We’ve moved further west and increased our altitude to nearly 5000 feet. Less cacti and more pine trees. Temperatures dropped by 20 degrees, yeah! The area is east of San Diego and just outside the old gold mining town of Julian. A quaint little town locally famous for it’s apple pies. So after a brief visit to the local grocer, we pick up a “Mom’s” apple pie and some ice cream and head off for Paso Picacho Campground.

We check in, find our site and get settled in. A bit later I here a yelp from Magy, she’s been bitten by an ant. After looking around a bit we discover a colony of a million ants living in the oak tree we’re camped next to. We move.

Acorn woodpeckers are also prolific here, there must be over a hundred living in this campground. They are very vocal with one another and are in the process of building nesting sites for the colony. They clock in early and punch out late.

There is also a Red Shouldered hawk nesting somewhere in the vicinity but we have not located the nest as of yet.

There are several hiking trails in the area that should keep us busy for the next few days.

Happy Trails,
Mike