With my last post I told you I was looking forward to reporting on some Non-Baja travels I’ve been on since leaving a hospital back in October. Well,
here they come. I hope you find them as interesting and entertaining….
….as they were/are for me and my trusty ‘trip advisor’.
“Say WHAT!?” “What the…? TRIP Advisor? TRIP ADVISOR?? So when did I get THAT promotion? My job description says ‘Duck and Tennis Ball Retriever.’
I have nothing to do with whatever turns you make on this trip. Even though I have curled up on a few Holiday Express floors and could do the job, my
pay grade does not include any extra duties.”
Whoops! Sheesh…. Please excuse that little outburst, amigos. Call it a sign of the times and let it go. Too dang bad, though. Really good
willing-to-work trip advisors are sooo hard to find these days.
But not to complain too much, as I have loved all my dogs dearly. Here’s a timely anecdote & quote about dogs: “Owners of
dogs will have noticed that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection, they will think you
are god. Whereas owners of cats are compelled to realize that, if you provide them with food and water and shelter and affection,
they draw the conclusion that they are gods.”
Back on track, I should warn you in advance about the way I am presenting the following events. My trip reports will not be in chronological order.
Actually, there will be no order at all on this journey….nor a direction or destination. My motorhome’s knick-name pretty much explains our
motivations & future.…Tumbleweed.
When last I posted and bored you with healthcare events, (not to worry folks, I won’t be mentioning those again.) I was having a reunion lunch on the
Oceanside pier with Nomad Don Jorge. A good visit at a nice place. That’s been a favorite oceanfront spot for a long, long
time. I imagine it’s also a familiar visit and hangout with lots of you?
Oceanside Pier Boardwalk, December 2012
I take up this non-Baja trip report from San Diego…and head east a few hundred miles with the prevailing wind.
Plus my birthday was almost here and I decided to treat myself to a return visit at the Grand Canyon.
However, as with most trips, there was a slight detour involved on the way to the great Grand Canyon….a diversion, so to speak. In this case, the
diversion happened because I got ravenously hungry. A hearty sandwich followed by some pie seemed the perfect pursuit! (Surely there’ll be some
kibbles or beef bones around for a certain ‘trip advisor’. )
The Sandwich… Sandwiches are wonderful. You don't need a spoon or a plate!
In particular, a Sammy made with Dudley’s bread Is it just me, or is this everyone’s favorite bread?
“Never order food in excess of your body weight.”
The Pie
So…. where is some good bread & pie?
Answer: Welcome to Julian, California. You’re gonna like it here.
How to get there? Access to Julian is limited to three major roads. The northern access is via State Route 76/State Route 79, which ultimately links
to various other roads and highways serving northern San Diego and southwestern Riverside counties, including at least three different access routes
to Interstate 15. The 76/79 is the route I followed from Oceanside. It was a piece of cake….or in this case, a very tasty mountain berry-apple
crumb pie.
Other routes are: State Route 78 comes to Julian from the west, providing access to Ramona and Escondido. The eastern access is State Route 78, which
descends the eastern slope of the mountains to intersect with State Route 86 in Imperial County; this is the least commonly used of the three routes.
The southern access is State Route 79 through Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, which provides a link to Interstate 8
JULIAN is indeed a premier mountain getaway, about an hour east of San Diego, in the Cuyamaca mountains. You really do take a step back in time to
the days of Julian’s beginning rooted in the 1870s gold rush. Get away from the hectic rush of city life . . . discover the charms of Julian. See
where gold was discovered . . . . Shop in stores housed in historic buildings . . . some dating back to the 1870s . . . . Sleep in a romantic
B&B or historic hotel . . . Hike and picnic amid majestic oaks . . . . Ride down Main Street in a horse-drawn carriage. Enjoy!, I did. Why,
you can even visit the Wolf Center…or take a quick tour of the Julian Jail, a two-cell jail, built in 1914, served as classy overnight accommodations
for town drunks. For a time the jail contained the only indoor toilet in Julian. And no..I was not on overnight guest.
….or most importantly you can…. Sample some delicious pies.
Note: You can file this part in the Non-Baja Restaurant Reviews with this historical note to remember: “Seize the moment. Remember all those on
the 'Titanic' who waved off the dessert cart.”
Health food may be good for the conscience but pie tastes a hell of a lot better.
“We must have a pie. Stress cannot exist in the presence of a pie.”
“Never order food in excess of your body weight.”
When leaving Julian, you can easily visit this great camping spot…Borrego Desert State Park.
Anza Borrego Desert State Park (760) 767-5311
Many nomads visit this wondrous place. Lots of excellent boondock camping, biking, hiking, a large variety of flowering cacti, palm groves, bighorn
sheep and exotic birds….and the odd pie crusts.
