Not To Be Left Out

I’m in Wickenburg Arizona now and moving on to Sedona tomorrow, but before moving on with those tales and images there’s a bit more to share from my time in California. I called this state home for more than 15 years. It is one of the largest and most diverse states in our nation, and while living here I took great advantage of that. I’ve traveled the entire coastline (much of it several times), spent countless winters skiing the Sierra Nevada’s and endless summers water skiing the lakes, rivers and deltas. Sailed San Francisco Bay and learned to Scuba dive along the coast. I’ve hiked more trails in this beautiful state than I could begin to count. And yes… I’ve enjoyed some city life as well. Most of my journey through California was familiar to me, and it was wonderful to see it all again from this different “state of mind”. One place I had never seen before was Anzo Borrego Desert. I posted some of those images in “My Resolve”, but there is more from that area I have not shared. I’m not sure why. Didn’t fit with anything I was blogging about for one, but I think also that these places were not what I would describe as “beautiful” to my eye. “Unique” is the word my grandmother would have used. Different. But even different has it’s place on my journey. These places were worth experiencing for perspective, and to rattle my thoughts a little bit.

The Salton Sea sits below sea level just outside of Anzo Borrego State Park. It’s salinity is greater than that of the Pacific Ocean. Between the salinity and the fertilizer run off from local agriculture the Tilapia are the only surviving fish, and as the water levels go down taking the saline levels up, even the Tilapia succumb and can be found littering the shoreline by the thousands. The streets were laid for what was hoped to be the thriving community of Salton City. Little was built. What remains is in disrepair at best. Across the Sea is Bombay Beach which is littered with the skeletons of motorhomes and boats and trailers brought in my hopeful residents. I was very troubled by this place. The vast numbers and stench of the decaying Tilapia were disturbing enough, but that is nature’s waste and part of the cycle. It did not disturb me nearly as much as the decay left behind by man. That I found repulsive.

Salton City Marina

Very near the Salton Sea is another thought provoking place, Salvation Mountain (and Slab City, although I didn’t go there). This colorful man-made mountain was built by Leonard Knight out of adobe, straw and thousands of gallons of paint. It’s purpose… to spread the word… God is Love. 25 years in the making. Read more here… http://www.salvationmountain.us/

Another interesting life-long project by one man is Watts Towers in Los Angeles. Simon Rodia, an Italian immigrant, spent 34 years building these structures. Once completed he deeded the property to a neighbor and moved away, never to see his towers again. More on Watts Towers here… http://www.wattstowers.us/history.htm