Torrey Pines Road which abuts the Torrey Pines State Reserve, home to the rarest pine in North America, native to two restricted areas of California separated by 175 miles of ocean. Native trees today are found only on one spot on Santa Rosa Island and on the sandy bluffs of northern San Diego, where many are protected in the Torrey Pines State Reserve area.
I confess to driving this road weekly and no longer "seeing" its beauty. I decided one morning to go off the beaten path outside the Reserve and found some lovely landscapes including the valley on the left, Coastal sage scrub and Chaparral, wildflowers, along with a variety of birds. The morning light brought about a wild and golden scene. This scene has lost some of its splendor since Southern California has been in a severe drought for several years. In years when the winter rains do fall, the entire area is covered in yellow mustard and colorful wildflowers.
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