SPRINGTIME IN THE LOCAL MOUNTAINS

A week ago I recruited my two friends, Chris and Myrna, to join me on a drive to Mount Laguna and then through Cuyamaca State Park. We had a nice spring day with light winds, and sunny skies.

The purpose of the drive was for me to become more comfortable with my new car, a 2015 Subaru Forester:

PROUD NEW OWNER

and to experience it out in the back country. We stopped on the way up Mount Laguna, which is located about 60 miles East of San Diego, to take in the view to the East in the mountains. Of course we had to take a couple of advertising type photos.

HIKING BUDDIES

After visiting the Mt. Laguna Store we returned to the Wooded Hill

trail for a leisurely walk in the woods. We hiked a 1.5 mile trail where we saw about 25 different flowers in bloom. Here are some of my favorites –

BABY BLUE EYES -

CHECKER BLOOM - 

DIAMOND CLARKIA -

PINE INDIAN PAINTBRUSH -

LITTLE MONARDELLA  -

CALIFORNIA THISTLE - 

YELLOW PINCUSHION  - 

WILD ONION -

GOLDEN YARROW W/BUG - 

 BLACK OAK  -

SHINY-LEAF YERBA SANTA

Then of course there were some nice black oaks, laurel sumac, Manzanita, chamise, and pine trees.

We enjoyed a late lunch at Lake Cuyamaca Restaurant and Store where the French fries melted in your mouth and the pies were very tempting but as we had only hiked about two miles total, we passed on the pie.

It was fun and relaxing day in the “back country”.