I don’t typically go “back in time” on the blog, but my time at Jojoba Hills was cut short before I had the chance to write about my stay there. Jojoba Hills is an “over 55” Escapees community near Temecula, CA, about 90 miles outside of San Diego.
My beautiful site in Jojoba Hills.
View from my doorway.
Overall, I enjoyed my stay at Jojoba Hills…beautiful blue sky days spent alternating between the swimming pool and the hot tub. Happy hours at sunset in near-perfect weather. Brew pubs and hiking trails in the Dripping Springs campground nearby. And thanks to friends LuAnn and Terry, I had just about the most perfect spot in the entire compound.
LuAnn (back to camera) and Terry from Paint Your Landscape, Judy Bell from Travels with Emma, Debbie, and Life’s Little Adventurers, Jim and Gayle.
My favorite pastime with Debbie.
But I would be less than honest if I didn’t confess, it borders on a little “too perfect” for me. A little too much like The Stepford Wives, from the unnaturally aquamarine decorative ponds with plastic alligators located around the property, to the “His and Hers” golf carts gliding noiselessly by. By the time I had spent a week there, all I could think about was the old Twilight Zone episode where the train kept passing the same scenery, only to realize the guy had been shrunken, and he was riding on a toy train. I kept passing what appeared to be the same people in their golf carts, always waving. I got tired of waving. I can see where this is paradise for most, but I guess the New Yorker in me still needs a little gritty diversity and edginess to provide some contrast in my life. Some like Vanilla. Some like Rocky Road.
I ended up staying longer in Jojoba Hills than originally planned, postponing my departure, waiting for the perfect day to make a day trip with Jim and Gayle to Idyllwild, a quaint, rustic mountain town in the nearby San Jacinto mountains. Known as “Mile High Idyllwild,” the higher elevation meant heavy fog and cloud cover for most of the weekend, so I extended one day at a time while waiting for a clear weather day on the mountain.
Headed up “Devil’s Slide.”
While in Idyllwide, our intent is to hike the Devil’s Slide Trail to Saddle Junction, 5 miles round trip, with about a 1,700 ft elevation gain. What starts out as a moderately steady climb through giant ponderosa pine forest soon opens up to beautiful vistas overlooking the San Jacintos. We reach Saddle Junction way too soon to turn back on such a fine day. The weather is perfect, Jim is providing his usual witty banter keeping us laughing up the trail, and spirits are high.
The small triangle in the middle is the trail marker for the Pacific Crest Trail.
Saddle Junction is where the trail intercepts the Pacific Crest Trail. Having just finished both the book and the movie “Wild” about Cheryl Strayed’s account of hiking the PCT, I am eager to walk it just a little ways. So we continue on up the PCT, but the scenery along this stretch of the trail pales in comparison to what we have seen on the way up the Devil’s Slide. So with my “I hiked the PCT” curiosity satisfied, we turn around and opt for the more scenic route up through the San Jacinto Wilderness to Tahquitz Peak.
Though we enjoy hearing stories from several PCT through-hikers at Saddle Junction, we never see another person for the remaining 5 miles up to Tahquitz Peak and back. It is just the quintessential hiking day, perfect in every way. The views are spectacular; the air, crisp and cool. The sky is a cobalt blue contrast to the shimmering white patches of dwindling snow pack on the trail. And the smells from the ponderosa pine are intoxicating. We are exhilarated at having made the 10 mile, 2,700 elev. hike to the reach the Fire Lookout, elev. 8,846, where we can see all the way to the Salton Sea.
Historical Tahquitz Mountain Fire Lookout, elev. 8.846
We cap the day off with a stop at Dairy Queen for a round of soft serve cones as the sun begins to drop low in the sky. It’s almost dark when I get back to the Winnie. I walk in, set down my hiking pole, and check my email to find a message from my older brother Don saying “Call me NOW!”
I typically write about the things I want to remember on this blog. I want to remember this most perfect of days, hiking in the beautiful mountains with my dear friends. I want to remember because it was the last day of my brother’s life.
Will I ever return to Jojoba Hills? That remains to be seen. The images are painful in my memory. It took me over a month to view the photos in my camera from this day. But at the same time, had I not extended my stay in Jojoba Hills to do the hike in Idyllwild, I would have continued on to Joshua Tree National Park, where I would have been all alone with no cell signal when the news came. As it was, I had the comfort of friends around me to see me off on the long journey home…
Most excellent walk! A guy wouldn’t guess SoCal is too crowded from up there.
