To reach the Maintenance Building you head up the incline. Notice the coating we have put on the roads. It is chipseal and will require maintenance, but it keeps the dust down and makes for smooth driving. The other thing that keeps dust down is the speed limit, 9 1/2 miles per hour. It keeps traffic under control and makes it safer for all of us.  As you climb the hill you can look back and see a great view of the Palomar Mountains. During the colder winter periods there will even be snow on the tops, but rarely will it come far down the mountain.

  A recent construction project at the resort was the development of a dry waterfall from Granite Loop down to the side of Jojoba Hills Road. This is a decorative channel down which rainwater runoff can flow without eroding the side of the hill as it has done in years past. Like most projects, this work was done by volunteers from within the park.

 You go alongside two of the several ponds in the park on your way up Jojoba Hills Road to the Maintenance Building. These ponds serve multiple purposes. They channel the water runoff and control that flow. They also provide water for the different wildlife that thrive around the park.

 The Maintenance Building has both a metal/mechanical room and a woodworking room. The tools are available for any member once they have been checked out on their use. Many projects are completed in this building during the year. In addition to personal projects, volunteers work on special projects for the park, including preparing new roofing coverings and building sheds. The shops in the Maintenance Building are completely equipped with many of the latest power tools.

The woodworking shop has loads of power tools. Some of these were donated by members who had just retired. Bright and open, there is room in the shop for all to work. Whatever kind of work you are doing in the shops, there is usually someone who can give you some expert advice on how to do it. This advice is free and you don't even have to ask for it. And if you need help, there is always someone who will be glad to assist.  

Next to the Maintenance Building is one of the three Satellite Buildings placed around the park. Each Satellite Building contains restrooms, showers, and a laundry. Another such building is located at the east side of the park near Three Tank Hill, and the third is located next to the boondock area.

 The Resort is a fine place for those SKPs who are involved in amateur radio. Several hams monitor the 10, 20 and even 80 meter bands from atop the hill. Members are organizing an amateur radio network to assist in emergencies. Even those with 2 meter handhelds will be involved.

 Along Granite Loop you will find the usual selection of shed adornments. The 8 by 12 foot sheds are standard fixtures on each site, and people find multiple uses for them, including as a support for some of the flowers that bloom in this desert oasis.

 Other members adorn the gravel on their site, creating a wide variety of forms and displays for others to see. Even though members work wonders with their sites, everyone understands that when they leave the resort, the site returns to the park, along with any improvements they have made. This holds the price of the membership to a constant value.

November 4, 2009