Resting along the roadtrip. Rumors of a record wildflower Superbloom drew the Cosmonaut crew from the cozy SoCal Coast to the arid Anza Borrego Desert
Passing time and a Dino with travelers from Oregon before we hit the road again.
Two hours later we find ourselves head to head with the Serpent of Anza Borrego, looming over the road to the wildflowers
In an effort to escape the crowds at the common campgrounds, we pop the Jeep into 4x4 & head down the four miles of rocky road to Font's Point for a short slumber
Alas, the Superbloom!
5 years of drought & heavy winter rains transformed the seas of sand into waves of wildflowers
Drought combined with sudden rain activated dormant seeds littered across the desert years ago, producing the largest bloom in nearly 2 decades
A lone desert sunflower
It was a truly surreal sight; the normally baron landscape was blanketed in yellows, whites, & purples
Knowing the historic bloom would draw hoards of eager explorers, we woke up 2 hours before sunrise to enjoy near solitude
Just a drop in this ocean of flowers
The fields of flowers were seemingly endless, lending view after view
All this misadventuring, & only here does the sun finally crest
Wailing winds, mercury raising temperatures, & hungry horned caterpillars all contribute to the short life span of the flowers; Sometimes only a two weeks long
The creeping sunshine sends shimmers across a field of gold
The desert sun burns through the coolness of the night quickly
And with the rise temperatures, we take in one last glance before we hit the road in search of the beach
With the day still young, we arrive at Prince Park in Oceanside for quick skate
Houston we have lift off (& a crash landing)
After plenty off falls we head off for some R & R along the coast
The brisk sandy shores offer a euphoric relief from the previous heat of the desert sun. Misadventure complete.