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Apr. 11, Fri., 10 a.m.
start time (This is the last scheduled bike ride of the season.)
ABDNHA Friendly Friday Bike Ride Volunteer
Leader: Paul Petersen,
ABDNHA Volunteer
Relaxed social ride of 20-30 miles, mostly flat, at a 10-12 mph
pace. Routes will vary weekly, and fun rides to highlight the roads
less traveled. Return times will vary depending on the chosen route.
There is no charge, and no registration is required. Meet in the
parking lot opposite the County Public Library's south entrance.
Apr. 11, Fri., 7:30 p.m. - 10 p.m.
Full Moon Walk: South Palm
Wash
Leader: Mike McElhatton, ABDNHA Education Director
Join ABDNHA's Program Director Mike McElhatton on this month's Full
Moon Walk in South Palm Wash. Experience the unique and serene beauty
of moonlight on the canyon walls as we take a 1.5-mile walk through
South Palm Wash. This is mostly an easy walk, although there are a
few moderate areas that require "big steps" on short inclines. We
meet at the ABDNHA office and carpool from there. A flashlight,
water, and good hiking shoes are required. Space is limited to 22.
Activity cancels whenever cloud cover limits the moonlight. No
charge. Call the Nature Center at 760-767-3098 to reserve.
Apr. 14, Mon., 8 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Hike: Rainbow Wash
(Fairly Strenuous)
Leader: Bruce Kelley, ABDNHA Volunteer
The hike is 4 miles (roundtrip) up a wash with beautiful rock
formations and many types of cacti in the canyon. It is especially
pretty when there are flowers and flowering brittlebush at the
entrance. There are a number of step-ups and several dry waterfalls
that are difficult to negotiate. There is little shade, so wear
sunscreen and bring water, a hat, hiking boots with good traction. Meet
in the ABDNHA parking lot by 7:50 a.m. The start of the hike is a
45-minute drive through Shelter Valley and down Box Canyon to mile
27.6. No charge; call the Nature Center to reserve, 760-767-3098.
Apr. 15, Tue., 8 a.m. - Noon
Hike: Volcan Mountain
Preserve (Fairly Strenuous)
Leader: Rachel Rench, ABDNHA
Volunteer
This hike is a 5.6-mile round trip with
1300' elevation gain. We will hike up the main trail to the summit,
then take the Five Oaks Trail on the way down. The group will be
limited to 15 people. Bring 1 to 2 liters of water and wear
comfortable hiking boots with good tread. Meet at 7:45 a.m. to
arrange carpools at the ABDNHA parking lot. From there, we will drive
to the trailhead on Farmers Road in Julian and start hiking around 9
a.m. After the hike, we could stop for lunch in Julian before
returning to Borrego Springs.
Apr. 18, Fri., 2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Dark Sky
Presentation and Film
Borrego Public Library, 2580 Country Club
Road
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Presented by the Borrego Springs Dark Sky Coalition and
San Diego County Public Library.
The public is invited to
a showing of the film "In Search of Nights Lost," a Korean
Public Broadcast System film that explores the modern night,
a time filled with bright lights wherever you go, and what
humans have lost in this brightly illuminated world. The film
includes a segment filmed in Borrego Springs and Anza-Borrego
Desert State Park. The film's narration is in English, with
English subtitles only when Korean people are speaking. As
part of today's program, we will also recognize the major
lighting improvements made at The Mall by owners Jim and Anne
Wermers with some "before and after" photographs. Open to the
public, no charge, no registration. Seating is first come,
first serve, in the Community Room at the Borrego Springs
Public Library at 2 p.m.
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Apr. 19, Sat., 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Webinar: Birds, Bats,
and Blooms: The Coevolution of Vertebrate Pollinators and Their
Plants
Theodore H Fleming, Emeritus Professor of Biology,
University of Miami
This presentation will
discuss the evolutionary history of
nectar-feeding birds and bats and major features of their biology. It
will focus on two New World families: hummingbirds (family
Trochilidae) and American leaf-nosed bats (family Phyllostomidae).
While these two groups are very distantly related, they share some
important physiological adaptation while differing strongly in many
of their other biological features. Both groups have become important
pollinators of hundreds of species of tropical New World plants.
