Day Trip

The Ortega Highway

The Ortega Highway runs from San Juan Capistrano here in south OC and winds east through the Cleveland Mountains and several national forests and state parks. It descends into the Lake Elsinore valley in Riverside County, and then continues on into the Palm Springs area. The approximately 45-minute drive over the pass and down to the I-15 is gorgeous this time of year. Yesterday the Wrangler and I headed over to Temecula, which is about an hour and 15 minutes (without traffic) from Laguna Beach, and I enjoyed the ride despite getting a little queasy from the curves and twists. Our mission: to check out some sheep-friendly residential areas.

We did find a cute equestrian community just 10 minutes from Old Town Temecula. After touring a property, we couldn't resist a stop in Old Town to visit the Temecula Lavender Company, the charming retail store for a small lavender farm in Temecula wine country. I picked up some lavender soaps and lotions. Around the corner is the Temecula Valley Cheese Company. We were served a delicious aged cheddar from a woman who makes her own gouda and has a prominent "I love cheese" tattoo on her bicep, with which the Wrangler was fascinated.

"Is that permanent?" he asked our cheesemonger.

"Yep," was her gruff reply.

"Then I guess you are all in," he observed, with admiration.