March 7 was a busy day for me in Borrego Springs. We had an Anza-Borrego Foundation board meeting in the morning and I announced that evening that the 2026 ABF Desert Warrior Award was to the late Nicholas Clapp, former trustee and renowned documentary film-maker.
I presented the award to his widow, Bonnie Clapp, at the beginning of that evening’s performance of Jimmy Smith’s Outrageous Front Porch Revue, an ABF fundraiser, at the Borrego Springs Performing Arts Center. The revue, in its ninth year, offers a great evening of Americana music performed by current and former residents of Borrego Springs. Jimmy Smith is a former long-time trustee of ABF and board president.
In between the board meeting and performance, I had the opportunity to get out into the desert. ABF board vice president Tim Mielcarek led a group on a three-mile hike (1.5 miles out-and-back) to Henderson Canyon wash. The group included members of the families of board member Elizabeth Latham and of ABF Education Director Samantha Young. Kids hiked and infants were carried.
The hike originated in a section of Galleta Meadows, a privately-owned but publicly-accessible parcel off Henderson Canyon Road, that features several sculptures by the distinctive sculptor Ricardo Breceda.
The desert bloom was a bit past peak, but there were many blooms along the way, including the distinctive and fragrant Desert Lily.
The objective was the Henderson Canyon wash and, after what seemed farther than a mile-and-a-half, we got there. I should not complain: the terrain was pretty flat and the weather was very pleasant. High temperature around 70, not particularly dry (I even sweat a little).
As I somewhat trudged on the way back, I marveled at the kids running and leaping among rocks. Ah, youth.