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