Picture by: David Rasmussen 3/16/2003

Desert Bloom Run 2003
Run Pictures

DATE:   Saturday March 29th, 2003

TIME:   10:00am 

PLACE: Stater Brother Shopping Center
                31813 US Highway 79 South, Temecula

DIRECTIONS:  Take the 15 to exit US 79 South in Temecula. Go east 2.1 miles to the Stater Brothers Shopping plaza. Park in from of Stein Mart at the end near the Chevron Station.

LEADER:   Steve Diffenbacher, sdiffen@earthlink.net   909.466.8733 H*

DETAILS:   The Desert Bloom Run is a joint SOCALM and San Diego Miata Club adventure. The primary purpose of this run is the driving and great roads. However, we have tried to time it to coincide with the time the desert wildflowers are typically at their peak. Many factors determine which flowers will bloom and when in a given year. The 2003 bloom season has the potential to be a good year for some of the wildflowers. Wildflowers differ from perennials. You can count on the perennials blooming every year, but not the wildflowers. Because wildflowers only bloom in the spring when the desert climate is moderate, wildflower colors are often quite spectacular. Some years you can come over a rise to a beautiful patchwork of blue, orange, white, magenta, and yellow.

The run begins in Temecula at 10:00 and goes through wonderful high-speed sweepers before coming to the top of Montezuma's grade. Montezuma's grade will quickly wind its way down to the desert floor offering great views and nice tight, twisty turns.

There will be a one-hour lunch break in Borrego Springs where you will have your choice of approximately 6 restaurants to eat lunch, but save room for desert at the next stop. From Borrego Springs we will rise out of the desert floor on more great roads to snake along Wynola Road. This 4-mile stretch of road is, well let's just say twisted.

Our next stop will be in Santa Ysabel, where you can get a piece of Julian pie at Dudley's Bakery or the Julian Pie Company. The next leg of the run will take us through the fragrant orange blooms and arrive about 3:30 at the Mission San Antonio De Pala. Here you can tour the mission or just discuss all the great sights, great food and great time you had on the run.

A website with photos and information on the run can be found at http://home.earthlink.net/~karendiff/

You can RSVP to sdiffen@earthlink.net