1. The Salton Sea
Imagine a prehistoric sea in the middle of the desert, miles from any real form of civilization, surrounded by rusted ruins of the "hippie highway," covered in tiny fish carcasses. Sounds horrifying, amazing, unbelievable? I'd accept any answer. But believe it you must. About 45 minutes east of Palm Springs lies a prehistoric lake-bed that was accidentally flooded sometime last century to create an equally beautiful and miasmic destination. It's almost deserted now, save for a park ranger and a few RVs. But in the 40s and 50s this was quite a destination for Hollywood starlets looking to get away and zip around on speed boats. I have a documentary on this sea at the top of my Netflix. I'll update you with any new findings.
2. Death Valley
You could spend weeks here. Of course if you were camping without water you'd be dead in a day or so but luckily they have an oasis with two lovely hotels. If you want a mild climate, go in the winter. It'll be in the 70s. But if you like it extreme, which is how I'd recommend it, go in July. When I went the temp was around 130. You may say, "Anything above 105 is the same. Too hot." But 130 is a different level. It FEELS unsafe. It hits you in the eyeballs. They pulse and burn. After a few minutes out there, you start to feel them shift in the sockets, begging to get out. But if you can bear it, this place has many great treasures. First, it's the biggest park in the continental United States. I believe it's bigger than three or four states even. It's got nearly everything you'd need in a desolate Mars landscape.
Jagged rocks? Check. Sand dunes? Uh-huh. Basins almost two hundred feet below sea-level? Of course! But surely this place can't also have miles and miles of jagged salt fields? And mammoth boulders that mysteriously move across the desert floor? Or ghost towns...no scratch that ghost cities, ghost metropolises? And a golf course too! It's no wonder that almost every episode of the Twilight Zone that featured a distant planet was actually filmed in Death Valley.
The time I went in July, I saw a dude who must've been in his 70s running. I later read that they do a marathon out here every year. Only realistic explanation I have is that all the masochistic marathonists spent so much time in Death Valley training that they destroyed enough brain cells and pain receptors to numb them for 26.2 miles.
3. Joshua Tree
Speaking of creepy ass places... I arrived in Joshua Tree on the day that rescue teams went out to search for a missing hiker. He'd been missing for about five days and disappeared somewhere near a peculiarly shaped stone formation named "Skull Rock." So yes, I was a bit on edge as I got out of my car and walked amongst the U2's Most Famous Album Trees. I didn't get to see much since a swarm of bees attacked me. Somehow I got back into my car without even a single sting, but I'd had enough. The rest of the pictures I took from the car. That was four years ago though. I'm ready to tackle the place again.
There are plenty of other insane So-Cal attractions but those three will keep you busy for the next month or so. Perhaps the appropriate question about this particular region of the country isn't "why would you spend any time here?" but rather "is there anything MAN MADE worth seeing?" Hmmmmmm... Thinking... Processing...HMMMMMM.... Not really. Well maybe worth seeing, but worth driving across the country for? Nope.
And now after three patient weeks of waiting, I unveil to you the full map of Alex's California travels!
2 comments:
i've been in 130 degree heat. it is NOT anything like 105.
death valley was so boring and unpretty to me, i doubt i will ever go back, but i love me some scrambling on the big rocks at joshua tree.
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