Autumn in Julian, CA

When folks think of Southern California, images of beaches and palm trees may come to mind, but there’s more to this area than that.  In the mountains east of San Diego lies the tiny town of Julian, known for its apples and apple pies.  My dog and I decided to pay this place a visit and see whether those pies are as good as everyone says they are.

Now remember, I did say Julian is in the mountains and it’s tiny.  I should have expected I would drive along the same two-lane road that I took to Mt. Palomar.  One doesn’t get to Julian via the freeway.  But the drive is worth it.

As soon as I had checked into my hotel and settled my stuff, I went in search of that pie.

There are many bakeries lining the main street.  I chose one that had outdoor seating.  Traveling with a dog brings some restrictions with it.  I also chose the basic pie and vanilla ice cream.  Why get too fancy with additional fruits or flavors?

I don’t often eat pie, not even at Thanksgiving.  This was definitely a treat.  As for the dog, he too received something special, a dog biscuit.  Yum!

We strolled the streets and took a few photos around sunset.  I liked the warm light on the old buildings.  Many of the shops, restaurants, and hotels are original structures dating back to the early twentieth century or so.

One such building is the Julian Hotel which takes up a large corner lot.  This was built in the late 19th century and is a national historic landmark.  There was gold in these mountains back then, and I imagine Julian was booming.

The following morning while the world was still just waking, I went exploring on the road out of town.  Most shops weren’t open yet, but I couldn’t help photographing this sign.

In the fog-shrouded morning, the sign suggesting beer and apple pie struck me as funny.  Perhaps you had to be there.

It was a marvelous morning for wandering down the road and I was hoping for warm morning light. However, the weather did cooperate as the fog settled in.  As a result, the golden hour became a blue expanse and this lovely golden horse looks a bit dissatisfied with the weather too.

Nonetheless, in spite of the fog, the above photo does illustrate the mountain forest, which is a pleasant change from my home in the lowlands.

Eventually, the sun came out and the day warmed considerably but by that time, I was ready to head for home.

I’ll visit again, perhaps in winter.  I think a mountain town in winter could be very pretty.  I may even have another piece of pie!

To see more of my images from Julian, please click here.