Of San Jacinto and Simpson Park

Can’t See the Forest for the Trees…

Jeff and I like to walk and hike. So, before discovering the amazing trails in Simpson Park and the Coachella Valley Preserve, we pounded the pavement throughout San Jacinto.

Now, San Jacinto, CA is not the most scenic city. But if you focus, one step at  time, on your immediate surroundings you will discover some amazing trees and shrubs adorning the sidewalks and not-sidewalks.

So, as we walk I snap a photo or two of our favorite specimens which Jeff and I name in our own crazy way. I hope you enjoy this crash course in the study of trees. I call it Dendrology 101.

Baby Bottle Brush Tree…

Green Olive Palm Tree…

Coral Star Fish Bush…

Christmas Berry Tree…

Garbanzo Bean Tree…

Wasp Nest Tree…

Oh wait, it’s a Garbanzo Bean Tree with all the branches removed…

Bee Tree…

These trees are a buzz with noisy bees… not my favorite to walk under. And these trees are in front yards, how strange.

And speaking of strange, for all of us Netflix binge-watchers, check out the…“Stranger Things” Demogorgon Bush…

Corn Kernel Pod Tree…

Purple Olive Tree…

Oh wait, it is an olive tree!… a black olive tree. The fruit on the sidewalk below leaves a squishy purple residue.

Yellow Star Jade Bush…

Sienna Bark Tree…

These beauties line Victoria Avenue.

And finally, How Californians Trim Trees…

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Rock graFfitti…

Some rocks don’t need names. They have already been christened.

The rock above is on the Canyon Trail near Fireman’s Loop and we have passed it, I don’t know how many times now. What’s funny though is that we always called it Bonnie’s Junction. It wasn’t until I took this picture that I realize the B is an R and it’s really Ronnie’s Junction. (But I know Jeff and I will always call this rock Bonnie’s Junction.)

Here is, for us at least, the most famous rock in all of Simpson Park:

It’s Balloon Rock, the one that will always remain dear to our hearts as it is the landmark of that fateful day when Jeff and I got lost and wandered off to Gibbel Road, 9 miles by car away from the parking lot.

We still can’t figure out how we strayed so far away. I mean, it’s obvious that teens hang out around here as there are lots of tagged rocks in this area. So that must mean that it’s not far off the beaten path to the parking area. After hiking throughout these mazes several times now, it’s impossible to get lost. It beats me, get it, how we managed to take all the wrong turns that day. I guess we were just so hot, dehydrated, and confused…

Finally, here is Jeff’s favorite rock, well actually it’s a spot that we also discovered on the day we got lost. It leads nowhere, hence its name: