For the optional field trip I traveled to the Bonsal preserve location. I met Al Certa and one of his close friends there so they could help me identify some native plants. Al explained that he hadn't been to this location for a long time. He was amazed at what has happened to the preservation location. Supposedly, they are building a new highway next to the old Bonsal bridge that will connect cities. In doing so, who ever is building the new highway has been doing massive work along the Bonsal bridge. They have cut back a lot of the shrubs and bushes that were originally there. Instead of normally finding debris from paintballers and vandals, we ended up finding debris left from the construction. Al was amazed that so much work has been done to clear foliage for the new highway.
After we got over the changes to the site we got a chance to go visit some spots that had capule. Al pointed out in one particular spot that he thought the capule were a way for the Indians to communicate. He also speculated that they were a map of the stars pointing out that the layout has similarities to the little dipper. I thought they might of been for map marking the different tribes or landmarks such as Palomar Mountain.
As we went through the preserve Al pointed out native plants that I could photograph with a strong emphasis on staying away from poison oak. While observing native plants we stumbled upon a dragonfly that was perched on a warm rock. I quickly got as close as i could and snapped a photo. To my surprise it ended up being a Kodak moment and the photo came out killer. We talked about how some people speculate that the focal image in the Rincon Band of Luiseno indians is a dragonfly. Others think it is a butterfly. Whatever it is it was developed from a traditional basket weaving pattern. Personally, I think its a dragonfly because I've heard stories told that when the San Luis Rey River was enormous there was tons of dragonfly's that roamed the area. So, to see one in the present so close was a symbol of longevity.
Another interesting thing that happened was the discovery of some rock art. Just after Al had explained to me that people are coming to this site and stealing preservation objects like rocks, we literally stumbled across a rock that looked like a face.
Maybe it was just the light at the time, but it was pointed out that this was a piece of natural rock art. Here we are looking at plenty of rock art and this diamond in the rough is sitting at leg level waiting for someone to trip on it. Is it a face or a rock? You be the judge.
The last thing we discovered was the rock art that was hidden by the water levels of the river. The water level was soo low that there were rocks that had capules on them that were previously hidden because they were submerged. Al was amazed because he had been to the site plenty of times and never seen the water level so shallow. This means that the water level at the time there was villages present was very shallow. To my knowledge this was a new find and documentation.
