And so, I went home -

[kyburg]

And I took the camera with me. Bear in mind, these aren't any example of the kinds of photography I like to do - this is shooting-while-driving stuff, and I really can frame much better than this.

However, much of the day, the sun was in my eyes. Gorgeous day to be driving around in.

Welcome to where I grew up - I was born and raised at the foot of this mountain -





After I spent an hour or so showing Mom the new car and taking care of a couple of errands, I decided to head up into the mountains for a drive I hadn't taken in years. I love Idyllwild - I have lots of fond memories of snow trips, summers worked under the trees and much shopping.


Shot outside the car door in the parking lot of one my favorite haunts in Idyllwild - note the large rock sticking up in the middle of the frame, near the bottom - Lily Rock, otherwise known as Tahquitz rock. It's a favorite for rock climbers, but it also has something of a mythic history that has defied my ever getting a clear story of exactly what, who and when related to Lily Rock - it's also called suicide rock.

Note the trees. You step out of the car, and you immediately smell the scent of conifer sap - similar to vanilla, but keener. Walk up to a redwood and stick your nose between the cracks in the bark. Mmmmm.

That, mixed with the scent of wood-burning stoves, and you have the scent of the afternoon.


One of my old favorites - the Grey Squirrel of Idyllwild. These folks stock everything one needs for a cabin weekend - books, games, warm clothes, good music, candles, incense and craft supplies. And they've been there for-freaking-ever. I remember visiting them when I was too small to see over the counter at the cash register. That long.


Heading down the other side, this is the view off one of the turns going down - this is looking towards the San Bernardino mountains, just west of San Gorgonio. These are all tectonic enscarpments - what all the ranges in Southern California are made up of - the only main difference is age. We don't have many water or glacier-carved canyons or valleys, and very little folding activity. Just a whole lotta shaking going on.


This is Mt. San Gorgonio, the tallest thing around - San Jacinto Peak is 10,804' - San Gorgonio is 11,501'. Not too many peaks are taller - Mt. Whitney being one of the first that come to mind, being over 14,000'. I've been to the top of San Jacinto - once.

I brought home a peach-apple pie from an old favorite bakery - and some more cookbooks.

And, now I fwump. I pooped.

Comments

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

That's nifty. :) Reminds me of the third chapter in John McPhee's "Control of Nature," though. :)

[being-homeless.livejournal.com]

this felt like reading a post by destined4nothin except you are twice his age, lacking an orange mohawk and there are no volvos in your pictures... :)

looked fun though! :)

[smilenfrown.livejournal.com]

Looks like summer.... I need to move south, WAY south... :(

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

That's winter and spring. Summer is more of a golden hue. :)

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Summers, all that green gets toasted golden brown - and then catches fire. Yup, yup.

120 in the summer there. Been there, done that. Lost the t-shirt.

[poetpaladin.livejournal.com]

I've never been to Idylwild. Or Big Bear. Or places like that! I should go one day. Soo, I hope.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

Oh, let's make a date of it and go up to take pictures! You'd do a wonder of it, I'm certain!

[shirasade]

Now you've made me want to go on a roadtrip! :)

[miwasatoshi.livejournal.com]

Been years since I've been up there. Thanks!

[unclejimbo.livejournal.com]

Pictures taken from the New Hawtness...

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

Which performed like a champ!

(BTW, I'm approaching 1,000 on the odometer...*_*)

[stronae.livejournal.com]

Delightful!

[odiedragon.livejournal.com]

We went to that bookshop this summer! I think that's where we bought a present for one of our friends. :)

[zyrc.livejournal.com]

!!!!!!!!!!

Wow. Brings back my childhood! My dad worked as the ranch manager for Fleming Ranch, which was a 1300-acre ranch that you reached by driving up a 7 mile dirt road just outside of Mountain Center. Our back entrance took us down to Idyllwild, and my dad taught at a private high school there. Many hikers would cross our property to get to the top of Mt Tahquitz, and the fire lookout there.

Very cool photos - thank you so much.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

Are you sure we couldn't have crossed paths? How long ago could that have been -

Yes, I know of where you speak - anyone ever need to go down the hill to Hemet Valley Hospital for anything?

[zyrc.livejournal.com]

Hemet was our monthly grocery run. We'd go there and make a day of it. My dad may have gone to the hospital there - he died of cancer and starting getting sick right after he picked up that job on the ranch. We were on the ranch from 75-79 or so. Then he became too sick to work, brought some land outside of Anza, and spent a lot of time at Loma Linda.

We may have indeed crossed paths! What was the name of that bakery in Idlywild? The Baker's Forest or something? We always stop there when we did dump runs.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

AUGH. It's now a antique "emporium" - I was never so sad to see a place go as Baker when it did. *sniffs*

Bread Basket Too is still there - got coffee and cookies to eat on the way down the hills there.

Oh it's very possible you ran into my mother at least - at the VERY least - I was still running around there then, I was in high school (graduated 1978) - and went to school at Mt. Mickey Mouse until 1980. (Finished up at San Bernardino Valley College, 1981 with my AA - and never looked back.)

I spent a summer at Azalea Trails in 1981 - as a camp counselor.

Small world, tiny world...spin, spin, spin!

Hwy 243..

[n6vfp.livejournal.com]

Looks too familiar. I've cut through those curves all the way from one end of the San Jacinto's to the other, in a car, on a motorcycle, and in my 4X4 in winter. Great little escape, no skiing, so no crowds, just remember the pleasant hours lazing away along side of Lake Fulmor or hanging out in 'downtown' Idyllwild. I have met Dick Clark, Wink Martindale, and other celebrities escaping there. Brad Pit was seen there last month. Did you realize that now there is a new national monument that includes Mt. San Jacinto and Mt Santa Rosa? It became official this year. I think.