I have spent the last two days in La Quinta at Lake Cahuilla and the surrounding area (Indian Wells, Palm Springs).
I can’t remember the last time I have seen so many brick walls surrounding homes. All these gated communities with cookie cutter homes, golf and polo clubs. Driving through these towns was not particularly interesting. That was until I didn’t make that left turn, but continued going straight. Deep down I knew that I was not on the right road, but I was glad I didn’t turn. Only ten miles from these manicured lawns and this unreal desert life did I stumble across the other half of society. I had found the agricultural side. Groves of huge date palm trees with their fruits wrapped in paper or some kind of netting, orange groves, fields of bell peppers and tons of farm workers at work. The groves and fields were bordered by the trailer communities of the farm workers, no paved roads and most trailers were run down. I can’t bring myself to take photos of these kind of places. The dead dog on the side of the road didn’t help.
I was fascinated by the palm trees. I had never seen a palm tree farm, never even thought about where dates came from. The trees were at least three stories tall and just below the crown was a ladder attached to the trunk, but there was no climbing help from the ground to that ladder.
I had to back track a few miles to get to the road I needed to take.
Salton Sea beach covered in barnacles and dead fish
Highway 111 along the east side of the Salton Sea to Niland. There wasn’t much traffic on this one lane highway, which I always prefer over the busy highways. Hwy 111 runs right along side the Sea. The Salton Sea is California’s largest lake, larger than Lake Tahoe. It looked beautiful from the highway, blue water against a great mountain back drop. Hey, I had some time, and I needed to make myself some lunch (on the rare occasion I eat more than just a banana and some cookies).
Salton Sea - dead fish
I pulled into the State Park and parked at the beach. A quick bite to eat and off I went to take some pictures. Great white pelicans on the lake. I don’t think that I had seen white pelicans in the US before. Usually you see the brown variety. As I made my way to the water I got stuck in mud and soon realized that there were hundreds upon hundreds of dead fish everywhere. They were small fish all dried up. Not a pretty site. I checked the Salton Sea website, but could not find anything about the dead fish. Only a National Geographic Magazine article mentioned the mass fish die-offs. Pollution, increasing salt levels and low water levels are some of the culprits. So much for a nice afternoon at the beach.
I continued my drive south on hwy 111. My final destination for the day was Slab City.
My neighbors - Slab City
Not really a city, more (sometimes temporary) home to the traveling kind and squatters on the abandoned and dismantled Fort Dunlap World War II Marine training base. No hook-ups and no fees.
I had my reservations to stay overnight, but decided to stay anyway; after I called a friend to let at least someone know where I was. I think I might have ended up across the street from Slab City. Not that there is a big difference, just that there are no concrete slabs on my side only dirt. The land is now owned by the Teachers Authority, go figure, and they have no problem with people staying here for free.
Salvation Mountain
Unfortunately, people don’t always take good care of their surroundings when it is free. Some areas are pretty badly littered. On the other hand, I saw a beautiful sunset through the back window of my camper. This place is in the desert, mountains on two sides, the Salton Sea to the west.
Salvation Mountain - Yellow brick road
Just before Slab City is Salvation Mountain; the life’s work of Leonard Knight. A monument to God and his universal love.
This is my first travel related post in a very long time, sorry about that. I started some posts, but haven’t finished them. Hopefully, I will be able to catch up now that it is getting dark by 5 PM.
Just briefly, I spent several days in Death Valley, followed by a visit to my friend John in LA and most recently I visited Bob and Faith in Laguna Niguel.
It was the trunk, not the branch
As of Monday I will be without my camper for one or two weeks. I will stay in hotels for the time being. I can’t quite get use to the thought of not being in my home for so long. Why am I “abandoning” my home? Not because of the weather.
Bad luck
On my way to Laguna Niguel I met a tree. I was pulling into a parking strip and a tree was ever so slightly leaning into the road, bang. I have a decent size hole on the front edge of my roof. I am just glad that I have insurance, even if it comes with a large deductible.
It costs the insurance roughly $4,000, including my hotel allowance. Maybe this way I get around to writing a little more. 🙂
P.S. If you thought that Southern California is nice and warm during the winter months, you are wrong. I woke-up to 21 F, yes 21 F (-6C). It did warm up to 60+ (18 C) during the day.