We left our heart in the rainforests of Kauai

The totally trailer gang ditched our trailer and left the continental United States for some island time!

We exchanged our desert hiking gear for swimsuits and rainforest hiking gear as we ventured deep into jungles looking for secret waterfalls.

From the Na Pali Coast to Waimea Canyon, we explored just about every inch of the island and took in the normal tourist attractions too.

Hiking to the Ho’opi’ Falls was one of our highlights along with tubing down the irrigation ditch. Being surrounded by so much green was intoxicating. We loved the huge elephant ear leaves, the invasive vines that grew hundreds of feet in the air, the endless rainbows and never-ending WARMTH!!

Our home base was near Kapa’a and it was a great location to access everything we wanted to see and explore. We spent the first day just exploring the “rainy side” of the island and venturing down to Ke’e Beach for an awesome sunset down the Na Pali coastline. What made the journey were the little stops along the way to see rustic churches, jagged coastlines, sea caves, ancient sites, numerous rainbows and fun shops. 

The second day we toured the “sunny side” of the island by cruising through Lihue, Poipu and up to Waimea Canyon overlook. From tree-lined roads to protected Hawaiian monk seals, spouting blow holes, Grand Canyon-esque views and more rainbows….we were in heaven!

After the normal “touristy” things, we jumped right into some exploration on our own determined to find the Ho’opi’i Falls, the Secret Falls, rustic swinging bridges and old Hawaiian villages.

We kayaked the Wailua River from the Kamokila Hawaiian Village (which was an absolutely perfect day) of seeing the sacred falls, Fern Grotto and the Hawaiian village. We also thoroughly enjoyed our “white water” tubing down an old irrigation ditch with Kauai Back Country Adventures. Our guide “Pooh” was humorous, informative and a lot of fun. We had so much fun, we wanted to do it again immediately after the tour was complete! The road to the arboretum made us feel like we were lost in some jungle and the rain forest put on a magical display for us.

Between spending quality time with family and enjoying all that this lush island had to offer, it was difficult to get me on a plane to leave.

We still managed to get muddy, get wet, get a little lost, find caves and have a ton of fun doing it. Which just proves that you can take the family out of the trailer, but you can’t take the trailer out of the family! 

http://kauaibackcountry.com/tubing/

http://villagekauai.com/

Beautiful old church in Kilauea 

Little one and Wailua Falls in the background

Wailua Falls close up with the Totally Trailer gang

Kauai Tree Tunnel on Maluhia Road which dates back almost 150 years          

The impressive Waimea Canyon overlook complete with rainbows!

The road to the arboretum

Giant taro leaves are almost bigger than we are!

Safe from a rainy day under a taro leaf umbrella

Tropical jungle complete with swinging vines and everything!

Over the river and through the jungle.....

                  

Lost in the jungle looking for Ho'opi'i Falls

SUCCESS!!! The magical Ho'opi'i Falls, Kauai

Hiking our way out of the rain forest 

Crazy walkway thought the rainforest

Kayaking on the Wailua River

All smiles from this jungle adventurer

Wailua River Secret Falls

After swimming behind and underneath we posed for a digital memory (p.s. it was cold)!

Kauai dry cave near Haena Beach 

The Swinging Bridge in Hanapepe Kauai. I loved it, little one...not so much

Hidden Kumeyaay Pictographs and Our New Apartment...shhh.....

This well -kept secret of the Anza Borrego Desert State Park is worth the trip and exploration to find it. There are no roads, no maps, no directions to this Kumeyaay dwelling site. Grab your 4x4, a hiking stick, some water and be sure to bring your best investigative skills to seek out this historical location. 

High above the valley floor, the rocks and boulders look like something out of the old Flintstones cartoons.  The hike takes you back to 1500 AD when the Kumayaay people roamed the land. We imagined walking barefoot along the sharp rocks and vegetation as well as the cruel thought of surviving the harsh weather conditions (extreme heat and cold). Although the site was not too far from where we parked, every rock outcropping looked like it was the rock shelter we were looking for. Exploring the area you can see how these rock outcroppings must have provided a tremendous amount of shade, protection and exceptional viewing over the entire valley for the Kumeyaay people.  

When we finally found the La Rumerosa style pictographs, we were in awe of the simple, yet intricate details and designs. Makes you wonder what they were thinking when they drew that picture and what they all meant. La Rumerosa style is characterized by polychrome rectangular and curvilinear designs using red, black, yellow and white. They used a lot of sunbursts, divided circles, bold lines and simple stick figures. The style is linked to the Kumeyaay Indians around 1500 AD and these pictographs can be seen in the Southern United States and Mexico. The images were well preserved and many people who have visited are doing their part to keep them protected, by never divulging the location. 

