Campfire

[BarbaraRose]

Judy, have you been to Slab City yet? That isn't too far from the Salton Sea campground you will be staying at. (I hope there are no fresh fish kills while you are there! That gets pretty nasty!)

[JudyJB]

That was recommended to me, but I knew I had a long drive today and did not want to get back too late. As it was, I arrived after dark. Wish it did not get dark so fast! Luckily I have a pull-through. (Made me realize I need to get a bigger and brighter flashlight. Had trouble even seeing the wood blocks I had left for my front wheels.) I will give it a try this weekend.

There were a lot of fish on the beach. The lady in the visitor center said that dead fish stayed around a long time because of all the salt. Will have to check on that. They say the flies are bad certain times of the year, also, but they were not bad then.

Sounds like you camped there. How did you like it?

[snowball]

been to Sultan Sea as well a couple of times but the dead fish and the flies made one not linger very long
Got my truck back today!!! wow it's been forever and hopefully it was fixed correctly and will tow this big trailer of mine
Going to leave tomorrow for SLC spend Weds and Thurs night and leave Friday for AZ...am hoping I'm making a good call doing it this
way...according to weather.com the weather is ok until Monday in SLC Friday or Sat up here ...if the weather would remain the way
it has been (with the exception of the COLD) I'd wait until Friday to go down...but don't really want to get caught in the weather...
So keep me in your happy thoughts that I will be able to forge ahead and arrive safely
sheila

[BarbaraRose]

I haven't been to Slab City but have heard and read a lot about it. Worth seeing if you get a chance.

The flies... ... I did stop at the North Shore Beach Yacht Club that is now a museum. It was June and very hot so I left the windows open in my car . Came back about 10 minutes later to a car filled with a million flies!
I drove to Palm Springs with all my windows open trying to get the flies out of the car. It ended up taking a couple days to get them all out! . So don't leave any windows open if you are near the lake!

If you get a chance too, stop and see Joshua Tree National Park just northeast of Palm Springs. Really cool rock formations and landscape!

[JudyJB]

The flies were not that bad when I was there a few days ago. Apparently it is seasonal, so I will need to find out when to avoid the place.

Just got back from a hike up Palm Canyon--three miles round trip and was supposed to take 2.5 hours--but it took me 5 hours! It is a really rough trail with a lot of climbing up and down rocks and stepping over things. It is not really steep, but the trail barely exists, and what trail there was, supposedly washed out in a big rainstorm last August. There was hardly any walking on a gravel or sand path--most of the time it was clambering up rocks and then coming down, it was a lot of climbing down on rocks. If I had younger knees, I could have just stepped from rock to rock and slid down a few, but my knees are wobbly, so it meant watching every step so I did not fall or turn an ankle. Sometimes going over a pile of rocks, you had to step over 5-7 in a row, and I had to pick my steps very carefully. The palm oasis and the stream at the end was well worth it and absolutely amazing to see in such a dry canyon. Very beautiful

Coming back, I took the alternate route because a couple told me it was easier with fewer rocks to climb. They lied. My big finish was about 3/4 of the way out, when I slipped on a rock and ended up on my rear in a bush that had cactus growing in it! Luckily, an older couple was right behind me, so the man helped me up and the lady helped me pull out the cactus spines on the rear of my shorts! I used body tape on both shorts and my bare rear end when I got home, just before I took a shower. Think I got them all.

Anyway, in a couple of hours I will have photos posted on my blog. Unfortunately, did not think to have the couple take a photo of me in the cactus.

[BirdbyBird]

Judy, I love your desert photos......hope you body heals from the punctures!

[avalen]

ouch, what a pain in the behind, so sorry
thanks for the photos, Salton Sea looks bigger than I thought, have thought I'd check it out someday and for sure I will.

[BarbaraRose]

They don't call the Cholla's "jumping cactus's", for nothing! I got "attacked" by a teddy bear cholla near Joshua Tree. I swear I was a good foot or more away from it when all of a sudden I was covered in needles! And those hurt and are tough to get out!

I hope they can figure out a way to save the Salton Sea. It could be a wonderful place (again) if they could figure out how to maintain the water level and reduce the salt and fertilizer levels so it would be more user friendly for both people and fish. Before it flooded everything from heavy rains, developers did make plans to build lots of homes around there and the roads and street signs are already there, but no homes to speak of. The Yacht Club I visited was very popular with the famous people of Hollywood, including the Rat Pack, back in it's hay day. It eventually fell into major disrepair until several years ago when it was restored and turned into a museum and community center. The history of the Salton Sea is very interesting. There are several books about it.

[SoCalGalcas]

Thanks Judy for the excellent photos of the Palm Canyon Trail. I've hiked it many times. lyn

[BarbaraRose]

Those palm canyons are really cool, but they are a difficult hike to get to. There are several near Palm Springs. You should get a walking stick. Those really help a lot for balance and in precarious places. I used mine all the time.

[MelissaD]

Thank for the photos Judy. As to your question about Sonny Bono Salton Sea being named after Sonny Bono made me curious so I looked it up.
According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonny_Bono_Salton_Sea_National_Wildlife_Refuge

The refuge was established as a sanctuary and breeding ground for birds and wild animals in 1930. In 1998, the refuge was renamed after Congressman Sonny Bono, who played an active role in trying to save the Salton Sea. Originally, it included approximately 37,600 acres (15,200 ha). Nearly 60 percent of the original acreage was an open saline lake with the remainder being shoreline alkali flats, freshwater wetlands, native desert scrub and upland (farm fields). Due to the inflow of agricultural effluent and a subsequent rise in the level of the Salton Sea, all of the original Refuge area has been inundated. At present, only about 2,200 acres (8.9 km2) manageable remain suitable for farming and wetland development

Happy Turkey Day everyone

[JudyJB]

I found a few more holes, but no spines, in my arms. Think I got all the ones on my rear. And yes, I have a walking stick, but forgot it. Duh! Next time I will also take a flashlight in case I can't make it back before it gets dark because it takes me so long.

Last night, after my shower, I collapsed into my recliner and barely budged except to get food and drink. My knees were really sore, as were my ankles and even feet. Much better today, but still achy. I need to stop doing this all or nothing thing in terms of exercise.

Thanks for the Sonny Bono info! I am at Mecca campground and no flies that I can see. I need to ask what time of year they are around. It is sunny and 72 degrees right now, so very nice, but I am still tired so today will be sitting inside online and with TV.

[IrishIroamed]

Thanksgiving thank you to all the forum posters and bloggers and allowing me to travel with you on your adventures. I love reading your adventures and all your advice and sure hope I can remember it all whenever it happens for me.

Happy travels all and stay safe.

[BarbaraRose]

Judy, I think the flies are worse in the summer (I was there in June) due to more fish kills and the heat. It is a beautiful lake, tho! So hope they can find a way to save it.

[SoCalGalcas]

When in the desert one should also carry forceps to pick the cactus spines out of shoes and legs and, the rear end when falling into a cactus plant. lyn