Paul and Taggart watch the topper expanding by our site..I was definitely the most excited of the 3!

A few weeks ago I moaned about our Sleep Number bed on the blog. I’ve had issues with that darn thing since we bought the rig, but have always felt that the issues weren’t quite bad enough to warrant spending the money on a new mattress (especially with RV mattresses being so expensive). This dilemma has kept me in a semi-poor state of sleep for 2 years. I know, I know…it’s ridiculous. Sleeping is such an important part of life that we should have thrown that mattress out the window right after we got it, but I HAVE been known to be on the stubborn side and I kept thinking that I just needed to fiddle with the number (the commercials do say you need to find your number, right?)

Well sometimes you just need a little push in life…

Our new topper!

First was the meeting with blog readers Richard & Ginger who (most generously I thought) invited us over to try their bed. Next was all the comments I got on the blog giving me all kinds of great new ideas on the matter. The final result of all this was giving me the kick-in-the-butt I needed to go do something about it. Bottom line (from everything I tried and read and heard) was to go try Memory Foam.

Will Memory Foam make me feel like this? Picture from www.rocketmime.com

Now Memory Foam (for those geeks out there like me who just need to know) was actually originally invented for space travel. Around the 1960′s NASA needed a special material that could withstand the G-forces of launch and re-entry during space missions. Research came up with a visco-elastic heat-sensitive material which was dubbed T-Foam. The cool thing about the material was that it softened & moulded to the body with heat (i.e. body-heat), but stayed firm elsewhere, and would spring back to original shape when you moved (as a material scientist I do love this kind of stuff!). In the end it was never actually used in space travel (due to off-gassing issues), but it DID make it to the consumer market.

I'll drink to this solution!!

And that’s where Nina’s night salvation comes into the picture. I looked around at buying a full memory-foam mattress, but decided it was easier and cheaper to try my luck with a memory foam topper. There are lots of spots you can buy these, but I’ve seen the best deals at overstock.com and Costco. Costco has a great return policy so went there and snagged the NovaForm® King-Size 2.5″ topper for $160. I left it outside for a few days to fluff up and release any smell, then took it in for the test.

The Foam Topper....oh yeah baby!! Picture from www.costco.com

And the result? The BEST NIGHT’S SLEEP I have had in 2 years!! With the sleep number bed pumped to very firm and the topper on top it’s simply fabulous! The topper is firm, yet soft at the same time. It gives support yet doesn’t droop. There is no longer any “cave” in the bed, I don’t feel the stupid partition in the middle anymore. And best of all, I never wake up with pins and needles in my arm anymore (I’m a side-sleeper). It does sleep a bit “warmer” than the old set-up, but that doesn’t bother me at all.

It may not work for everyone, but if you’re like me and have been having issues w/ the Sleep Number Bed I highly recommend giving this a try. Just goes to show that blogging is a great way to learn new stuff. Thanks for the tips everyone! It’s saved my night!

My very first find!!!

I’ve always loved getting out to explore new areas, and while at Borrego Springs I discovered a new pass-time to do just that, with a bit of seek-and-find fun thrown in for good measure.  I’d never even heard of this until a few months ago, but in just a few weeks of “practice” I’ve come to the realization that I’m joining a massive worldwide group of enthusiastic seekers! It’s Geocaching -> the art of finding hidden caches (containers) using GPS coordinates. It’s modern-day treasure hunting, it’s perfect for RVers, it’s HUGE, and it’s rather addicting too.

Signing the log book on a find

It all started the day GPS (Global Positioning System) became available to the public. Originally strictly for military use, GPS was de-scrambled and released for general use on May 1st, 2000. Two days later Dave Ulmer decided to celebrate the event by hiding a bucket of trinkets in the woods outside Portland, Oregon and announced its location in a posting made to the USENET newsgroup sci.geo.satellite-nav. “ Take some stuff, leave some stuff! Record it all in the log book. Have Fun!” were the basic instructions.

Little did he know he’d started a treasure-seeking revolution.

There's a geocache somewhere right here.....

Within days more caches had been placed. By January 2001 there were ~300 caches and by November 2001 there were 10,000+ geocaches on the web. Today it’s estimated there are over 5 million little treasures hidden worldwide. Holy cow, that’s several life-times of activity!

Geocaching AND gold in the same spot? Sign me up!

This sounded like my kinda thing, so without further ado I signed up for a free account on the most popular geocaching website (geocaching.com, the place to be!) and did a quick search on geocaches within 15 miles of our lonely spot at Borrego Springs. I expected to find maybe a few, but what showed up was no less than 263 hits. The site is uber-cool and sorts everything by location, size and difficulty, even giving you extra hints (if you want them). There’s a phone app too. I wrote down a few of the easier ones, grabbed the phone and went a-seeking.

Geocaches come in all shapes and sizes

And I LOVED it!! You get to roam around in nature, act like a modern-day pirate and still get to see a bunch of interesting stuff. The rules of the game are the same as for the original cache -> take something (if you like), leave something (if you take something) and sign the log book. Then re-hide the cachce in the same place for the next seeker. Over the next days I hooked a bunch more caches, several of which I just took on the bicycle and made a day of.

