Winter 2015 - Escape to the Desert: Imperial Valley & Joshua Tree National Park
After two days in Anza-Borrego State Park we were off—and then we weren't. When we returned to the MRV after coffee in Borrego Springs, it wouldn't start. We called AAA, initially making the mistake of using the word "RV," which they will not cover.
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We were off via the Salton Sea to El Centro. We were amazed by the growing community of Salton City, where summer days reach 125 degrees. The population grew nearly fourfold in the first decade of the 21st century, from 1,000 to 3,800. Like other towns on the Salton Sea, Salton City was begun in the 1950s as a resort community. The Salton Sea as a resort was short-lived, due to agricultural runoff that polluted the water.
Then in the 2000s, impacted and costly housing elsewhere in California, improvements to the main access highway S22, and an Indian casino drew people to Salton City. A friend of Doug’s was bequeathed two lots in town. He’s not sure what he’ll do with them, but at the height of the economic upswing, he was offered $50,000 each! Normally they swing between $900 and $9,000. The town boasts a new travel center, but that’s about it in the way of conveniences.
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The road through Salton City and Highway 86 heading south were quite buckled. But at the end of the road in El Centro Doug’s wonderful aunts Ruth and Eileen greeted us with hugs. Cousin Gretchen and husband Robert joined us for lunch. Afterwards, Ruth, Eileen, and I took naps. Refreshed, we continued reminiscing about family and places and looking at old photos. The memories, laughter and good cheer continued over dinner in nearby Imperial.
We stopped in a rest area where Doug performed one of his favorite duties on the MRV—another reason we were so happy to replace it with an 18-foot PleasureWay Traverse Ford Poptop two months after this trip.
Joshua Tree National Park.
We were able to convince them that we are really just a Ford van that happens to have RV parts hanging on the back. A tow truck arrived 1-1/2 hours later, and the delay wiped the call from our account. The battery seemed okay, but the MRV wouldn’t start without being jumped, so at the driver’s recommendation, we headed to Jake’s Auto Body. Aaron, a nice young mechanic, ffound the culprit: a loose wire. He refused payment, but we paid him anyway.
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Winter destinations: Anza Borrego Desert State Park, El Centro, Joshua Tree National Park.
We were off via the Salton Sea to El Centro. We were amazed by the growing community of Salton City, where summer days reach 125 degrees. The population grew nearly fourfold in the first decade of the 21st century, from 1,000 to 3,800. Like other towns on the Salton Sea, Salton City was begun in the 1950s as a resort community. The Salton Sea as a resort was short-lived, due to agricultural runoff that polluted the water.
Salton City, 1950s (photo Desert Sun, from Salton Sea History Museum).
Then in the 2000s, impacted and costly housing elsewhere in California, improvements to the main access highway S22, and an Indian casino drew people to Salton City. A friend of Doug’s was bequeathed two lots in town. He’s not sure what he’ll do with them, but at the height of the economic upswing, he was offered $50,000 each! Normally they swing between $900 and $9,000. The town boasts a new travel center, but that’s about it in the way of conveniences.
.jpeg)
The road through Salton City and Highway 86 heading south were quite buckled. But at the end of the road in El Centro Doug’s wonderful aunts Ruth and Eileen greeted us with hugs. Cousin Gretchen and husband Robert joined us for lunch. Afterwards, Ruth, Eileen, and I took naps. Refreshed, we continued reminiscing about family and places and looking at old photos. The memories, laughter and good cheer continued over dinner in nearby Imperial.
Doug sandwiched between two amazing women: Aunt Ruth & Aunt Eileen.
Sunday morning, after a leisurely breakfast, more conversation and memories, and lots of hugs, we left Ruth and Eileen, promising to see them at the annual family reunion in April. We pointed the MRV up the east side of the Salton Sea for Joshua Tree National Park. The road was much smoother, but in the stark, brown, desert surroundings, made drier yet by California’s 4-plus years drought, the green of the fields of alfalfa, onion, leafy row crops, and citrus groves was almost painful to the eyes.
Many California communities have strict water restrictions in place. The water table has fallen so low in some areas that water is becoming polluted. Rural homeowners have had to dig new wells. Yet the Imperial Valley is luxuriously green, thanks to Colorado River water. That is a whole social and political history that I won’t get into here.
Imperial Valley agriculture.
Many California communities have strict water restrictions in place. The water table has fallen so low in some areas that water is becoming polluted. Rural homeowners have had to dig new wells. Yet the Imperial Valley is luxuriously green, thanks to Colorado River water. That is a whole social and political history that I won’t get into here.
Leafy greens greening the Imperial Valley.
We stopped in a rest area where Doug performed one of his favorite duties on the MRV—another reason we were so happy to replace it with an 18-foot PleasureWay Traverse Ford Poptop two months after this trip.
Doug at work on a favorite job.
We were amazed as well by the increased agricultural production along the Salton Sea, with a variety of farms all owned by the same agricultural concern. The traditional date palm and citrus groves are now joined by vineyards and row crops.
Vineyards at Mecca, looking toward Salton Sea & San Jacinto Mountains.
Date palms near Mecca.
At Mecca, a few miles northwest of Bombay Beach, we turned north on Box Canyon Road, destination the southern entrance to Joshua Tree. The geology of this region fascinates, with its numerous mountain groups—Chocolate, Palo Verde, Superstition, Cargo Muchacho, Little Mule, Coyote.
Approaching Box Canyon.
The area is part of the Salton Trough. It includes the infamous San Andreas Fault, cause of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and predicted to one day separate California from the rest of the continent. Formations look like elaborate mud pies giants might have made.
"Giants' Mud Pies" along Box Canyon Rd.
Barren ground, green fields, Chocolate Mountains.
We passed over busy I-10 and entered Joshua Tree National Park at Cottonwood Springs. This is higher desert than Anza Borrego, making it too early for desert bloom, but with windows down and the warm desert air swirling in, we took in hills, washes, ocotillo, palo verde, and cholla “teddy bear” cactus. Despite its name, don't hug it. Just brushing it will leave you with spines.
As we climbed from the lower Colorado Desert section of the park to the higher Mojave Desert, Joshua trees began to appear, along with large rock formations that again look like the results of giants at play.
Joshua Trees in Joshua Tree National Park.
Joshua Tree's amazing rock formations.
Other desert plants.
As we heade west, the Joshua trees with their many randomly curved arms became abundant and larger.
At the rate of an inch a year, Joshuea Trees can grow to 40 feet and live 100 years, but according to the rangers at the entry station, many are succumbing to an earlier demise due to the prolonged drought.
Even desert plants adapted to dry conditions need some water.
Our last stop was Cap Rock, site of the infamous memorial to rock musician Gram Parsons of the Byrds and Flying Burrito Brothers fame. He loved Joshua Tree and died there in 1973. We didn’t take time to walk to the memorial, having decided we needed to head home due to family health matters. But we did take time to chat with the Canadian owners of a Safari Condo, another poptop van, about its pros and cons.
Too soon, we were showing our national parks senior pass at the ranger station and rolling downhill to Twentynine Palms, which caters to several thousand marines on the nearby base. Doug quickly sought out the best, quickest way home and the MRV was off on another trek. Perhaps next month we will return to Joshua Tree for our fill.
Too soon, we were showing our national parks senior pass at the ranger station and rolling downhill to Twentynine Palms, which caters to several thousand marines on the nearby base. Doug quickly sought out the best, quickest way home and the MRV was off on another trek. Perhaps next month we will return to Joshua Tree for our fill.
Heading north toward home.
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