Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

One day towards the end of our California vacation, we decided to ditch the beaches and head inland to the desert and mountains.  We drove to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.  The temperature change from the coast into the desert was crazy.  It was a cool 70 degrees when we left San Clemente in the morning and by the time we got into the desert, it was nearly 100 degrees. 

We drove through the state park, stopping every once in a while to take some cool photos or see an awesome view.  Eventually, we made it to a trail head and decided to take a little hike through the desert.  It was SO hot.  We didn't last very long since the sun was beating down with no shade and we went through our water supply pretty fast.  Oh, and the fact that Brett got attacked by a "jumping" cactus... which he said was the most painful thing he has ever experienced in his life.  But other than that, the scenery was AWESOME... 

The desert was AWESOME.  We just don't get that kind of stuff on the east coast.  Brett and I are always blown away by California and the fact that you can be at the beach in the morning, the desert in the afternoon, and the snowy mountains by night fall.  The best of all worlds!