Onwards towrds the end via lake Elsinore

Thinking back to Julian for a second it is the first time I have seen the local dust cart and also the sewage disposal truck shinning and gleaming in procession along with carnival floats.  Shows how the local communities value all their amenities.

From Ramon we travelled around a bit for one day somewhat aimlessly, saw some large orange orchards alongside the route 67 to Escondido.  Same route next day but from Escondido up route 6 to see the radio telescope at the Palomar Observatory, world renowned for is 200 ft lens and for the work it does.  Not too much for visitors to see but the figures a beyond comprehension.
Briefly our galaxy, we are sited towards it's outer edge is about 100,000 light years wide, a light year being many thousands of trillions of miles. Each star in the galaxy is a sun and there are multi millions of billions of them all with there own planets. The Universe, whatever that is is made up of billions x trillions of galaxies most bigger than ours.  Where are we in this, less than an atom  in the panoply of things.  Other life almost certainly, where, who knows.  When you start thinking of infinity one just goes round in circles and it becomes a useless notion.

The road to the observatory on the map seemed ok but it rose 4500ft in about 7 miles so the hairpin bends were numerous, it is easier driving uphill than down though we managed it.

The whole area hereabouts varies between virtual desert and normal looking cultivated areas.  There is no doubt that virtually all of southern California and the states to the east are carved out of desert
and exist in a desert climate with all that entails.  No rain unlike UK at present, in three months we have had about three hours of rain.

Today Sunday 8th July we have temp 96F no air con as our main power circuits have blown and we have to report to Los Angeles on Monday, all closed Sunday. Hiding under trees at campground with permission to move where we want on the site to maintain shade, site quite empty, perhaps  people know it will be hot here at this time of year.  Forecast here for 100F tomorrow and 106F on Tuesday

Here by the way is Lake Elsinore, Lake RV site reached after the observatory by going up the interstate15. Friday 3pm four or five lanes solid for 30 miles travelling 70mph or stopped.