Driving Day to California

It was so nice and warm in the campervan overnight - probably the first night I have not woken up with a slightly frosty nose. It might be the desert is getting warmer, but it might also be that full bottle of sparkling wine Mario and I consumed to ring in the New Year...Today is a driving day, with some stops sprinkled in here and there to keep things interesting, so we take advantage of that fact and linger a little long at our BLM camp spot this morning. It's in the middle of a volcanic field, so the views are pretty cool, and the ground is covered in black lava stones. No critters, though.

Packed up, hatches all battened, we get back on the road and no sooner are we moving and we stop again, at Dateland. This area of the country is known for date-growing, and last time we tried the giant Medjool dates, they were DELICIOUS. So we stopped in and bought a sampler pack of other varieties grown in Dateland(Honey dates, Halawi and Khadrawy dates), and got a date shake for the road. This one was more of a vanilla-ice-cream-and-date shake, more sweet than healthy. Oh well, we'll just have to stop again! 

We pass through the town of Yuma, situated on the border between Arizona, California and Mexico. Half of the town seems to be 55+ RV resorts and golf clubs. It's just RVs as far as the eye can see. But what brings people down here? The weather? The community feeling in the resorts? The dry heat? It's certainly not the surroundings - there's nothing but miles of open desert down here! We ask ourselves all of these questions and more as we pass through the town, and from Arizona into California.

Next cool view that we pass is the Imperial Dunes Recreational Area, giant golden sand dunes that seem to just show up out of nowhere, and now tower over us. There are what seems like entirely different village of RVs and trailers here, filled with people who came to cruise over the waves of sand on dirt bikes and dune buggies. We watch as they come bouncing over the hills, tall flags waving in the wind as they go. It's such a cool place, and then we turn another bend in the highway and the dunes fade away, and the dune buggies with them, and we are back to flat desert again, almost like a mirage.

Then we cruise long, straight, boring highways in the middle of flat, formless desert - time to change views. We turn off and head north, suddenly finding ourselves in the middle of agricultural fields! Verdant green rows sprawl out before us, and as I navigate Mario along the quieter, more interesting roads, I keep him updated on what we are passing: lots of kale, maybe alfalfa, definitely date palms. Another turn and I spot alternating rows of green and purple leafy greens, and then a section of marijuana, because it's also a crop in California, and maybe some carrots, but I'm not sure...It's in such stark contrast to the desert scrub and occasional cattle feed field we've seen since Phoenix. 

There's corn near Holtville, along the 115 north, but also hay bales stacked high along the sides of the farm roads. Mario thinks it's probably to cover the crops in case of freezing nights, since we've not seen any cattle anywhere, so the hay is not for feed. Egrets fly out of the irrigation canals that surround every farm. No wonder things are so green here.

Somewhere in the middle of all this verdant green, we stop at Slab City, a congregation of artists, free spirits and free peoples from all walks, searching for a simpler life, free of the shackles of America, and society in general. We are welcomed by the Salvation Mountain, an adobe and paint-covered hill that screams the artist's message in as loud a voice as possible: God is Love. It's a message that is repeated all over this community. Down bumpy gravel roads, we look at the ramshackle shelters : jumbles of trailers and campers with torn tarps floating in the wind, bright colours splashed here and there, and a collection of random, but carefully chosen, bits and bobs attached to every surface, every blank canvas.

Some are more art gallery that home, like the collection at East Jesus. The gateman, an old gentleman with a long white beard, bright red painter's overalls, takes a puff from his long pipe as he welcomes us in to the open-air exhibit. He explains that 200 artists have contributed to the installations, which means 200 egos. He also tells us there are only 2 rules to visiting: One, touching the art is encouraged, and Two, if we break something, just say it was broken when we got there! It all reminds me of some of the things I've see when researching Burning Man, and the temporary art festival that happens in a desert not too far away from this one. I wonder if the community here participates in Burning Man, or maybe Burning Man was inspired by this community.

White Temple of stuff	Elephant?
Mario finds a ride	Thunder bird
Mouse house in an RV	Homemade soap!

We continue north, following the coast of Salton Sea, the largest body of water in California, but so toxic and salinated that even birds and fish can not longer live in it. It's a long, sad story, but this was once a vacationer's paradise, with many, many resort towns built along the shores of the sea, and many water sports happening in its waves. Then agriculture came to the area, with irrigation and pesticides a plenty, and much of the chemicals flowed through the water system into this sea. The Salton Sea became a reservoir for the chemical-laced run-off of the farms. Eventually, no one could swim, or boat, the wildlife died off, the sea began to dry, and even the air became toxic. Needless to say, the place has become an apocalyptic wasteland. But then there is Bombay Beach, the last community settled on the shores of the doomed sea. People still live in the old vacation homes, curious art installations have popped up, and now people come to see the bizarre, sad little town. And it is curious: the water is so salty, it is like a mirror, perfectly still, and reflecting the hazy sun trapped behind the mist that covers the area. The sand is crushed fish bones, and there is a strange smell in the air - not bad, but not good either. But tourism is a strange thing. Mario thinks that in 10-20 years, a lot of the little homes will be filled instead with little shops, as post apocalyptic tourism becomes a fad.  Or maybe due to the fact that Lithium deposits have been discovered here, it will all soon be gone. Either way, it's quite something.

Beach swing	Mirror reflection
Support at its best	Drive-in?

From here we make our way to the Interstate, and the cities in Palm Desert. An oasis of green between two mountain ranges, and so very close, but far away, from Los Angeles, it's surprising that such a vast population is thriving out here in the desert. But the over-abundance of palm trees, and then vegetation, and even grass(!?) proves that life if thriving in this area. It's past sunset, and though there are no street lights, we pass through neighbourhoods where EVERY SINGLE PALM TREE is lit up! They light our way to our destination, the home of Dave and Michelle, friends of Mario's Aunt Kim and cousins Mya and Amy, who just *happen* to be visiting California at the exact same time as us, so you KNOW we had to meet up! There were tacos for EVERYONE, and sharing of travel stories, and tours of our van in an attempt to convince everyone that they should all get one. We might try to plan some group hiking in Joshua Tree, but for the moment, it was hot showers and a safe spot to camp, parked in front of the house, and an invitation to coffee in the morning. And that, too, is one of the highlights of travelling - reconnecting with people in unexpected places.