Rumfish y Vino

It was around this time that we gave Rumfish y Vino another chance and realized that the Belize-themed restaurant in a remodeled piece of historic downtown Ventura deserved a lot more play. We had previously only dined on the patio during Happy Hour, but this time discovered the delights of the indoor area. Above photo by Mrs.

aphid fest

One explanation of why all the ladybugs is that they were seen feasting on these sickly mustard plants covered with aphids. A food chain in action: ladybugs feasting on aphids feasting on mustard plants.

ladybug fest

High in the hills above the botanical gardens... I wasn't expecting it but it was interesting. Above, the ladybug that landed on my pants.

 

Jocelyn

Emma Wood State Beach

Emma Wood State Beach, the way it looked on Jan 21 (above) and Jan 25 (below).

piñatas

Piñatas in the shape of Mexican beer bottles.

Javi contemplates the desert

Javi contemplates 29 Palms, Twentynine Palms, and possibly Joshua Tree National Park before heading back to his coastal home.

29 Palms breakfast

Nice to be having breakfast inside when it's cold out...

29 Palms morning

January mornings in the desert are quite cold...

29 Palms sunset stroll

There was just enough time to do the stroll we normally do, catch the Twentynine Palms version of the "pink moment" and confirm that the old houseboat that used to be in the pond is still in dry dock.

Cabin Y revisited

A long drive across the desert including a new route along the eastern edge of Joshua Tree National Park (highway 177) brought us to our old friend the 29 Palms Inn. I had previously stayed in Cabin Y, but Mrs had not, so it was good to share that experience with her.

American Public Gardens Association

Sometimes you book a room at the Westward Look Wyndham in Tucson not realizing that your visit overlaps with a conference of the American Public Gardens Association. 

breakfast fiasco

I did not mind getting up early for breakfast. I did not mind walking in the cold to get there. I did not mind the coffee, and I did not mind gazing out the window at the beautiful cacti and succulents. I didn't even mind that they brought me the wrong breakfast. What I minded was that it then took them an hour to get the correct breakfast on a day when we had a long drive ahead of us.

Westward Look sunset

Perhaps the aesthetic highlight of the evening was arriving at this observation deck at sunset. The mountains and the (normally yellow) walls were aglow with orange and ochre hues.

Hummingbird Trail

 

On the other side of the lodging area is the paved Hummingbird Trail which also offers nice vistas of the mountains as well as a labyrinth. The fine photo above was taken by Mrs, who was seen strolling down this trail.

Saguaro Trail

Just across the road from the lodging area, the Saguaro Trail is an actual piece of rugged Sonoran Desert in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains. The trail wasn't that long, but I appreciated it.

Westward Look Wyndham

Looking back on it, the best things about the Westward Look Wyndham in the Tucson foothills were 1) the desert landscaping of the grounds, which are surrounded by actual desert 2) the classic southwestern decor of the lobby and 3) the way the sun illuminated the golden-yellow-ochre walls and buildings. Whoever thought of that was a genius.

Javi in Texas Canyon

Arizona rest area

To be precise, the famous Texas Canyon rest area... but by naming it "Texas Canyon" they have created a  bit of geographic confusion. To those in the know however, it's one of the first things you encounter along the I-10 in Arizona.

New Mexico rest area, part 2

This isn't the first time we've encountered this bizarre method of surveying. The pre-digital technology was no doubt conceived in an earlier decade. One of my concerns is if people are pressing the button right after using the bathroom, is it sanitary? Surveys are great, but soap and hot water are even more important to spend money on at a rest area.

New Mexico rest area

It's hard not to like the design of this rest area which has such a distinctly New Mexican feel...