Three strikes . . . we’re out of here.

February 4, 2015: Pilot Knob BLM, CA.

The Salton Sea.  Fowl?  Foul?  Or both?  I’ll explain below.

We leave Painted Rock Campground and eventually end up at Pilot Knob BLM campground just over the border into California on I-8.  We check out a few camping spots along the way – none of which meet our relatively low standards we've set for today.  So, here we are sitting on a flat piece of desert that the BLM has completely scraped clean of any vegetation, looking at I-8 to the north and the Mexican border to the south – and the border patrol all around us.  A couple of nights to regroup and figure out a direction to head and we’re on our way.  None too soon I might add.  Strike 1!

February 6, 2015: The Salton Sea and Box Canyon Road.

With camping reservations set to begin on February 13^th in Joshua Tree National Park, we have several days to kill.  A camp neighbor at Painted Rock suggested the east side of the Salton Sea where camping is plentiful.  At El Centro we exit I-8 and head north on SH111 along the scenic route toward the Salton Sea.  Arriving at the visitor center parking lot, our decision is already made.  Although the water fowl is bountiful and the view is pretty, the foul smell of dead fish leaves us unimpressed.

The photographer being photographed.  These ladies were working on a photo shoot.

 

We take the short walk down to the water’s edge.  The “sand” gets in our sandals and jabs into the bottoms of our feet.  Jack bends down and picks up a handful of . . . not sand, but crushed shells, bones, and who knows what else.  There’s no sand here.  Alright, we’re done here.  Strike 2!

Box Canyon Road is today’s Plan B.

The same camp neighbor also suggested Box Canyon Road for some great BLM camping, so we drive away from the Salton Sea heading north to Mecca.  A right and then left turn through town and we begin our drive up into Box Canyon Road.

Just outside of Mecca the valley is filled with lush crops, vineyards, and citrus fruit orchards.  It’s beautiful.  We leave the valley behind and climb into the canyon.  Brown mud-like cliffs rise on either side with the canyon floor appearing to be one large massive wash where rocks, tree limbs, and debris are left in piles.  Thirteen miles and not a single RV or trailer is in the entire canyon.  Perhaps they all washed away during the last rain.  This isn’t for us.  Strike 3!

What’s our Plan C?  Do we have a Plan C?

As we come to the end of the canyon we see I-10 ahead of us intersecting with Box Canyon Road which leads into the south entrance of Joshua Tree National Park.  Well, now what?  Crossing over the interstate we see campers strewn along a stretch of land to the west of the road into the park and set far off from the highway.  We pull in, find a spot that suits us, and chat with our new neighbors.  As we suspected, this is BLM land.  After 3 strikes in the last few days, we finally found a great place to lay our heads tonight.  Quiet neighbors, a pretty sunset, and a pitch black night sky.  Perfection.  Until next time – be safe. 

Pelicans on the Salton Sea.  Pretty.  Stinky.