#162 Oct 2017 Heading for Sunshine and Warmth!

October 5^th we started our next trip heading south on I5 with the Suzuki. Friends and family would check on the RV left in Peace Arch Park.

The view of Mt Shasta was captivating as always.

The Shasta Valley has been sculpted by volcanic activity with many extinct volcanic cones visible.

That night there was a lovely harvest moon.

After three long driving days we arrived at a timeshare resort in Indio, part of the Greater Palm Springs Area. Flowers and fruit trees were a welcome sight.

Even better was the patio for early morning coffee and evening wine.

 

 

Early Sunday we drove to College of the Desert Street Fair. We were early in the Winter Snowbird Season so many of the vendors were not setup yet. However, there were enough to explore in 97*F heat.

 

Just southeast of Indio, the Salton Sink is a landlocked extension of the Gulf of California. Over millions of years both freshwater and saltwater lakes have filled the Sink. At times the lakes have completely disappeared.

By 1901 the nearby Colorado River was tapped to irrigate over 100,000 acres of fields and orchards in the Imperial Valley. However, there was no effective method for dealing with irrigation runoff, silt buildup or high water levels. In 1905, after an unusually wet winter, the Colorado River broke through a poorly constructed canal cut. For 16 months the river’s entire volume poured unchecked into the nearest low spot – the Salton Sink.

The resulting Salton Sea is California’s largest lake at 35 miles long, 15 miles wide and 235 feet below sea level.

The Sea has inflow from only a few sources – nearby rivers, runoff from agricultural fields, and some municipal effluent and storm water.

Due to a lack of any outlet the sea is now about 50 percent saltier than the ocean. Only the hardy tilapia and desert pupfish continue to survive the increased salinity.

Historically, tens of thousands of migrating birds pause in the Salton Sea area. Fewer fish to provide food for migrating birds could eventually mean fewer birds overall. All levels of government, as well as concerned interest groups and individuals, are working together to save the Salton Sea.

While we were at the Salton Sea info centre a local mentioned Salvation Mountain. It's not on tourist brochures.

Salvation Mountain has been the background for American, South Korean and Italian music videos. Coldplay’s album “A Head Full of Dreams” featured a photo of the band atop a section of the Mountain.

Leonard Knight was restless and unable to settle until he accepted Jesus into his heart at age 35.

He felt all religions were too complicated. He saw it all very simply: repent to Jesus Christ and be forgiven of your sins. From that time onward his passion was unwavering, his dedication intense.

For almost 30 years Leonard passionately labored daily to create a message for the world to hopefully see: “God is Love”.

Leonard scavenged materials from abandoned sites, dumps, leftover paint and donations. He created a monumental mountain from adobe, hay bales, telephone poles, tires, etc. He wanted to tell the world that God is not complicated but a part of our everyday world.

The Folk Art Society of America designated Salvation Mountain as worthy of Protection and Preservation.

Volunteers continue to maintain the site.