Theodore H. Fleming is a professor emeritus of biology at the
University of Miami. He will speak to us tonight from his home in
Tucson. He spent thirty-nine years in academia at the
University of Missouri-St. Louis and the University of Miami,
teaching ecology courses and conducting research on tropical rodent
populations and plant visiting bats and their food plants in Panama,
Costa Rica, Australia, Mexico, and Arizona. He lives in Tucson. This
is a webinar. Registration is free, but donations are always
welcome.
REGISTER
>CLICK HERE TO REGISTER<
Apr. 25, Fri., 8 p.m. - 10
p.m.
Stars Over the Badlands
New Program!
In Celebration of International Dark Sky Week
Leaders: Alan Creutz, ABDNHA Volunteer and Mike McElhatton,
ABDNHA Education Director
Have you ever heard of Star
Bathing? Be among the first to enjoy this new activity. Join amateur
astronomer Alan Creutz and Mike McElhatton for the inaugural run of a
brand-new ABDNHA activity, "Stars Over the Badlands." We will carpool
from the ABDNHA parking lot and travel to a secluded area in the
Borrego Badlands, where we will park our cars and take a short walk
to the viewing area. Bring whatever chairs, recliners, or other items
you'd like to be comfortable with as you gaze up at the stars in the
dark night sky, surrounded by the rock formations of the Borrego
Badlands.
As you relax and take in beauty on the ground and
in the sky, Alan will use a laser pointer to show the constellations
above. Bring binoculars and a red light if you have them, a beverage
to drink, and any snacks you'd like. Your vehicle will need to be
able to drive a short distance on a dirt road. Maximum 20. This is a
free activity, but pre-registration is required. Please call the
ABDNHA Nature Center to register, 760-767-3098.
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Apr. 26, Sat., 8
p.m. - 10 p.m.
Borrego Stargazing Party
Location: The
County Reserve, 4.4 miles east of
Christmas Circle on S22,
just past the airport.
In celebration of
International Dark Sky Week,
everyone in Borrego Springs
is invited to a
stargazing party--residents, visitors,
parents, kids,
the whole family! Great for kids!
At this event, a group of amateur astronomers will gather,
each
focusing on a different object in the night sky,
plusa look at astrophotography, with incredible photosof deep
space.
It's an opportunity to view the heavens as you
could never see with the naked eye. This is a very
informal and friendly activity.
This special program
is jointly sponsored by the Borrego Springs Dark Sky
Coalition, Julian Dark Sky Network, San Diego County Parks,
and the Anza Borrego Desert Natural History
Association. (Red covers, if you have them, on flashlights
help protect nighttime vision.)
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Full Flyer to share |
Apr. 26, Sat., 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Hike: Santa Ysabel East
Preserve Kanaka Loop (Moderate)
Leader: Rachel Rench, ABDNHA
Volunteer
This hike will cover 7 miles of rolling hills in the Santa
Ysabel East Preserve from the Trailhead on Farmers Road in Julian.
After walking through cow pastures and up a short but steep hill,
we'll hike around the Kanaka Loop and then back to the main trail and
return to the cars. Limited to 15 people. Bring 1 to 2 liters of
water and wear comfortable hiking boots with good tread. Meet at 7:45
a.m. at the ABDNHA parking lot to arrange carpools. From there, we'll
drive to the Trailhead on Farmers Road in Julian and start hiking
around 9 a.m. After the hike we could stop for lunch in Julian before
returning to Borrego Springs.
Apr. 27, Sun., 9 a.m. - 1:30
p.m., See description for meeting location
4WD Trip - 4WD Rock and Roll in Carrizo Canyon
off of County Road S2
Leader: Ed Pollock, ABDNHA Volunteer
Join this last 4WD trip and BBQ of the season. A large part of
this trip will be in the ancient river bed, driving over many rocks
and stones of assorted sizes. A high clearance, 4WD vehicle with good
tires is mandatory; use of your 4WD highly recommended for this trip.
