Smog or Monsoon ?

We were exposed to our first Borrego monsoon many years ago. We often stayed at Peg Leg, in our RV and prior to that, we had attended field trips to Anza Borrego Desert State Park offered by Cal Poly, Pomona. We had always loved the trips and the seclusion offered by the Park. We decided Borrego would be and ideal place to retire, later on...

Well, that time came faster than we thought. We bought a lot, contacted a local architect and started creating the house of our dreams in this little hideout, far from the noise and congestion of our coastal home. Out of necessity, we had to drive to Borrego many times during the summer and consult with the architect.

We would leave the beach at 4 am to avoid traffic and head out the Riverside Freeway to get to her office in time for our appointment. We both vividly remember the first time we saw desert monsoon weather. As we left Ranchita, on Montezuma grade, the entire desert below was covered with, to our novice desert eyes, a gray haze which we thought must be smog. GOSH! We were devestated and wondered if we had made a huge mistake.

Our architect soon explained what it was and threw in a few stories, too. We started looking forward to the desert monsoons and can tell some great tales...about the time, sitting on the porch watching an approaching squall, accompanied by thunder and lightning. Soon, we were in a thundering downpour and saw lightning strike the neighbor's palm tree, splitting the top, then travel into the house, where it destroyed the refrigerator and washer! Another year...we saw lightning hit a camper in another yard. We always examine the mountains with our binoculars after storms, looking for wisps of smoke, some of which we have reported. Everyone here can tell you of the many electrical outages we have had during this time of year. A little summer excitement is good for everyone! ( Update: 7/6, This morning air so heavy you could slice it...Weather Underground says humidity only around 50 percent. When I called a neighbor who has a weather station, she said it is around 70 percent. Guess who I believe? No rain, yet but still hoping! ) Central air conditioning necessary, even during the night.

Borrego is a great place to live, but be sure to bring your surge protectors and home weather stations with you!