foothills, into the evergreen tree-covered mountains and passes, through indian reservations and state parks, over the dry, high desert mountains and passes and finally a curvey steep drop into the hot, low desert of Borrego Springs. Wow, what an amazing set of geological, environmental and temperature conditions to experience in such a short trip!
It's easy to make a loop, instead of an out n' back, because there are so many alternative highways. This drive is fantastic, because in just 2.5 hours (one way) you see so much natural beauty and use such great, uncluttered, and twisty roads (in great condition), that you just want to keep doing it over and over again. There are many, long stretches of road that are curved or straight, where you can really open it up, depending on your mood. I use my Valentine 1 and avoid tickets from the CHP, which is definitely out there gunning for us. So far: no stops or tickets!
Usually my wife and I stay at the modest and impeccably clean Indian's Head motel at the foot of Indian Head Mt, where the food, drink and room are always good. It has a really interesting history of death by fire and rebirth, and notable hollywood stars have been there over the years. The front desk is decorated with their photos: Boris Karloff, Marilyn Monroe, Peter Lawford, etc. There are only 10 rooms, and in the sleepy summer season, it's really inexpensive, because most people don't like the heat. We love the heat, and so does my car! I park the car under the shade of a large tamarask tree, and add the car cover. When it's 105 F, the motel's really huge pool with cool water is to die for! You can just lie there baking in the sun, if you're heat tolerant like we. The desert air is completely dry, with about 6% rel. humidity. Think of drinking Maragritas and nibbling on ripe dates that spontaneously fall into your hands from the Date Palms surrounding the giant pool, which may have 3 or 4 other people at most, usually none. You can sometimes have the whole place to yourself. The avacado/salsa/cheese omelet breakfast is too good also.
The desert scenery is spectacular, if you like lizards, snakes, rocks, sand, pricky pear cactus, ocotillo and creosote bushes, which we do. At night you hear the yip, yip, yip of the coyotes in nearby canyons, which are great places to hike in the morning.
This drive is definitely on the top of our list of great things to do in life, but you don't need to start in the San Diego area to do this. Another great starting point is in the Temecula/Riverside area south of LA, which has its own separate roads that are just as fantastic. On second thought, don't tell anyone else about this place, or it'll be ruined for sure....
Best touring...
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NSXY
95 NSX-T, 5 sp, Red/Tan, Stock, except Dunlaptya SP9000s
[This message has been edited by NSXY (edited 03 December 2001).]
