Geocaching to a FAULT

On a beautiful Spring morning here on the desert, we went Geocaching again into an area in which we had never been before. The 4-wheel drive road took us into and through the infamous San Andreas Fault, north of Palm Springs. The jumbled and tortured landscape resembled that of the San Jacinto Fault, one of the subjects of the blog post that precedes this one.

We searched for 7 caches but found only 4; which merely means we’ve more fun to have when we return for a second look.

It suddenly occurred to me that, given the very recent shaking on the southern end of the San Andreas Fault, beneath the surface of the Salton Sea, might make being in this area a little foolhardy. It was getting quite warm by that point anyhow, so we packed it in and called it a day.

Geocaching continues to be an enjoyable hobby. I may even teach a course next year at one of the parks in which we stay.

Geocaching amongst the Prehistoric Monsters in Borrego Springs, CA.

We’re still enjoying the geocaching hobby in which we use gps coordinates to locate hidden “caches” all over the place. It’s fun, it’s somewhat of a technical challenge, it gets one out of doors, and it takes you to places you might never have visited otherwise. In this photo I’m actually contemplating whether it’s worth the physical pain to walk across that little wash in search of a nearby cache.

Last week, in pursuit of more “treasures” we took a 90 mile (one-way) trip to Borrego Springs, CA, a tiny community located about 30 miles due west of the center of the Salton Sea. Driving to Borrego Springs from the Salton Sea you pass through the San Jacinto earthquake fault. This fault is the most active branch of the infamous San Andreas fault that runs just ½ mile from the RV resort in which we live all winter.

The scene going through the fault is the most amazingly folded and crumpled piece of geography that a have ever seen and to realize that this damage occurred in one primary upheaval is truly frightening. Deep canyons and towering bluffs make it almost a lunar landscape.

Today, people who enjoy off-road vehicles enjoy the many trails that snake in and around these formations in the Anza-Borrego State Off-Road vehicle park and campgrounds.

Our trip this far to geocache was augmented by our wish to see the fabulous statues erected in the area of animals that inhabited this area in prehistoric times. They are life-size and beautifully crafted. The odd elephant-like creatures in the photo above are named Gomphotheriums.

In the case of the bird below, the artist displays the mythical bird known as the “ROC”. The bird was supported by metal poles, that have been removed in this photograph for effect.

The weather this day was wonderful with a temperature around 80 degrees and light winds. It was a wonderful and informative outing in which we located 7 more geocaches.