It only takes a few hours on I-15 to get from Temecula to Baker where we turn north towards
Tecopa Hot Springs. Since it's close to lunch time, we decide to check in at the
Mad Greek Cafe, which used to be our standard stop during the '70's. It was owned by a local Greek family and they served the best date shakes we've ever had. In those days it was a hang out for students traveling through. The decor was basic tables and bean bag chairs for kicking back and reading an amazing collection of newspapers from around the world.
We had heard it had changed, but then again, most things have in the last 40 years. So we crossed our fingers and stopped. According to
Yelp, their specialty is no longer date shakes, but fresh strawberry shakes and gyros which are well advertized on their walls. We shared a gyro and a shake. At first, both looked great, but then we started in on them. The "fresh" strawberry shake did indeed have a FEW fresh strawberries in it, but the main flavoring was obviously from a manufactured syrup and had a machine taste to it. We won't even go into how the gyro tasted. In short, avoid this place at all costs. Not all change is for the better.
If you're heading off the Interstates for the open desert, do fill up your vehicle on fuel. Baker has the cheapest prices you'll see in quite awhile.
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| Avoid the Mad Greek Cafe |
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| This pigeon is about to pay them |
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We head north on Hwy 127 also know as Death Valley Road, then take the right turn to
Tecopa Hot Springs.
Once we get there, we cruise the campground, pick a site, and register for the next two nights. Although, the campground isn't the most scenic we've ever stayed in, it does have electrical hook ups and is inexpensive. The hot springs are for nude bathing only in separate quarters for men and women. Tecopa attracts foreign visitors, evangelicals, desert rats, aging hippies, prospectors, and conspiracy theorists. Apparently it's a favorite stop for a wide range of clients.
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| Tecopa Hot Springs RV Park |
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| Our campsite |
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| Hot Springs & Registration |
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Several of our fellow campers' vehicles look like they came straight out of
Mad Max. We speculate that some owners are aging hippies or possibly prospectors as this area is rich in gems and minerals. We are both surprised when we meet the people in the big red 4x4... they turn out to be a fun group of retired teachers from Wisconsin, who are hiking the Old Spanish Trail. Yup - I was always told I had an over-active imagination.
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| This rig's owner is a prospector from Utah |
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| The Wisconsin retired teachers' rig |
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Although the afternoon is quite windy, the winds calm after sunset and we're treated to lovely desert vistas.
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| Salina by our campsite |
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| Small pond is a refuge for all kinds of water fowl |
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The next day we leave to check out the
China Date Ranch Farm which is only a few miles away.
According to the sign as we enter the Date Ranch:
"In the 1880's a Chinese man Ah Foo came to this canyon from the Borax Works in Death Valley. He developed a successful ranch raising livestock, hay, fruits, and vegetables to help feed the local silver miners and their draft animals. The 'China Man's Ranch' became a favorite resting spot, with it's cool running stream and beautiful trees.
In 1900, Ah Foo disappears somewhat mysteriously though the name has stuck. After many changes of owners and financially unsuccessful ranching attempts over the next 90 years, the current owners began planting young date palms in 1990 and opened China Ranch to the public in 1996...."
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| Sign pointing to Gift Shop |
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| Date Ranch Gift Shop |
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| Cactus green houses |
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After so many miles of open desert, it's easy to see why an oasis is so appealing. It's a paradise. Before treating ourselves to their date shakes (which are wonderful), we take a walk through the groves. At one point, we discover coyote scat filled with date seeds and a few steps later we learn why. It's amazing what all a coyote will eat. At our hikes around home we've even seen chardonnay grapes in their scat.
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| Garden of Eden this way |
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| what a magical place |
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| Coyote chow |
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Walking on the road back to the store, we find it lined with many different varieties of date palms, many with signs describing the tree, it's origins, and it's fruit.
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| Medjool |
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| Honey Dates |
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| Barhi |
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| Halawy |
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To work off some of the calories we picked up with our date shakes, we decide to hike to a slot canyon just off the nearby
Old Spanish Trail.
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| Looking back towards the China Date Ranch |
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We follow a dry arroyo, which seems to have been a garbage dump for many previous residents. We also discover the ruins of a single room rock cabin with "1903" carved on the lintel stone. We wonder who lived here and what did they do.
The hills take on interesting shapes as we hike down the arroyo. Soon we spot the slot canyon just ahead of us.
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| Hills along arroyo |
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| Slot canyon ahead |
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| Covered over Borax mine? |
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The Old Spanish Trail runs parallel to the slot canyon, so we hike it for about a 1/4 mile to get closer to the canyon.
We return to Tecopa Hot Springs, tired but happy to have the relaxing waters soak our bodies in. The next morning we are up early to get settled in Death Valley.
One doesn't seem to need an overactive imagination with the Mad Max ambience.
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