S2 & The Mile Marker Mystery Tour - Original Posting

Thank you for your comment and questions –

I believe that the State is involved because these aid stations are located on State Park land at mile markers on the southern most 15 miles of the major North/South road through the park.  At the very least, permission has to be granted (this is where ordinary citizens may be involved), or at the most, taxpayer money is being used to maintain these stations.  If these stations were located throughout the park for general use and safety as opposed to being only located at the southern most tip (near the Mexican border), I would be less inquisitive and suspicious of the motive.  Further, it does not help that these blue barrels are labeled with white paint – “AGUA” … not the expected language of the citizens the park was established to serve.

My wife and I decided to drive back to Los Angeles from San Diego after attending a business meeting.  As is our habit when we have the time, we explore by taking “the road less traveled”.  This found us heading East on State Highway 8 to the town of Ocotillo, then North on San Diego County road S2.  After heading North on S2, we saw some border agents setting up a check-station along with the newly assigned National Guard troops just before we entered the park boundary.  Soon thereafter, my wife noticed the first blue barrel labeled “AGUA”.  After seeing a couple of more barrels, we stopped and investigated.  We found that each blue barrel contained up to six one gallon sealed jugs of drinking water from an outfit located about 45 miles away in Borrego Springs.