Reflect on the Year During Our Silent Retreat

Step out of your life for a day on Wednesday, December 29.  In the tranquility of Sacred Rocks Reserve, reflect on the lessons of 2010. Toss the bad stuff into the fire. Dream about and plan your 2011. Then share your day over a potluck feast.

Silent Retreat Program

8:30 –  Breakfast and orientation

9:00 – Silence begins.  Spend the morning reflecting on 2010 as you cozy up around the fireplace, walk the labyrinth, sit at the sacred rocks, and write in your journal.

11:30 - Toss notes recounting the bad stuff of 2010 into the flames. Let the past go.

Noon -  Lunch together, still in silence.

12:30 - Dream and plan your 2011. Create a theme for your year and design your life around that theme.

4:00 - Share silent meditation together.

5:00 - Break the silence and share, if desired. 

6:00 - Potluck feast and joyful conversation.

RSVP: guidesharon@gmail.com with number attending and meal items you’re bringing to share (see below).

What to Bring:

• friends
• layers of comfy clothing
• quilt and floor mat for resting
• food for sharing at 2 meals
• donations
• journal and pen
• pack of 3×5 cards
• quiet music for background

What not to bring: cellphones or computers.

Meals: Please bring enough to share with at least four people for two meals. Here’s what Sharon is bringing:

• Breakfast - Oatmeal and fixin’s
• Lunch - Spanakopita
• Dinner – Crock pot of turkey/chipotle chili

Come join us for a peaceful day of silence focused on reflection, dreaming and planning your 2011.

Advice from the Purple Mountain Sage: Celebrations

December is a time of celebration and also a time of reflection as we prepare for the new year. 

In this month’s column in East County Magazine, The Purple Mountain Sage offers a beneficial process to set up 2011 to be the best year ever. As you do this exercise, you reveal lessons of 2010 that you can take forward to a better life. Give it a try and let us know how it goes! Read more…

Horse Camping is Coming To Sacred Rocks – October 15-17, 2010

Lovely Horses, trees and excellent camping experience!

Special Offer: To kick off this project for our four legged friends, we are offering weekend horse camping special on October 16-17. If you bring a horse, you camp for free! If you just want to try out the beautiful scenery surrounding our gorgeous trails, you can come for free for the day!

Description: Primitive Camping – water available, bring ties or corrals, rolling hills, some shade, native chaparral, miles of trails.

We need your help for our HORSE CAMPING project. We value your opinions and if you will give us your ideas and feedback, then we can work to offer the best Horse Camping experience in Southern California. To let us know if you or someone you know would like to horse camp, please call (760) 845-1085 or contact us

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Reservations recommended even though this is a complementary event.

“Glamping” or “Roughing It” at Sacred Rocks

Sacred Rocks RV Park is mentioned in an article by The Oakland Tribune: “Camping restyled: Campgrounds, RV parks add extras” on 9 May 2010.

eco-friendly vacation cottage

…In 2008, the travel industry slapped the word “glamping” onto this trend of luxury camping…

Sacred Rocks Reserve near San Diego has gone a step further, allotting 36 sites for eco-friendly, solar-powered park models that are on sale as year-round vacation homes. “It’s for people who want to escape the noise of the city and hear the owls at night,” said owner Sharon Courmousis.

I’ll be the first to admit — I prefer camping with four walls, a real bed and a private bathroom. But laptops propped up on picnic tables? RVs with outdoor televisions? Texting around the campfire? Has our inability to disconnect from the outside world and our favorite tech toys gone too far?

Courmousis sees it this way: “At least they’re getting some of what nature has to offer.”

Sacred Rocks Reserve: The tent and RV park in San Diego County’s Boulevard has a mile-long labyrinth for meditation, a pool, clubhouse with movie nights and a dog run. Also available for rent are a bunkhouse that sleeps 14, and two show models of its eco-friendly vacation homes. Home to an artists’ colony, the reserve hosts workshops in writing, poetry, photography and crafts and holds occasional geocaching events.

Details: www.sacredrocks reserve.com; 619-766-4480; tent sites from $18 offseason and $22 peak, RVs from $36/$45 and vacation homes from $78.

Tour Wildlife & Native Plants at our San Diego RV Park

tree-shaded path at Sacred Rocks

Hiking in Southern California can be an exciting experience if you’re looking for wild animals and plants native to the Southern California chaparral.