Not only were the pictographs themselves interesting, but we found the entire surrounding area fascinating. There were overhangs and hidden entries behind large boulders that must have been rooms and living quarters back in 1500 AD. Smoothed rocks perfectly shaped as chairs (they were actually quite comfortable and perfectly rounded for the gluteus maximus) and smooth long rocks that would have made a perfect bed. Little one and I spent the majority of the afternoon in our new “apartment”. We found it cozy, cool and protected and it took a lot of convincing to get us to leave! If there was a buffet nearby, I think we would have moved in!

Totally Trailer does not recommend accessing these primitive roads with an RV or trailer. There are many RV camp options in Anza Borrego Desert State Park (many are free) as well as RV parks and campgrounds in the surrounding area. Happy Camping and Hiking!

Little one found a bone and poses happily in front of the hidden pictographs

La Rumerosa style Kumeyaay Pictographs from 1500 AD- we like the long armed man!

Our favorite Where's Waldo photo of the area (can you spot hubby?)

It's hard to tell just how high up we were, but this seat was the perfect lookout

Steps up into another hidden opening

Morteros were everywhere 

She looks awfully happy for getting wedged between two giant boulders!

We did not try to fit through this one. However, look how perfectly this is sliced in half and how smooth the cut was made....truly remarkable acts of nature! 

Lounging in our humble abode!

Living off the grid with our solar panels and soaking up the abundant desert sunshine!

Home is where your heart is....our heart is here!

Hubby makes this spot feel nice and cozy with our own light show!

Who doesn't love playing in dirt and rocks?

The Totally Trailer Gang is not shy about posting entries on the Anza Borrego Desert State Park, but this expansive park never ceases to amaze us. Every time we visit, we uncover new treasures and find more adventures.

On this trip we explored more mud caves and found a very prominent earthquake fault line. The mountains look as if they were cut apart, folded like an accordion and then clumsily glued back together. Anza Borrego sits within a complex and intertwining zone of fault lines and active tectonic activity. According to scientists, the southern San Andreas Fault System has produced ongoing seismic activity for millions of years. This is the same system that caused two plates to diverge, therefore causing the Salton Sea (Trough) and the Gulf of California to open up. In the recent geological past, many basins in this area have been uplifted and manipulated. These shifts, lifts and erosion have formed breathtaking mountain ranges that look like intricate jigsaw puzzles with colorful bands and ribbons running through them.

This trip was all about dirt and rocks, since we admired and explored these mountains from the inside out!

Here’s a great quote that is fitting for this entry and for the Anza Borrego area: “The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious; It is the source of all true art and all science. -- Albert Einstein”

Our picturesque boondocking camp spot in Mountain Palm Springs primitive campground 

Check out these views of the valley...not too shabby!

The Cougar all nestled in to her spot

Looks like little one is enjoying the view too!

Incredible force from a fault line

The accordion ripples almost look man-made

A spooky entrance to one of the 22 mud caves in the area

Equipped with lanterns and flashlights we are off on another adventure deep within a cave

Little one is becoming one with nature and enjoying being inside the expansive mud cave system

Peeking out of the mud cave, there is nothing around for miles

Around every corner is a new surprise in the mud caves...like the streaming light!

A large cave system can suddenly make you feel so small

Hiking Palomar Mountain

High above the city lights, Palomar Mountain majestically watches over North San Diego County.

At 6,142 feet elevation, it is dwarfed by the nearby San Bernardino and Riverside County mountain ranges, but it is nevertheless a quiet escape for many San Diegans.

Well known for it's winter wonderland and summer camps, we chose to visit over spring break and enjoy the tranquil landscape, green fields and blooming flora and fauna. We were also greeted by wildlife and "oohed and ahhed" over a herd of deer that were grazing right in front of us.

We trekked "over the river and through the woods" and had a picnic at the pond (where the birds stole a cookie from my lunch bag....man, I really wanted that cookie). We hiked over, under and across fallen tree branches and found a multitude of trees riddled with woodpecker holes.

Palomar Mountain is also known for it's 200 inch telescope and Observatory, but on this adventure, we stuck to the great outdoors! www.palomarsp.org

Welcome to Palomar Mountain State Park!

Sing with us... "Over the River and Through the Woods...."

This enormous fallen tree branch spans the entire forest floor, making it's own bridge

Steady Now....Hiking across the "bridge", it's a lot higher up than it looks!

Fascinating hollowed out tree branch looked like a carved out canoe

Our Little Log Climber

When Wood Peckers Attack!

Hungry herd of deer don't seem too bothered by us watching them

We call this one "Cirque De Hungry Deer"