FROM PIO PICO

We mentioned the sights along Highway 94 in our previous blog so we returned on Saturday, the 22nd, to the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum at Campos, CA, to ride on their weekend excursion train. This was only about a six mile trip in a 1930's Pullman car and seldom exceeded 15 mph but we learned all about the history of the San Diego and Arizona Railway. The Railway was built from 1909 to 1919 by a San Diego businessman, John Spreckels, who wanted to avoid the Southern Pacific monopoly in the Southwest. His line went some 10 miles into Mexico to try to avoid some of the terrain on the U.S. side of the border. There were still bout 4 tunnels and a number of major trestles involved so it was no easy task and very expensive and ultimately it never really made much money. The line gradually dwindled and actually lasted until recently when a fire in one of the Mexican tunnels collasped the tunnel and put an end to operations. It was then turned over to the Museum operation by the State and, with membership money, has become a major museum with weekend rides and, until last year, an excursion train to Tecate, Mexico, for shopping and tours of the Tecate Brewery. Unfortunately, another tunnel fire put an end to that as well. We certainly enjoyed our visit to the SD&AZ Museum and wound up at the Campos Cafe down the road for an excellent lunch to top off the day.

Since the Railway and Highway 94 parallel the Mexican border along with large high-tension electrical lines taking electricity from Arizona to California, we were able to see much of the highly touted border fence. This is quite a construction through rugged, mountainous terrain. There seem to be more Border Patrol vehicles in this area than we have ever seen anywhere. If they sent half of these patrols to Arizona, perhaps we would have much less of a problem on the open flatlands of Arizona.

Monday, the 24th, we will be off to the Garden Grove Elks Lodge, where we hope to find a site available! (No reservations, no guarantees!)

Still having trouble loading photos here, not to mention an almost unbelieveably slow Internet connection.