Hi, Alaska Tom — Yes, I agree it was a welcome break from the coastline crowds!
Invocative writing, as ever. Drawing remembrances of old Twilight Zone episodes with a slight shudder. Appreciating the Stepford Wives description of a place too perfect for some. Understanding dichotomy of bliss and pain. Thank you for sharing yourself so fully that it enriches those of us living stationary lives.
Rhonda — What a wonderful comment. Given how I love to write, you made my day.
That really was a perfect day and an excellent hike. We so hated that it ended on such a sad note.
Yes, but always grateful to you, Jim and Debbie for being there…
You have such a talent for telling a story! You draw me into the story, then zap me with the sad ending. Although this is a non-fiction account of your travels, I think your spare time should be spent writing another book! I’ve thought this since I read your first book.
Share your talent on a broader scale!
Reta Kay, if all my “critics” were as kind as you, I might just do it! Thanks for the nice compliment, my dear friend.
Pacific “Crest”Trail…not Coast. Sharon and I are looking forward to meeting you. We are hoping to join the “Gang” in the near future. At least we’re working on it.
We are SO sorry for the loss of your brother. It seems obvious that you were close. We’re glad that you are back in the saddle so to speak, but we also know from experience that grieving does not stop once up on the horse again. It helps to be surrounded by friends as you are.
Thanks, Ed. I stand corrected on the PCT! Guess I can’t get that beautiful Pacific Coast off my mind. 😉
What a beautiful narrative and photos of a life changing day. Nothing happens by coincidence, your friends were with you for a reason. Take one minute, one day at a time, not just a cliche anymore.
Hi, Bobbie — Thanks for the nice sentiment. Yes, I too am a firm believer in “no coincidences.” Hope your days are getting easier…
what a great hike and a fitting day to help offset such a sad time…
Thanks, John. Yes, it was about as extreme of an offset as I hope I experience, but those make life more vivid, don’t they?
We were so glad for the chance to meet you at Jojoba Hills Suzanne and so sorry for how your time ended there. Glad to see you back out on the road again. Hope to see you later this year.
LuAnn — Thanks to you and Terry for making my time there so memorable. I look forward to our next crossing of paths!
Things happen for reasons, to want to stay to see the sights turn into having adequate cell signal. It happens enough to It make me wonder about the overseer.
Thanks for the comment, Robert. With a Mom age 86 and a Dad age 94, still trying to live independently, cell signal no longer feels like a luxury. ;-(
I am glad you were finally able to add this perfect day to your blog memoirs.
Contessa, dear one. Thanks for talking me through the dark passages.
So very sorry about the loss of your brother and so glad you were surrounded by friends when the news came. I hope our paths cross again someday. Until then I love reading your posts. You have an incredible talent with words and photography!
Marti — Thanks so much for the nice compliment! Great to hear from you. Hope you and Charlie are having a good summer. I look forward to seeing you again down the road!
What a gorgeous campsite. What a fantastic hike.
We are glad that you had support by being there. Thanks for sharing your story and pictures of this critical moment in your life.
peace,
Allen and Deede
Thanks, Allen. I always appreciate you and Deede coming along for the ride.
Like you I am not interested in faux perfection. Those his and hers golf carts would have made the hair stand up on the back of my neck!
Hi, Pam — The part that got to me was the bizarre turquoise coloring that was added to all the ponds. I was told it was to hold down algae growth, but I think I would have rather seen the algae. 😉
I do so often believe there is a reason for things that happen the way they do. So very glad you were with friends when you received this devastating news and that you were in area that service.
I do so agree with your summary of this or any park of this kind. I had to laugh as I read your description aloud to John. I shutter at the thought of being around so many of the same people all the time. I have come to discover in my retirement that I really am very much a loner (with John of course). I enjoy people for awhile for awhile but really do need my time with just us. I’m so chomping at the bit to get back to PA and my own MH:)
It’s great to see you having a good time with the gang in Ouray:) Hike one for me!!
It was a lousy way to cap an exhausting although beautiful day. Wish we could have done more.
By the way, you should write a book someday 😉