TULE PEAK - TOM’S CAMP TRAIL RIDE

TOM’S CAMP TRAIL RIDE

The Tule Peak, Tom’s Camp Trail ride held on April 11th has come and gone and folks are still buzzing about it. Sixteen riders showed up under threatening skies and in spite of rain and snow the night before, those who gambled and decided to ride were rewarded with near perfect weather for riding. Our hosts for the ride, Bob Jones and Robin Prinzing allowed our group to park on their property, a short five minute ride from the trail head. Bob and Robin graciously set up a table and provided hot coffee and home-made banana nut bread for the group prior to starting on the ride. The trail began at the foot of Tule Peak and wound its way up through some beautiful country not many folks have ventured into and along the route were some fantastic vistas of Mt Palomar, Oak Grove, Temecula and Vail Lake and the wild flowers were in abundance in spite of the clouds. The hunter’s trail tied in with an old mining road near the top of Tule Peak and then led us east to our highest point of the 1000-foot climb near the foot of Beauty Mountain. From there we dropped down into Tom’s Camp where the group watered their horses and mules, ate lunch and learned a little about the history of the surrounding area. After lunch the ride resumed, leaving out on the Tom’s Camp Trail. Again, the riders were rewarded with some beautiful country. Tom’s Camp Trail then joined up with the Tule Peak Trail where we followed it back to Bob and Robins. Along the trail was a “treasure” that had been hidden the previous day. Pete Spencer spotted the treasure atop a rock on the trip out and was awarded a beautiful rope halter and lead rope donated by NATURAL HORSE BLANKETS. We hope to have another ride in this area before the weather gets too warm and ride one of several other trails in this area and see lots more of this unique and beautiful area. If you are a motorcycle, jeep, quad, or any other type of motorized off-roader you need to get out there soon as this area was recently designated as wilderness and will soon be blocked off to you because you are evil. You can thank Mary Bono Mack for her wisdom and incite into keeping you out an area she has never been. Please keep this in mind come election time!