California, here we come!

We have made it back to California, safe and sound. Made the drive from Los Angeles to Anza-Borrego State Park, and fairly easily picked up our camper from storage, got checked into the park and set up.

After that, there was time to try our bikes out, so we rode into town and purchased a few things from the grocery store before heading back before the sun went behind the mountain in the west at 4:00PM.

We did arrive two hours early at the Kona International airport, as we were advised to do by the lady at the car rental place. It was about an hour's drive from South Kona, including a stop to top of the gas tank near the airport. So, when we arrived in the dark, at 4:20 AM, we were confused to see that the place was closed up, the shuttle van was parked with no one in it, and the gate to the car return lot was closed. We tried calling the 1-800 number for the car rental company, but there was nothing they could do to help us. Finally, we decided that Ron would drop off Mari at the check-in counter with the luggage, return the car with the key in it, and walk the 5 or 10 minute walk back to the check-in counter.

It turns out, there are also no employees present at the check-in counter at 4:30 AM: The airport doesn't open until 5:30!

Fortunately, an employe was at the car rental when he went back, and she said not to worry, we would have plenty of time to check in for our flight, and she was right, of course. We had a fairly uneventful flight.

We had an interesting diversion in Los Angeles, about a block from Fran and Brian's there is a Philipino grocery store where we saw these interesting food items. Did not try any of these, but we did buy some more familiar items, like dried chiles and coconut milk (for the Thai and Indian dishes that we like to cook).

Banana blossoms, regular and brined

Duck eggs

They also had quail eggs, fresh fish of various kinds, and other types of food you might see in other countries at the fresh food markets.

As you approach the town of Borrego Springs from the west, coming down over a mountain, you get a lovely view of the valley below, with the Salton Sea about 40 miles or so away.

Salton Sea in the distance

Borrego Springs sits in the middle of Anza-Borrego State Park

This was after passing through the Temecula Valley, where we saw a lot of grape vines and a few wineries.

It was nice to get to Anza-Borrego with enough sunlight to set up camp and relax just before darkness settled upon us.

Dora was no worse for being left parked in Borrego Springs for 5 weeks

Not much color with the sunset, and the sliver of moon setting in the west over the mountain ridge is difficult to capture, but pretty, nonetheless.

Good night!

Mari and Ron