27 March through 3 April 2011 I purchased the Tosh-Ma-Haul at the beginning of March 2011. Since I try to use my RV at least once a month (why have it if you are not going to use it) I scheduled its maiden voyage a couple of weeks later. Although I am no longer teaching college classes (retired May 2009) I am still working full time (though not for long) so I decided, to get the most out of the short time off that I was using by taking her somewhere nearby. I thought about going up the coast to Santa Barbara or Carmel, but realized that I would be wasting two full days traveling (one getting there and one getting back). Ultimately, I decided to visit Dos Picos Regional Park, which is one of my favorite places to visit.
The drive up the hill, once you get past the sprawling metropolis that San Diego has become, is miles and miles of beautiful California Landscape. Along the way one sees oak trees, beautiful four to five hundred year old pepper trees (not indigenous – they were brought in by Franciscan monks in the 1600’s and 1700’s), interspersed with fields of natural grasses, and (if it is not rush hour) experience the feeling of being on the road all by yourself.
California has two seasons: Green begins around Thanksgiving when the rains begin. The rains end in January or February. The Green gradually fades into Yellow/Brown sometime in June. Coastal California has a mild climate without extremes. However, the further inland one travels the more the climate changes. Visitors to San Diego County often comment on the huge boulders, as big as a house, that dot the landscape. The boulders were formed when the granitic rock that makes up the mountains was brought to the surface by movements of the earth’s crust. Over eons, exposure to the wind and rain has worn the granite to its present configuration.
Ramona is an unincorporated community in almost the geographic center of San Diego County (it is a little to the west and north of the actual center). Even though Ramona was “founded” and named in 1886 by a wealthy land speculator (Milton Santee) it was inhabited for hundreds of years. Prior to being named by Mr. Santee, the settlement had been called Nuevo by Spanish settlers. In fact, during the civil war the Battle of San Pasqual was fought just a few miles north of Ramona near the San Diego Zoo’s Safari Park. (This picture is of my old RV not the new one.)
Ramona is an unincorporated community in almost the geographic center of San Diego County (it is a little to the west and north of the actual center). Even though Ramona was “founded” and named in 1886 by a wealthy land speculator (Milton Santee) it was inhabited for hundreds of years. Prior to being named by Mr. Santee, the settlement had been called Nuevo by Spanish settlers. In fact, during the civil war the Battle of San Pasqual was fought just a few miles north of Ramona near the San Diego Zoo’s Safari Park. (This picture is of my old RV not the new one.)
However, before the valley was permanently settled, it was inhabited by the Digueno, a semi-nomadic Native American band that is considered part of the Kumeyaay Nation. The Digueno established temporary settlements in the oak grove that is now at the heart of Dos Picos Regional Park. The route from the coastal plains near Del Mar and their more permanent mountain settlement near Julian CA led them past the pleasant little grove. The Digueno spent several weeks at the campground each spring and fall. Their presence is indicated by archeological evidence such as rock paintings, etchings, and grinding stones used to grind acorns into meal for bread. Some of these can be observed when using the hiking trails.
As the highway climbs gradually up from sea level through the hills it feels as if you are a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of city life. With each mile the tension that goes along with the “rat-race” found in any large city fades and a sense of well being settles in. Dos Picos is on the western edge of a moderately sized valley. When you top the hill and start down into the valley you can see Ramona in the distance. With a sigh you realize that you are almost at your final destination. All you have to do is turn right at the next corner – and drive a little ways – well a couple of miles.
Dos Picos name, Spanish for “two peaks,” is derived from two prominent mountains nearby. The park is sheltered on three sides by steep, boulder-strewn mountain slopes with grassland on the eastern side. The facility is designed to highlight the ancient oak grove. Its secluded location helps to preserve the impression of being isolated even though you are only a few miles from home.
Dos Picos is home to an abundance of animal and plant life. Coyote, fox, possum, skunk, and raccoon are all seen in the park and on the nature trails. Great blue herons, great egrets, and several species of ducks can be found on the small lake (really a large pond). You can see red-shouldered hawks, woodpeckers, scrub jays, as well as bluebirds and many more. California quail are afoot in the early mornings (I was sitting on the steps to my RV one morning enjoying a cup of tea when a mother and her brood strutted past on their way to the pond). Not all of the flying creatures are birds though. There are butterflies, moths, and dragon-flies. The evening skies are filled with the sounds of barn, screech, and great horned owls. If you sit in the picnic grove, really quiet and still, right at twilight, you can watch the bats come out swooping around catching bugs.
One of the reasons I particularly like Dos Picos is because it was designed for use by campers and picnickers in semi-seclusion. I have been to RV parks and campgrounds that only had a few feet of space between each campsite, such as Campland on the Bay (in San Diego) and Silver Strand State Park (on the beach). When that is the case, it is not about the camping experience it is about surfing or boating or swimming. At Dos Picos, each of the 57 campsites and most of the picnic tables are fitted into the 78-acre site as naturally as possible. There are large open spaces between each campsite. Some of the sites, because of the plant growth provide the illusion that you are out in the wilderness alone (except that you can hear other people around). So it is about being out in the country and experiencing the environment.
Besides the flora and fauna there are several activities at hand. There are horseshoe pits, play areas, and a soccer field. One afternoon I took my folding chair and watched a rowdy game of soccer for a couple of hours. Anglers may throw a line in the large pond (built by the WPA in the 1930’s) or visit nearby Lake Poway or Lake Sutherland. Fishing is “catch and release” at all three bodies of water, so I don’t fish. If I catch a fish I want to fry it up and since that is not allowed, forget the fishing.
When I planned my Maiden Voyage, I took along several things that I wanted to “work on” while getting away. I brought a couple of books that I had been wanting to read for some time. I read one and started the other while away. I spent a couple hours each evening working on a quilt I am making for my granddaughter. Since there are two TV’s I brought along several movies that I had purchased but didn’t even turn the TV on. One thing that was provided with the Tosh-Ma-Haul by Winnebego was a large bag full of manuals. I set a goal for myself that during the Maiden Voyage I would wade through all the data. I only got a small portion of them looked through and/or read. I wound up taking the majority home and intend to read more before my next adventure.
My next trip will be to Prescott AZ for May Madness, come join me then…
