Idyllwild Part Deux...

 We landed back in Idyllwild a little over a month after our Fourth of July trip you can read about HERE. As you see in that blog, great trip - but ended with an ant horror show. Well - the bnb hostess actually reached out to us about a week and half or so later basically saying "Wow...sorry guys...the exterminator just left, and yeah - holy shit." Like - I can't get mad at this chick. She is probably never there, she didn't know if we were just being over dramatic or it was indeed the ant horror show it was, so I had to give her the benefit of the doubt. I honestly didn't think I'd hear back from her, but she reached out and offered us 2 free nights as an "I'm sorry." What?! There was a catch - we still had to tack it on to a booking. So - Pat is out of work right now. My work is basically causing me to have a melt down. Let's get the Hell out of dodge while we still can. So we did. We booked a Sat-Wed. 4 nights, only paid for 2. It was just lovely. We did a whole lot of nothing. Pat cooked pretty much the whole time. And we enjoyed the peace that the mountains always have to give us. So grateful for these getaways!

We always now head out to Idyllwild through Temecula so we can swing through and pick up our wines or at least get our free glasses. This trip did unfortunately fall during a heatwave, so our Temecula visits were quite short, and we didn't hit up more than one winery because - HAWT. We hit up Halter Ranch 1st, then swung by Oak Mountain since they allow dogs inside. It was a Sat and a bit crowded, but we had a lovely time.

Halter Ranch

Rascal is a fan of the cool ground in the Oak Mountain Cave Tasting Room

We rolled into Idyllwild a bit early for check in, so lunched at one of our favorites spots - Idyll Awhile. It was super chill, dude was playing some Spanish Guitar which was lovely, but it was hot. This is when it really hit us that our outdoor plans were going to be limited this trip due to the weather.

Just a pretty tree blowin in the wind while sitting in some traffic....

Hot lunch

Rascal didn't seem to mind

We then checked in, got settled and relaxed. We really do love this place. We still had a little ant PTSD, but it eventually wore off and we just enjoyed the great bnb. Being there before we knew what to expect, so we brought our own umbrella which helped when the late afternoon/evening sun blasted the best part of the place.

I do love this damn window

Pat's brilliant idea of bringing our own umbrella

Forever Views is the name of the bnb

Sunday we were up early (Let's be real - we were never NOT up early) and hit up Ernie Maxwell Trail. We had done this one a few times (Where Pat proposed) but never finished it. Well, we finished it this morning. Funny thing was we always almost finished it, just never realized it. LOL. We started at the other end this time and I found some geocaches that I hadn't found before. It's mostly shaded so it was just lovely. We then brunched at Mama's Egg House which was delicious and huge portions! Then back to the bnb to just chill which was what we did a lot of and it was perfect. I wrote. Read. Did my inchies. Colored. We played games. Sat on the deck. Just did a whole lot of nothing. I loved it.

Wish this is how I could start all my mornings

Heading out the other direction of Ernie Maxwell Trail

A lovely little hidden fairy garden

I think it's funny when I accidently shoot the set up process. 

There ya go (Well except for Rascal)

The rock where Pat proposed in July 2021

We did the whole damn thing!

Found the cache!

Pats burrito

Mediterranean Omelet. I will say the food is good and the portions are huge! We split a meal next time we came.

Tuckered

Why you crooked?

Started doing the Writer's Book of Days again - didn't stop for vacay

Salmon Bowl makings

My Master Chef

Delicious!

Wine Spritzer in a Mason Glass

I was out here a lot

Monday, we decided to take a walk around the neighborhood. There was a geocache up at a campground nearby so thought we'd look for that. Well, we got a bit turned around and landed on some trails and ended up having to run through someone's private property to find a road. Oooops! Luckily we didn't see anyone, so hopefully no one saw us. But I was in my damn Teva sandals and we had no water. Eeeesh! Lesson learned. We hit up Middle Ridge Winery that afternoon for a glass of wine that ended up turning into two glasses and lovely conversation with Chris the owner. He let us come inside with Rascal and we talked the whole time we were there. I didn't get any pictures because we were deep in convo the whole time. He's such a lovely person, and the story of he and his wife deciding to move up there started out kind of like Pat and my journeys up there....he he he...is this a sign? Then back to our place to  - yup you guessed it - eat, chill, drink, play games, do nothing.

I always seem to be up before the sun, and looking out over the view was so pretty. The lights were all twinkling like little diamonds

Ok this walk is getting a little tough....

I see you!

I now have these tiny butterflies I drop in caches

We don't know where the hell we are but it's sure pretty!

Rascal contemplating life

Seriously where the fuck are we. So should not have been wearing Teva Sandals

Love the random artwork around town

HAI!

MasterChef at it again

Tonight we had steak!

This was my 2nd Yahtzee!

Tuesday we were a bit rough for the wear and realizing that basically all the damn hikes in Idyllwild are pretty tough. Realizing we just weren't in the right state, nor having to only have a few early morning hours before it gets hot, we opted for just the Perimeter Trail around the Nature Center. We've done it a bunch of times, easy lovely hike that we even joked was a little too easy for us but worked for that day. We then decided to hit up Mama's Egg House again, because it's really the only brunch spot and the food is damn good, then checked out Lake Fulmor. It was super little but so pretty! Also found a couple caches on the way. Then back to the bnb for our usual. This night was a bit sadder though because I knew it was our last night. I tried to enjoy every single second.

A favorite viewpoint of ours

Love this guy

Roadside Geocache

There's a fucking geocache in there I can't find. It's at a viewpoint off the road. This is my 2nd time looking for it. UGH! If it wasn't so hot, I'd have kept at it.

Pat even gave it a go

Lake Fulmor

I thought these were so interesting!

Just so pretty!

Historical Marker Virtual Cache

He's done

Taco night!

Our last sunset. I stayed and watched the entire thing. Pat went inside, but I wanted to see it drop below the horizon. My grandparents loved sunsets. We'd sit and just watch until the tiny little dot disappeared. 

Today was super short because it's the hottest damn day of this heatwave. So, we hit the road early to beat the heat. Having a pup with us makes it a bit harder to battle the heat, because - well - we don't want to kill him. So, we were heading down the mountain a little after 7 and landed at our favorite breakfast spot in Temecula by 9. Then we did a quick stop at Hatler on our way out (They have shade and cats) and off to home we went to a very happy kitty.

The only pic I took in Temecula. Charlie and Bravo are the Halter Ranch Wine cats. I love them.

Someone is very happy mama is home!

It's really tough right now and we're truly having a rough go. But this trip was a great break in the mess of everything. We got to getaway to one of our favorite places and just forget for a few days. Take the trips friends. Take care of your mental health.