Imperial County - California

Mother’s day weekend at one of the most Unusual Place

We had the opportunity to take a ride to one of the most unusual places in California’s Imperial County: Salton Sea, Salvation Mountain and East Jesus.

Salton Sea (The accidental River)
One of the world's largest inland seas and lowest spots on earth at -227 below sea level, Salton Sea was re-created in 1905 when high spring flooding on the Colorado River crashed the canal gates leading into the developing Imperial Valley. For the next 18 months the entire volume of the Colorado River rushed downward into the Salton Trough. By the time engineers were finally able to stop the breaching water in 1907, the Salton Sea had been born at 45 miles long and 20 miles wide – equaling about 130 miles of shoreline. Wikipedia. Since the Salton Sea has no outlet, the salt and chemicals dumped by agricultural runoffs began to rise while the water level remained the same, resulting in increased concentration of toxic chemicals. Over the years, fish began to die in large masses.

Our first stop was at the west part of the see where rotting carcasses rimmed the shores and the smell (of rotten eggs) was overwhelming

Our next stop was Bombay Beach which is on the East Side of Salton Sea.
Half flooded, the remains of Bombay beach is kept dry with a help of a huge dike that surrounds the town. R.E. Gilliagan founded the community as private development in 1929. The town flooded in 1976 and 1977, when tropical storms, Hurricane Kathleen and Dorren hit the area that raised the Salton Sea dramatically. Today what you can find is relics of lost hope, abandoned and ruined places tagged with graffiti, piles of used clothing, filthy couches, broken bottles, plastic garbage bags and old fashioned TV’s.

On our way to our final destination, our trip wouldn't be complete without visiting the Salvation Mountain. Salvation Mountain is Leonard's tribute to God and his gift to the world with its simple yet powerful message: "God Is Love." Its 50 foot height and 150 foot breadth is made totally of local adobe clay and donated paint and is truly unique in the United States and probably the world.

Our final destination
East Jesus is an experimental, habitable, extensible artwork in progress since 2006 constructed entirely of salvaged and recycled materials.

“Situated in the harshest, most remote part of Slab City, California — itself a radioactive dumping ground for the pariahs and lepers of the First World — and suffering from extreme temperatures year round, that East Jesus still survives is a testament to the tenability of mutation and the stubborn hearts of those who call it home”

Our last stop on our way out of Slab City was shoe shopping

Ocean Beach

Ocean Beach was one of my first encounters during my visit to San Diego when I found a Hostel to comply with my lodging budgets while looking for a place to relocate from Chicago. The hostel was a unique place in that you had to be out of state or out of country to lodge there. You have a chance to meet interesting people of different cultures as you hang out during free morning breakfast and dinners prior to catching the sunset wave.

Ocean Beach is a small unique neighborhood with a funky vibe, collection of vintage stores, surfing gear and surfing lessons, bars and 1960/70's vans.  You will reach the ocean at the end of the main street of Newport Avenue where you can watch the surfers catching the waves. (still trying to get that shot:). If you walk the sandy beach North, you will find yourself  surrounded by dogs dipping in and out of the ocean. If you walk the beach to the South, you will find yourself stepping rocks housed with sea weed and carved marks wanting to be remembered forever. 

During lunch and dinner time along the main street you will see a long standing line. There has to be something about these burgers that keeps this place in business. Hodad's has been recognized as one of the top 5 burger joints within Pacific West. The Van that served burgers since 1969 is parked right along to celebrate its history and success. For meat lovers that enjoy a new kind of a burger, this is worth while waiting for while exploring the license plates that covering the wall making its history.

There are also many opportunities to capture the friendships we as human strive for in various shapes and forms