By the day's end, there will be at least three alternate plans -- and even these don't go exactly as planned, but there is much interest in all,
beginning with engaging discourse with
Dr. John Browning,
first chez toi,
then
out
in
plein
air to
White
Rabbit,
taking leave for adventures,
initially
I-
10
east
to
south
79,
through
the
broken lands that extend down
to
Hemet.
Picking
up
79
east,
it's
a
long incline
steadily gaining elevation through
San Jacinto Canyon,
to the heights of Garner Valley, looking even higher to the San Jacintos, but, as suspected, many areas are restricted, due to last week's fire, with amazingly burned slopes in the Desert Range, south to Fobes and beyond.
Morris
Ranch
Road,
however,
is
open,
so, hoping for the best, proceed upward east to the
Cedar Springs Trailhead, but -- alas -- no,
the way is closed here, too,
despite
the
untouched chaparral on either side of the slopes.
Backtracking,
heading
north,
west of the ridge front,
past
Lake Hemet,
over
Keen Camp
Summit,
the flames perhaps started just north of the
Mountain Center intersection,
though,
continuing beyond on 242 through
Idyllwild,
most of the settled areas seem unscathed,
if perhaps underutilized.
Opting for Plan B,
the next idea is to finish the roadwalk from
Indian Mountain to Vista Grande Fire Station.
With high hopes
(the clock strikes noon --
the psycological half-way point of the year),
first divert for views,
then
proceed
towards
the
surreally
deserted
Lake
Fulmor,
noticing
that
cars
are
only
arriving
in
groups
from
either direction.
As there had been a traffic control area south of the starting point,
realize
that there must be one ahead as well,
and,
sure enough,
there is...
And there's nothing to do but take the car through this one,
which is long enough such that the
walking
distance remaining is minimal back to
the Station.
Well,
another time...
With the day still
relatively young,
tourist-
divert
down
Poppet
Flat
(with
campgrounds,
residences, and
surprisingly bucolic atmospheres)
and,
subsequently
via
the
McMullen-
area
woodlands,
Twin
Pines
Roads
(heroic
views
and
the
surreal
Ranch
Boys
Probation
Camp).
Retrograde,
down,
down
the
Banning-
Idyllwild
Grade,
in
markedly
different
light
than
yesterday,
across the high
Gorgonio country
and
lower
still
into
the
relatedly
unreal
San
Timoteo
Badlands
(or
should
it
be
called
the
Wonderfullands?
or
Wonderland of
Rockish Angles?)
on Route 60 to Moreno Valley, the Box Springs and
Jurupa
Mountains,
out of
Riverside (north 15) and back in
San Bernardino,
10 east again (though farther west) to Yucaipa Grade
and
Boulevard,
casting about
until happening on the Zanja Trailhead.
Uncharacteristically
without
benefit of map,
charge
up
the
trail,
with
a few
detours,
mounting
the
steep,
phantasmagorical
slopes
to at last arrive on the
Ridgecrest, within sight of the highest Peak, which must wait for another auspicious time to be surmounted.
Down
again
the
precipitous
contouring
around,
re-
charging
and
reversing
course
to
the
Brownings'.
Again, with excellent conversation,
out to
Black Angus (visiting briefly with Lisa and company),
then return for more libations and
wisdom into
darkness...
High back home, 91 (48th 90+), on the 130th day of summer, and
locally, 86...