JOIN US 15 MAY 2010 FOR A NATURE WALK AT SACRED ROCKS

This special day you are invited to come and join us for a nature walk learning about the properties of plants as well as spotting the local wildlife. Tour starts at 9:15AM. We will be serving breakfast before as well as a presentation for new and exciting events here at Sacred Rocks Reserve. Enjoy the day at the Reserve! Only $15.00.per person

From Claude Edwards:

Today, Sunday, 09 May 2010, Scott Hampton and I visited portions of the Sacred Rocks Reserve from 11 AM to 12:45 PM to develop a plan for leading bird and plant walks at two events scheduled later this month. Given the approximately one-hour of time that we will have to lead the walks we determined where and how far to go with a group of people and how to make the walks interesting to them without special gear or equipment, or previous knowledge and experience.

We remembered our previous visit to the Reserve when Sharon showed us around and pointed out some of the special and named locations such as the Drum Circle and Grandmother Oak Tree and some of the roads in between. We also took note of the location of the Labyrinth, the dry creek bed…

Southern California wildflowers in bloom

Scott has graciously offered to lead:

• 8:30 to 9:30: Guests arrive; light breakfast is served in Sacred Rocks Clubhouse
• 9:00am: Introductions, goals for the day
• 9:15 to 10:15: Nature hike focusing on birds and plants
• 10:15 to 10:30: Break
• 10:30 to 11:30: Outside meeting
• 11:30: Lunch

After lunch guests are free to leave or visit the property…

Scott will also bring plant books for the same purpose in his walks, assuming there are sufficient numbers of participants to divide them into smaller groups of 5 to 15 people.

Lists of plants and wildlife that we encountered 09 May 2010…

Desert Cottontail Rabbit of Southern California

• Acorn woodpecker
• American crow
• Anna’s hummingbird
• Ash-throated flytcatcher
• Black-headed grosbeak
• Bullock’s oriole
• Bushtit
• California ground squirrel
• Common raven
• Desert cottontail
• European starling
• House finch
• House sparrow
• House wren
• Hutton’s vireo
• Lesser goldfinch
• Nuttall’s woodpecker
• Oak titmouse
• Red-shouldered hawk
• Red-tailed hawk
• Western bluebird
• Western tiger swallowtail
• White-breasted nuthatch
• Yellow warbler

Additional species are expected with more time spent onsite.

Pretty purple California Thistle blooms

Plantlife

• Arroyo lupine
• Ball (globe) gilia
• Big sagebrush
• California buckwheat
• California poppy
• Chamise
• Chaparral nightshade
• Chinese houses
• Coast live oak
• Fiddleneck
• Foxtail brome
• Goldfields
• Mustards
• Pineapple weed
• Pointed-leaf manzanita
• Popcorn-flower
• Redshanks
• Ripgut grass
• Scarlet bugler
• Skunkbrush
• Wild heliotrope

Thai-style jicama salad

fresh and flavorful

Ingredients

1 large jicama, peeled and julienned using a mandoline (about 4 cups)

1 large carrot, peeled and julienned using a mandoline

2 stalks celery, very finely sliced

1/4 cup each mint and cilantro, chopped

2 serrano chiles, minced

1/2 peeled, cooked medium shrimp (36 to 42 per lb.), tails removed, sliced in half lengthwise

2 tbsp. sugar

6 tbsp. fresh lime juice

6 tbsp. Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce

1/3 cup chopped salted peanuts

Directions

1. Spread jicama and carrot on a clean, dry dish towel with strands going in the same direction. Roll up and press towel (to squeeze out as much liquid as possible without breaking strands). Transfer vegetables to a bowl and fluff with your fingers. Add celery, mint, cilantro, chiles, and shrimp and toss to combine.

2. In a small bowl, combine lime juice, sugar, and fish sauce and stir until sugar dissolves. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat, then sprinkle with chopped peanuts.

-Sunset May 2010

Sacred Rocks: South California’s Green Nature Reserve

Twenty years ago, cash was king. Businesses looked to maximize their income at any cost, and many resorted to environmentally unfriendly tactics to get there. We’ve seen numerous green disasters over the years, and at Sacred Rocks Reserve we’re proud to say we’ve never been involved.

You see, we take a green approach to our natural reserve. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon to see so-called “natural” sites that are really resource-hogs, cranking through energy and failing to recycle even the simplest materials. We don’t believe in that – we want to run a natural reserve that’s 100% green and very earth-friendly.

That’s why we recycled over 850 abandoned tires in 2003. It’s why we removed over 80 tons of trash from our land upon purpose. It’s why we heat our pool using a solar blanket, and it’s why we’ve placed recycling containers throughout the park. We don’t just want to be green by ourselves – we want you to help.

