30 Apr Which one is Joshua Tree?
I’m not one that understands mechanical things easily as in the “how does it work” scenario. We’ve definitely have had things we have learned along the way as we travel in our home on wheels. Like making sure the latch on the TV is secured at all travel times. Or a hose to the outdoor stove is tucked away before we close a slide, brake is on truck when we unhitch and vice versa, or in this instance, we must put absolutely nada in the the under belly compartment that houses our generator. If you do, you may easily have a mini crisis of leaking hydraulic fluid. As we got ready to leave our fellow 55+ peeps, we noticed fluid cascading out by the legs that keep CR steady when we are stationary. Lesson learned! We really didn’t loose that much fluid. Was able to replenish. Crisis averted. We were now, an hour later, leaving the Phoenix area, on our way to our next stop.
Now this is nice free camping
General George S Patton Memorial Museum
Here, in Chiriaco Summit CA, we found ourselves at the General George S Patton Memorial Museum. This Harvest Host was an awesome camping stop. Really close to the entrance to Joshua Tree National Park and not far from the Salton Sea or Palm Springs. What helped make this place wonderful was that for a dry camping or “boondocking” location, they still have designated spots, a camp host to keep an eye out, and on a stretch of Route 10 where for miles either direction from Chiriaco Summit there was lots of nothingness. And, they unlike most Harvest Hosts locations which really are intended for an overnight stops, this place allows you to stay up to 7 days. Sweet!
Lunch view at Joshua Tree National Park
Still loves to cook outside even when he’s not 100% 🙂
Cholla Cactus Garden
Someone (not me) got attacked by the jumping cactus. Ouch
Our next day dawned beautiful. We headed into Joshua Tree National Park, which straddles the cactus-dotted Colorado Desert and the Mojave Desert, which is higher and cooler. We were able to do a nice hike, before the coughing grabbed at Dave again. Plus, we are both starting to feel the slight change in elevation. Although, only at 3000 ft, when you have spent your lifetime at 144’ and then move to 10’ above sea level, 3000 ft doesn’t feel slight by any stretch of the imagination.
Salton Sea State Park
Salton Sea
Off to the Salton Sea State Park the next day, about an hours drive from where we are camped. This had been on Dave’s list of places to see that I had never heard about. Here are some little known facts I pulled off their website. “One of the world’s largest inland seas and lowest spots on earth at -227 below sea level, Salton Sea was re-created in 1905 when high spring flooding on the Colorado River crashed the canal gates leading into the developing Imperial Valley. For the next 18 months the entire volume of the Colorado River rushed downward into the Salton Trough. By the time engineers were finally able to stop the breaching water in 1907, the Salton Sea had been born at 45 miles long and 20 miles wide – equaling about 130 miles of shoreline. Increasing salinity in the Salton Sea basin has limited the number of types of fish that can be found there, and most fish currently caught are Tilapia. The Salton Sea is California’s largest lake. It is the third largest saline lake in the nation. The Sea has no outlet.”
In the 50’s this place was a sport fisherman and boaters paradise. The photos we saw at the visitor center was crowded beach areas with lots of boats and bathing suits. What we saw in reality was lots of emptiness and dead fish on the shoreline. This beauty of a location is basically dying as there is no water source in. As the docent we spoke to indicated, until those folk using the golf courses that inundate this area and realize that they should pay attention, they just don’t. It was rather cool and sad at the same time.
We decided to drive to an area of Salton Sea known as Bombay Beach. As we walk into the place Yelp had led us to for lunch, something was just not sitting right with both of us. We noticed a table set up outside this pub and very interesting folk hanging around getting wrist bands for something. You know when you just aren’t feeling it and we weren’t. As we leave this pub, we end up driving around, mostly with our jaws hanging low. The general area was one of dilapidated motor homes and shacks of all sorts and sizes. Turns out we arrived on the first day of the Bombay Beach Biennale, which some writer described as a cross between an art conference and Burning Man. A “secret” art festival where these run down trailers become part of someone’s art installation. I’m sure there are many who applaud this. Just wasn’t our cup of tea.
Bombay Beach at Salton Sea
Art
More art
Thankfully, the International Banana Museum was a stop on our way back and so very much more our speed. We loved talking to the owner’s wife, who had a vast amount of banana themed comebacks to any of the visitors stopping by. Long story made short. Husband’s family owned a business next door to a vacant bar. Husband tells wife, “I found for sale on Ebay, the Guiness Book of World Records collection of banana memorabilia! I think we should buy it and open a museum.” To which wife said OK instead of fighting him! Their collection has grown leaps and bounds she tells us as we enjoy a banana split. Fun lady for sure.
Running our generator for a bit that evening, we did what we seem to do. Find and watch a documentary on the Salton Sea.
Dave is still not feeling great. And I’m a bit run down. We drove back in to Joshua Tree and attempted another hike, but we both really just weren’t up for it. So after walking around a Cholla Cactus Garden we about faced and headed to CR.
The journey takes us next to an RV park in Laughlin NV. I call it “casino land”. It’s interesting to me that living in north Jersey for so long, casino’s were in designated spots not really close to us. Traveling out west you pretty much can trip over a casino at every mile marker. Casino’s in general aren’t our thing. This was just a good stop distance wise for us. Also, we were able to get to clinic visit #2 across the Colorado River in Bullhead City AZ for Dave. New diagnosis, Type A flu. Hmmm. So desert fever or flu? Would be cool if they could agree on what Dave is battling. So much credit to him for not feeling well, and carrying the burden of driving. He is a trooper for sure. And that brain of his…Knowing as we passed the town of Needles NV, that Snoopy’s cousin Spike from the Peanuts cartoon lived in Needles. So Dave can access that tucked away in your brain, random facts, even when he doesn’t feel well. Bravo!
Colorado River
There were definitely redeeming aspects of this area. Visited the Colorado River Museum. Took a walk to see the Davis Dam. Checked out to Classic Car Museum inside Don Laughlin’s Riverside Casino. Had a good meal at Colorado Belle Casino’s Pint Brewery which overlooks the Colorado River. Even checked out a some homes for sale that specialize in housing RV’s as part of their floor plans. Just for fun.
Getting stoked to leave in the morning, for our forty third day of travel to drive and pick up Sara in Las Vegas to spend some time with us on this journey. This is one happy mom.
For Us, It’s Not Abad Day 🙂