Not suitable for all-wheel SUVs. This trip covers an interesting
canyon that may have some wildflowers in bloom, depending on weather
conditions. This will be an adventure-type trip with good use of your
4WD vehicle. We will not be in a hurry but driving slow and safe. GMRS
channel 16 is our communication radio. Meet 9 a.m. at the at Carrizo
Wash and County Road S2 around marker 48+ miles, southbound. This is
a little past the Bow Willow Campground turn-off. We drive to the end
of our road at the Carrizo Gorge Wilderness area. At this point, we
have time for short walks in this historic area, then returning to
the parking area for a BBQ lunch, meat and utensils will be supplied.
If you choose to do so, please bring a side dish to share, along with
your choice of drink and camp-type chairs. Small tables would be
helpful. After lunch, we return to our starting point on S2 to end
our trip there at approximately 1:30 p.m.
May 8, Thu., 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Visit to The San Diego Botanic
Garden
Tour Leader: Mike McElhatton, ABDNHA Programs Director
If you like beautiful and unusual plants, and you enjoy the company of
your fellow ABDNHA members, then this is the trip for you! We journey
to the San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas, spanning 37 acres and
featuring more than 5,000 plant species spread across 29 uniquely
themed gardens. There are 15 different regions and habitats
from around the world. The CEO of the Botanic Garden, Ari Novy, spoke
recently in our lecture series, and that's where the idea of this
trip originated.
We will begin with a guided tour, led by a
knowledgeable guide, for approximately one hour. Following the tour,
you will have one more hour to explore the garden on your own. Our
timeline: Leave from ABDNHA at 8 a.m. and carpool as best we can. For
those coming from San Diego or other areas, all of us need to arrive
at the garden just before 10:30 a.m. Following our time in the
garden, we would like to find a nice place nearby to have lunch. If
anyone is familiar with the area, perhaps you can contact Mike to
recommend a spot. We have just 16 spots open for this activity. Come
in or call the Nature Center to register, 760-767-3098. $35 per
person, includes Garden Entrance Fee and Guided Tour.
May 12, Mon., 6:45 p.m. - 9:15 p.m.
An ABDNHA Tradition - Say
Farewell to the Desert Season!
Sunset and Moonrise at Font's Point
Leader: Mike McElhatton, ABDNHA Program Director
We say farewell to the 2024-2025 desert season with this
traditional event. Bring folding chairs, snacks to share, stories of
your desert adventures, and your favorite beverage. Gather with
friends of the desert at Font's Point as we first watch the sunset in
the west at 7:37 p.m. over the San Ysidro Mountains and then await
the rise of the full moon in the east, over the Borrego Badlands and
the Salton Sea, at 8:04 p.m. No fee, but there is a maximum of 22, so
call the nature center to reserve your spot, 760-767-3098, and let us
know if you can drive (AWD or 4WD required), if you can take some
passengers, or if you would like a ride and we will try to arrange
some carpooling in advance. We will depart at 6:45 p.m. from the ABDNHA
parking lot.
May. 15, Thu., 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Webinar: Shakealert: The USGS Earthquake Early Warning System
Presented by Robert DeGroot Ph.D.
U.S. Geological Survey Earthquake
Science Center, Pasadena, California
This presentation will cover the science and technology of ShakeAlert
and how it is being used to reduce the impact of earthquakes to save
lives and property. Learn more at: ShakeAlert.org and get updates on
X: @USGS_ShakeAlert. The ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning (EEW)
System, managed by the U.S. Geological Survey, detects significant
earthquakes so quickly that alerts can be delivered to people and
automated systems potentially seconds before strong shaking arrives.
ShakeAlert is the nation's only public EEW system, and it serves over
50 million residents and visitors in California, Oregon, and
Washington.
Robert de Groot is an operations team lead for the
USGS managed ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System, a public
safety system, serving 50+ million people in California, Oregon, and
Washington. Robert manages communication, education, outreach, and
technical engagement. He recruits technical partners to use
ShakeAlert data to deliver alerts to people, such as to their cell
phone, and to trigger automated actions like slowing down trains and
closing valves to protect water supplies. Robert leads a team of over
60 people from universities, emergency management agencies, museums,
K-12 schools, and others to keep people safe. This is a webinar.
Registration is free, but donations are always welcome. REGISTER
>CLICK HERE TO REGISTER<
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