Pechanga CA

It's the middle of December, it's 78 degrees (25C) with a clear blue sky, and there are palm trees... I'm in heaven.

I'm actually in Pechanga, which is just outside of Temecula. Pechanga (the place where the water drips) is the band of Luiseño Indians (they don't use the term First Nations here) who were relocated here in the late 1800's. The name derives from a spring at the base of the mountain. They opened a huge casino here in the 1990's and have never looked back, their people are now quite well to do. I'm in their RV resort, right next to the casino.

Temecula loosely translates as "where the sun breaks through the mist". Haven't seen any mist since I've been here (since December 1), but I've seen a lot of sun. A couple of days it's actually rained, and twice it hit freezing overnight. Naturally, all of that bad weather happened as soon as sister (the sibling, not the nun) Barb came for a few days' visit. When she left, it was back to the high 60's and 70's. Tomorrow is forecast to hit 84 (29C).

Lots of good caches in the area. While Barb was here, I even dragged her out early one morning to score a coveted "first to find" for one that was a few minutes away.I did one series that consisted of twenty arranged in two concentric loops, with 10 on the inside ring and the other 10 on the outside. By gathering letters at each of the 20, and solving a puzzle with those letters, coordinates for the final cache were revealed. That series was a lot of fun. One that Barb and I did (with Doug and Shannon) was at a formation known as Turtle Rock, because it looks like a turtle swimming upwards.

They sure do take their nationalism seriously down here. Every where you go, businesses large and small (and many homes) are flying the flag.

 One cache took me to the Palm Springs Air Museum. I didn't have time to go inside, I just grabbed the cache outside, as the truck's "check engine" light came on and I hightailed home. After being in the shop for the whole following day, they announced that it needed an oxygen sensor, which has to come from back East, so it's a question as to whether it'll even get here before I move on the 30th. If it ain't one thing...

I saw what has to be the most audacious hide ever:

Yes, that's the cache, the small bison tube hung right in front at the bottom. I guess because it's the same colour as the hydrant, muggles are supposed to think it belongs there. That strategy's worked so far...

Here's a holiday themed cache container I found stuffed under the skirt of a lamp post...

It's been interesting to see how the local caching style differs from place to place. I've been picking up a few good hide ideas for when I return to the Island.