Beyond using energy-friendly options for our facilities and park, we take green approaches to everything from drinking water to recycled firewood. An effort to conservation and the environment doesn’t end with efficient lighting and recycling, it requires an understanding of the earth.

We’ve made hundreds of efforts to be green, and we’re proud of it. If you’re tired of the city’s noise, hustle, and bustle, our green nature reserve could be the natural retreat you need. Just 70 miles from San Diego, we’re the most convenient green retreat you’ll find for a weekend getaway or long-term RV trip.

Sacred Rocks RV Park is the greenest and most restful of San Diego RV parks. Locals and out-of-state visitors alike enjoy the best San Diego camping on 163 acres of countryside, with lots of shade trees, native wildlife and chaparral.

Tent Camping Tips

Many people today are keen on recapturing the ultimate summer experience, and nothing says ‘Summer!’ like camping out in a tent. To make the most out of your tent camping experience, here are some tips to remember in the wild outdoors. Keep these tips in mind and you’ll have more ‘oohs’ from your tent camping trip than ‘arghs’.

1.) Plan to arrive while there’s a lot of daylight to set up camp; the closer to sunrise the better. Remember, you are replicating your own residence (roughly speaking) in the campsite you’re going to, and this means you’ll be doing an accelerated version of constructing a dwelling with kitchen (campfire), sleeping quarters (your tent), restroom facilities (depends on how rustic your tent campsite is) and garden/recreation area. While you may have a rough idea of how things will be set up, remember that the lay of the tent camping site will include trees, rocks, dips in the terrain and other considerations that you need to account for only when you get there. Part of the fun of tent camping is the flexibility roughing it demands of you.

2.) Make sure you have figured out how to assemble your tent before you arrive at the campsite. This means setting up the tent overnight in your own backyard and leaving it overnight to make sure it still stands in the morning. Setting up your tent before you go on vacation leaves you lots of room to figure out the best way to start assembling it, and lessens the stress on you, since the time you actually need it will be the second (and familiar!) time you put it up on the campsite.

Most people will tell you the how-tos of camping but as a seasoned camper, I still rely on these two rules I’ve shared since they are the best way to eliminate stress from the tent camping vacation. As you get older and look forward to more peace and quiet which nature provides, allowing yourself enough time to set up camp is a godsend to your sanity as well as those who came with you.

Sacred Rocks RV Park is your Southern California campground for recreational vehicles, tents, and our comfy bunkhouse.
Please visit our website: http://www.sacredrocksreserve.com/rvpark/index.html

Winter’s Over, So Get Outdoors!

South California isn’t exactly renowned for its harsh winter climate, but the cooler nighttime do act as an occasional reason to stay inside and cut down on family camping trips. Now that temperatures are improving and the heat is being cranked back up to a maximum, it’s time to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors that made South California famous.

For many San Diego residents, that could mean a trip to one of the many great beaches that make our area famous. It could mean a run through the park and a day outside the city. For those that are looking for an alternative to South California’s famous coastline, a trip inland to the Sacred Rocks Reserve could be a good option.

A weekend in the city can be a frustrating experience. There’s the noise, the sometimes relentless heat, and the distinct lack of natural relief. Sure, there are parks, but they’re merely a small oasis – a tiny escape from the city noise and frustrating urgency of a big city. Sacred Rocks Reserve offers real relief from city stresses – a mountain reserve and remote natural playground, just 70 miles from central San Diego.

So what’s it going to be? Another routine weekend in the middle of the city, or an exciting escape to a stunningly beautiful natural reserve? Sacred Rocks Reserve isn’t an every-weekend getaway, but it is a great location for the occasional stress-free weekend. Even better, it’s just over an hour away from the office.

Sacred Rocks is one of the nicest San Diego RV Parks in Southern California. We have Camping, an RV Park and wonderful Tent Camping. Please visit our website for photo’s and more information.
http://www.sacredrocksreserve.com/

RV Life on Wheels

2 wild turkeys strut around Sacred Rocks RV Park

Happy campers John and Judy Hollinger from Canada enjoyed their stay so much at Sacred Rocks RV Park that they took photos and blogged about us in their 11 March 2010 entry titled “Here Comes the Sun” and 10 March 2010 entry titled “Blowin’ in the Wind“.

They enjoyed the Drum Circle, wild turkeys, the Labyrinth, and had an informal GPS hunt for a lost cell phone!

If you’ve blogged about your experience in Sacred Rocks Reserve in beautiful Southern California, please feel free to get in touch with us so we can link to your blog!