Took a day trip with Ash and Kellz to the very strange part of Southern California about 2.5 hours south of Joshua Tree to the Salton Sea and an attraction called Salvation Mountain in Niland, CA. The drive consisted of a stop at In-N-Out in Indio on the way and then past miles of deserted landscape and intermittent palm tree farms.

Upon arrival to the Salton Sea recreation center, we parked and got out and inhaled the sharp acrid smell of salt and dead fish. It was very peaceful, though, despite being super smelly. We walked up and down the shore and took pictures of dead fish arranged in artistic ways and crunched on their bones underfoot.

 

We left to head further south to Salvation Mountain and passed by Bombay Beach and went in to explore the deserted town. It was one of the more depressing but interesting towns I’ve ever been to in the US. There’s a movie about it, too.

We then arrived to the town of Niland and saw a man riding a donkey. We got to Salvation Mountain right before sunset and explored. So colorful. Definitely a strange attraction in this middle of nowhere town. I remember watching the movie Little Birds and thinking/getting a feel for the area and it’s desolateness.

On the way back up the 111N we got stopped by a really bored and militant border patrol. They made us get out and have a dog search the rental car, I’m thinking because we had a rental car with Texas plates and PA licenses? But who knows. We sat there in anxiety on a bench bitterly watching the rest of the sun set. When the dog found nothing, the woman fed seemed disappointed.  So, beware of this checkpoint. Could easily put a damper on an otherwise nice day.