last days in the Borrego Springs area

One more pretty flower picture for you.     These pink beauties were on a Tamarisk/Salt Cedar tree.   They are an invasive species, but the blossoms are lovely nonetheless.       This picture was from a short drive we (the Banks and the Wrights) took to find a drive-through arch in Coral Wash in the Ocotillo Wells SVRA just off 86.     

We found it, we drove through it, briefly looked for another one that is said to be in the area and then we were off to our next adventure on the east side of Salton Sea.

Pam had information about the Dos Palmas Preserve, a large native Palm oasis with an artesian spring fed pool that is home to the tiny desert pupfish and the elusive and endangered Yuma Clapper Rail (yes....it's a real bird).    We were the only ones there, with the exception of a small work crew from the California Conservation Corps who were doing some under growth clearing in preparation for a prescribed burn.

We ate our lunch on some large warm rocks before starting off on the San Andreas Trail toward the distant Palms.

it was like entering a cave

   It was a pleasant walk through the bright, sandy desert and into the dark cool depths of the oasis.

Dave and John marvel at the interesting way this palm
has chosen to grow

close up inspection of a slice of Palm along the trail

We enjoyed our stroll but emerged on the other side without having seen the pupfish or any trace of water other than bits of damp sand  here and there.

Next time we'll try the other available trail....the Dos Palmas Oasis trail.   You can't win them all!

Back in the Jeep we continued our trek to Bombay Beach on the shores of the stinky Salton Sea.  Here's an interesting article about the area, told in a much more interesting way than I ever could.....
 https://roadtrippers.com/magazine/bombay-beach-apocalyptic-wasteland-art-hub/   

I thoroughly enjoyed our drive through the funky, mostly abandoned town.    Rows of empty, fenced off dusty lots sit beside empty trailers/homes (some just left die in the hard desert heat and wind, some colorfully painted and reimagined as works of art.    A few homes are lovingly tended and lived in.    Everywhere is evidence of people's "creativity" and sense of humor.

an explosion of toys

a carefully cared for home

the drive-in movie!

in a close up of the metal door I see it is trimmed in crystals

A "sea wall" or levee borders part of the town, a remnant of early 70's floods.   We drove over it to the beach of Bombay Beach and found more installations in various stages of deterioration.   Fun to wonder about....

The heavy cross was hung from above, free to move in the wind.   It was capped by a metal crown.  The surrounding area was strangely smooth and free of footprints (except one evidently clueless dog) and bordered with pieces of wood on one side and golf balls on the other....    The stained glass windows were virtually sandblasted.   That's the Salton Sea shining in the background

someone's idea of a beach chair!

It was an interesting and varied day with friends, capped off with this unusual scene as we pulled into our campground.

a little in, a little out
taking care of business

(yes, another pie) kept Dave and I from enjoying a desert driving day with friends Jeff and Fran, but we did make it to their rig in the desert for a nice happy hour.    They were only in Borrego for a few days so enjoyed our brief visit and hope to catch up with them down the road.

Today was spent at home, cleaning and watching Dave's traditional harbinger of Spring, the Daytona 500!

our little heater needed cleaning

Dave is not usually a multi-tasker but today it was cleaning and watching the 500

One more day here and we're off and into Arizona for a bit.