After all those mountains and canyons, we ended up at Lake Mead, Nevada, for a well earned break; just like the Colorado River does before continuing its flow to the border of Mexico. We made the most of the ample free camping on offer, staying at two different locations on the lake. The first week was crazy stormy, with wind gusts at a whopping 50mph. Our camper did a lot of swaying those first three days, making it feel as if we were still driving those offroad trails in Moab.
The wind did eventually ease though and we enjoyed some walks down to the shore. Zoe was able to play in the water and it was at this location, where we met another travelling family: Travelinggypsycircus. Zoe and their daughter, Ameilia hit it off immediately and we decided to make plans to camp together at the next Lake Mead location.
The weather got warmer and the girls spent a lot of time splashing around in the lake. It certainly was good for us all to socialise again. Amelia turned 2 at the time, and Zoe got to attend her first ever birthday party.
The coyotes of Lake Mead made their appearance each morning and night too and certainly kept Richie busy with his camera! He got some close shots of our howling friends. And we mustn’t forget to mention Silverskin. We detached our truck and camper and got him a set of new tyres from nearby Henderson.
And with now added grip to our wheels, we were able to hit the road again, destination: Escondido, California. Our friend Mark from Ireland was in town, and invited us to join him during his ‘Farm-sit’. What an opportunity for Zoe. We received a very warm welcome from a group of waddling ducks, a coup of clucking hens, horses, donkeys, pigs and goats, oh and Mark of course. The days were spent getting mucky and helping with the feeds, and the nights in good company, eating delicious meals and drinking a few drams of Irish Whiskey. We did decide to check out Escondido, but the heavens opened and we ended up eating our gelatos in the car! Mark must have brought that Irish weather with him.
It was great to catch up though, but a big shame, Patti his wife couldn’t make it this time. We did however, get to meet Cindy, Patti’s sister and she recommended an awesome German delicatessen in Carlsbad. So, on our day of departure, we stocked up on Bratwurst, Leberwurst and Weisswurst and made a beeline to the beach at ‘Dana Point’, grilling our sausages (oh how we have missed them) in one of their very well maintained picnic areas. The vibe was just like in the movies. Surfers congregated to catch their big waves, and rollerbladers skidded past us at great speed. There were many volleyball matches to be had and yes, those that love to engage in fitness were there too. We soaked it all in whilst indulging in our great feast.
The road took us over the Ortega Highway (a very nice drive by the way) through Anza and Lake Elsinore to Palm Springs. Having visited this 70s desert resort city on a previous trip eight years ago, we were keen to relive those memories and reunite with the 26 ft tall Marilyn Monroe. A lot can change in eight years however, and Marilyn had left those quarters too. Our visit on that Saturday afternoon was also a little unsuccessful. The town was heaving with tourists, and traffic queues to hotspot areas such as Palm Canyon Trail were extremely long. We turned around and drove directly to Joshua Tree National Park.
Joshua Tree National Park did not disappoint! Its giant boulders and fuzzy, quirky trees never cease to amaze us, and the pleasant warm temperatures along with that endless blue sky was just perfection.
Our next attraction on the list of places we have not been to before (and also on the list of places people don’t go to anymore) was the Salton Sea.
This lake (the biggest in California) was created by an accident, an accident that happened when channeling the water for agriculture purposes taken from the Colorado river. It soon became a popular tourist destination in the 1950s, with holiday apartments built, and boating clubs in action. Why then on the day we arrived, was everything deserted leaving a very eerie apocalyptic feeling? And why were we one of the only ones choosing to visit the area? (There really was only a handful of other tourists sharing the lakeside campground.)
Well, over the decades, the lake got saltier and saltier, and the toxic runoff from the nearby agriculture farms contaminated the water, killing off most of the fish species and making it unsafe to swim in. In spite of all this, we however, enjoyed our time there, playing in the sand and watching the frequent trains go by. The sunsets (and sunrises!) were awesome, and migratory birds are still visiting the area, keeping the once booming tourist attraction somewhat alive.
And like the trains, we too were on our way to Yuma, with of course a few stops in between. Nearby Slab City and its very random ‘Salvation Mountain’ being first. Slab City is a town built up of ‘off-the grid’ squatters. People who choose to use this free land to express their creativity freely. The land is said to be a refuge for snowbirds (RVers) to enjoy the warmer winter climate, but driving through is everything but this short-term holiday destination. We very much got the feeling that this place has its own long-term community, with old and rusty RVs becoming more permanent residences. The free, creative expression definitely does take presidency though, with Salvation Mountain being the largest art installation in the area. This painted mound was first created by the late Leonard Knight, in the hope of spreading a message of love in such a harsh climate through bible verses. After he passed away, friends in the community continued his legacy by maintaining the sight, and many tourists stop by to visit this bright and colourful attraction.
From here, we could be in Mexico within an hour, with the Calexico/Mexicali border crossing being directly south of the Salton Sea. But, we’re not quite ready for that crossing yet. With the pandemic very much still in the air, and some last minute preparations planned for our truck and camper, we will make the most of our time in the USA. Exploring Arizona, a state we have frequently visited, and grown to love; and revisiting Phoenix for Christmas and New Year, with our close friends, Roland and Denise.
See you in Yuma!
Thanks for reading, we’ll meat you around the world!
❤️