Anza-Borrego 2017

A desert bloom the likes of which we haven't seen in perhaps 10 years happened this spring. An end to the drought (hopefully) produced nice, steady desert rains in December, January and February and gave rise to one of the most spectacular displays of foliage that I can recall. Linda and I headed to the southern-most section of Anza-Borrego State Park and witnessed a desert wildflower masterpiece without all the crowds that were packed into Borrego Springs. We camped in a beautiful cove of rock and cactus that had been vacated by all the weekend warriors by the time we set up camp. The nearest camper was about a half mile away that night!

The next day we ventured into the town of Borrego Springs, and while the crowds had thinned a bit compared with the weekend, it was still busier than I've ever seen.

Something new since our last visit was the metal sculptures of Borrego Springs. As you drive through the roads that weave through the area you'll see sculptures of wild horses in a nearby field, sabertooth tigers in pursuit, and desert tortoises that seem as if they're crawling through the brush. The artist, Ricardo Breceda, brings life to his sculptures by capturing each creature in motion. They are so still, yet all you see is movement.

The late Dennis Avery, land owner of Galleta Meadows Estates in Borrego Springs envisioned the idea of adding 'free standing art' to his property with original steel welded sculptures created by 'Perris Jurassic Park' owner/artist/welder Ricardo Breceda based in Perris, California. There are over 130 metal sculptures located in Borrego Springs.