Back to dry Camping at Hot springs Holtville California,

Where are we today ?

Hot Springs BLM, Holtville California

        Had a great nights sleep and up early as usual. Coffees computing walkabouts and secure our coach to travel, on the road at 9:30 am. No rush today we are only moving 34 miles west down I-8. Through the Imperial Sand dune recreation area to the Hot Springs BLM Long Term visitor area. Permit for two weeks is $40.00, dry camping or $180.00 for 7 months.  (no hookups) in the desert. BLM = Bureau of Land management.
        We love these areas  for a few reasons. No reservations, lotsa space (we can be as secluded as we like), come and go as you please and move from one area to the next with this permit. This particular place has pit toilets and Hot Springs too, wonderful.

34 miles today, through the Imperial Sand dunes

         A few dune buggies passed us along the way heading into the dunes to play, this one below is a "sand rail". An expensive high powered toy to play in the sand dunes.

you can see the huge fence along the Mexican border

         Just before turning off the interstate you can see this small Oasis off to the side. This is the Hot Springs that are so comforting.

         We found a spot near our friends. I mentioned that we would be here on the first, quite a while ago but failed to tell them we extended our stay at Pilot Knob and we would arrive two days later. Well we sure were told by everyone that you guys are late, wondered what happened.

         Had met this group here in 2007 our first winter touring the southern states. They are all from Northern Ontario, Kenora, Dryden. Its been a couple years, but everyone is still looking great. So nice to see old friends.

solar panel tilted, a group of friends close by

Love the hot springs here

nice lagoon

A nice hot sunny day, reading in the shade

we have a nice view, not crowded

         As we are reading for a while in the shade another couple dropped on by. Al and Cathy from Montana. We met them at the BLM land in Quartzsite 2007 and almost every year since then. They used to spend the winter there. Now their desert spot of choice is the Hot Springs, BLM here in Holtville CA. Had a nice chat with them so nice to see after a couple years.

they have a new Dachshund, her name is Chewy and
she is a soft hair breed, so cute. 

         Now at 3pm it is the standard happy hour to day at Oscar a Judy's so we all gather around with a few snacks, and social time, catching up with everyone.

Don and Ailene have lotsa solar

         New Years day we had a turkey dinner with friends at Pilot Knob and they are on the road exploring other places. Rob and Pat donated the turkey carcass to us so I made a huge pot of turkey noodle soup. I finished making it today when we arrived and brought it out for Happy hour just enough for 10 servings, the whole bunch of us here.
         A few other nibblies supplied like Jalpano poppers, chips and home made baked goods.

lively conversation all around the table
and the afternoon just flew on by

lotsa small dogs, Suzie got her Doggie fix

         Now shortly after 5 o'clock (California time now) the sun is beginning to set and cooling down so we all head back home.  A light supper after all our appetizer's earlier on.

a couple of Apple Cinnamon Sausage from Swiss meat in Missouri

they don't take long on our Weber Q

 a small lettuce salad did the trick.

        Now as I am in the process of posting our blog all of a sudden our internet quits. Hmmmmm,, a quick check tells me we had hit our 10 GB limit only two weeks into the month. OOOPPPS..... must have been all those live video chats with family over the holiday season. We prepay for 30 day or 10 GB on our Verizon MIFI, so needed to wait until the morning to hit a Dollar General and top up our account.

        Looks like we got that done so now can post our blog even though it is a little late.

       Thanks for joining us in the desert of southern California, here the weather is perfect.  

Posted by George, a.k.a. "The Weber "Q" Man of Blogland" according to Rick Doyle. 

 Check out the map below to see where we have been this Winter

View Winter 2013-14 in a larger map