If that is not enough for you then try this lovely & serene retreat….
Labyrinth in the Oaks
This is quite the place, too. A luxurious yet rustic retreat advertising the largest labyrinth in CA. Wow..?? (760) 889-1062
The Julian area. It’s a different kind of place. Try it, you won’t be sorry.
Now, being well-fed and watered, I prod my reluctant trip advisor/duck-ball fetcher into picking an interesting stretch of road to the east….because
after all, we must regain the trail to the Grand Canyon.
Hmm….interesting?…yes, well.. Okay, it’s east anyway…guess we’ll follow it for a bit.
And so we did…
....until something up ahead caught my eye. Hmmm.....another diversion, no doubt?...but that’s another story...
Thought of the day:
“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
[Edited on 1-1-2013 by Pompano]
[Edited on 1-2-2013 by BajaNomad]
Bravo!
Gypsy Jan - 12-31-2012 at 03:21 PM
Eastward ho!
Cheers, GJbajamedic - 12-31-2012 at 03:34 PM
I am so glad you are back... where next? JHHook - 12-31-2012 at 03:45 PM
We do miss Dudley's. Fav bread was some type of pepper cheese bread.
But our absolute favorite item was the dark chocolate croissants. Often sold out, if you didnt get there before noon.
Julian was an annual event for us, when the apples were ready in the fall.
Still miss Tom's Chicken Shack (long closed) and the Farmer's stand with the quaint little zoo in back (also kaput, after many years being open). I
think the upper left pic in your Julian montage was the old entrance to Farmer's. I thought their cider was the best of all of them up there.
Anybody know if the Manzanita Ranch is still going? It has gone through a few ebbs and flows, over the years. I was last there in maybe 2007 and they
had begun wine tasting in there, IIRC.
It sure is good to read of your travels again, Roger.Bob H - 12-31-2012 at 04:07 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by Hook
Anybody know if the Manzanita Ranch is still going? It has gone through a few ebbs and flows, over the years. I was last there in maybe 2007 and they
had begun wine tasting in there, IIRC.
Classic photo of Manzanita Ranch at this link... I also wonder if it's still there.
Got a jar of apple butter in the fridge for tomorrow's bagel.
“Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what’s for lunch.”Hook - 12-31-2012 at 05:10 PM
You cad!! Rubbing it in, now!!!! wessongroup - 12-31-2012 at 07:14 PM
Good to see you "moving" desertcpl - 1-1-2013 at 10:48 AM
we followed you in your foot steps last week
we was at the Ocean side pier, went out to Rubys and had a beer
then the next day headed east and a stop at Dudley's bakery picked up a few loafs of bread, then next door picked up a couple of pies from Julians pie
company, then on to Borrero Springs where we spent the night, then on home to Yuma the next dayBajaboy - 1-1-2013 at 10:51 AM
Next time you must check out The Bailey BBQ...awesome food, incredible beer, and great desserts.desertcpl - 1-1-2013 at 11:04 AM
where is Bailys BBQBajaboy - 1-1-2013 at 11:17 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by desertcpl
where is Bailys BBQ
Welcome back !! And a great way to start the new year reading a post from you !!! whats the labador name ?? K&TBajaBlanca - 1-1-2013 at 11:36 AM
Hubbie Les and I agree .... nice to see you are back and reading about Julian this is a great way to start off the New Year.Pompano - 1-1-2013 at 11:57 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by Bajaboy
Next time you must check out The Bailey BBQ...awesome food, incredible beer, and great desserts.
And that I will..Many Thanks. Like almost everyone, I love BBQ.
captkw, the chocolate's name is Cheyenne. Loves people, travel, and water. We've been together a while....
Nomad motto: Never miss an opportunity to post a pic of your dog.
[Edited on 1-1-2013 by Pompano]Heather - 1-2-2013 at 12:19 AM
Oceanside...my hometown!
I graduated from high school at the little amphitheater next to the pier....won't tell you how many years ago...nor will I mention the winning
football teams from OHS...O'side...you know!David K - 1-2-2013 at 02:04 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by Bob H
Quote:
Originally posted by Hook
Anybody know if the Manzanita Ranch is still going? It has gone through a few ebbs and flows, over the years. I was last there in maybe 2007 and they
had begun wine tasting in there, IIRC.
Classic photo of Manzanita Ranch at this link... I also wonder if it's still there.
Not any more... very sad it couldn't survive the economy or maybe they just retired? I grew up going there on many a Sunday drive with my folks...
drinking the help-yourself apple cider from that big oak barrel dispenser.
I am so glad you are back... where next? JH
