“It’s alive and waiting for you. Ready to kill you if you go too far. The sun will get you, or the cold at night. A thousand ways the desert can kill”
The Mojave is a desert of wind, temperature extremes, Joshua Trees and solitude. When most people hear the word ‘desert,’ images of tumbleweeds, rattlesnakes and bleak desolation typically come to mind. In reality, the Mojave is anything but a wasteland. Amongst the sand and sagebrush lie many places of beauty and wonder, and of historic importance. Some are the result of time and the elements, some are the result of man and his efforts to live in the Mojave, both in recent and prehistoric times. Let’s go see what we can find.
I drove through Desert Shores recently, mainly to take some pictures of what is left of a resort near the water's edge. I'm not sure yet if it was part of the Desert Shores Yacht Club, or maybe the Marina Mobile Estates, but the remains of whatever it was are still impressive. I'll bet it was something to see back in the day. The attraction of old, abandoned places seems to have a hold on me.
Read MoreThe Salton Sea is actually the largest lake in California. It was created by accident in 1905 when a cut in the bank of the Colorado River resulted in an overflow that overwhelmed the canal which was supposed to contain the runoff. The river basically flowed unchecked into the historic dry lake bed of the Salton Basin for two years before repairs were completed. Oooops. Things happen.
Read MoreI recently had the opportunity to meet up with my cousin, Karen of the North Country, at the Salton Sea Visitor Center. There are a lot of interesting things and places to visit in the Sonoran Desert of southeastern California, and we had the entire day to see what we could find. Our travels eventually led us to East Jesus, which curiously enough, is located near West Satan.
Read MoreI was able to visit the magic mountain on a recent trip to the Salton Sea. I had first learned of Salvation Mountain from an episode of Huell Howser's California Gold. And after finally visiting the place, I'll have to quote Huell and say, "it's amazing!"
Read MoreJoshua Tree National Park, the California Gold Country, forgotten places in the Mojave Desert. These are a few of my favorite things.