Geo Dog Polly inspects a cache

Back in San Diego I’ve continued my hunting, and of course here in the big city there’s even more angles to it. San Diego not only has a geocaching meet-up group, but they keep a geocaching photo gallery, offer events for people who cache with their kids (Geo Kids) and hide special caches for those who go multi-legged and seek with pooch (Geo Dog baby! -> and YES Polly is now officially a Geo Dog). Even the County Parks have gotten into the deal, openly promoting geocaching at several of the preserves.

Geo Dog and I go a-hunting on off-leash pooch-friendly Fiesta Island in San Diego

Ooooo...that's a big one. Wonder what's in the loot?

And what if all this sounds too laid-back for you? How about extreme geocaching? Combining the fine art of seeking hidden trinkets with extreme biking, swimming, zip-lining and running into one, perhaps? Oh yeah, Wild Canyon Games has exactly what you’re looking for! This is not something limited to the US either. There are groups in Australia, UK and all over the world.

So far I’ve had a blast. Paul isn’t quite as enthousiastic as I am about this, but between Geo Dog Polly and myself we’re planning to hunt the city dry. Or at least log a few geocaches along the way

Geocaching Hint: If you’re using a Droid smartphone with google maps to hunt your coordinates, enter the code ”loc:” (e.g. loc:32.77383, -117.2194) into the search box to get an accurate lock on your GPS point.

There's a geocache somewhere here...and it's not where you'd expect..

One of the smaller geocaches. No "loot" in here...just a log book

Two desert rats view their domain

We left the desert behind with fond memories of distant hills, beautiful moments of solitude in the wild, fabulous sunsets and dark, starry nights. Our time in Borrego Springs seemed almost too short and I’m sure it’s like that for almost anyone that goes there. I think Bayfield Bunch put it perfectly in this post “If you’re an outdoorsy type of person & you have a desire to learn new things then I would suggest Borrego Springs is the place to keep you busy for the winter”. Al and Kelly would know too -> they’ve been many years in a row and always find new and interesting spots to visit (just search their blog on Borrego for a taste). For a desert-nature-lover like me, it’s a winter wonderland and there’s no doubt we’ll want to go back.

Our new backyard -> yeah, it's pretty nice too!

But we love the water too, and with beach a mere 90 miles away it’s an easy drive back to San Diego and into surf city. We’ve got ourselves a new spot by the bay, with a brand new backyard and plenty of time to hang ten by the ocean. We’re going to be relaxing with friends, meeting new folks and exploring the area for at least another month. From desert rats to beach bums, it’s quite the change, but I love it doing it all.

Desert sunsets are something else

Rand is quite the desert explorer

A whole lotta nothin'

More desert fabulousness

Early morning hike in the hills by Rockhouse Canyon Road boondocking area

A lovely, large boondocking area just ~7 miles from Borrego Springs and right next to Anza Borrego State Park in SW California.

Location: Rockhouse Canyon Road, left-turn off S22 ~7 miles NE of Borrego Springs, CA
Coordinates: Approx. 33.2954N,-116.2893W (= SW corner of boondocking area). Link to map location HERE
Cost: FREE (no official stay limit at the moment, although this may change with State Park acquisition – see “summary” below)
How We Found It: This is a fairly well-known boondocking spot in the area. We first discovered it when we met a guy who was staying there our very first year in the area. The RV forums also talk about it, as do other bloggers. Much of this area is still private land so there is no “official” info on the place, but it’s a well-known/well-used location.
Nearest Dump/Water: Nearest dump at Borrego Palm Canyon campground  inside Anza Borrego State Park ($8 fee). If you’re headed east there is also a free dump at the ARCO station at the corner of S22 and Hwy 86 by the Salton Sea.

1. Access – 4.5/5 Very easy access for any sized-rig here although as usual a little extra effort is needed to access the best spots.
   Directions -> From Christmas Circle in Borrego Springs take Palm Canyon Drive (S22) east towards Salton Sea. Drive ~7 miles until you see Rockhouse Canyon Road on your left.
   Boondocking Spots-> Take Rockhouse Canyon road, up a short hill and past the “no trespassing” sign. Initial 100-ft of hill is paved, but road becomes reasonably firm dirt/sand after this spot. Boondocking spots are all over the desert after the sign, many off dirt spurs that depart from either side of the road. You’ll see plenty of cleared-out spaces with home-made fire-rings used by previous folks. Most people stay closer to the entrance (best Verizon signal here), but there are lots of really nice (and very private) spots further in. Some of the dirt spurs can be rather sandy/rough so check out the road before bringing in a big-rig.
2. Nature – 5/5  Fabulous nature spot. You are in the middle of the desert valley surrounded by scrub with outstanding views of the mountains all around. Good and easy-access hiking on nearby Coyote Mountain too.
3. Isolation – 4.5/5 Good to great isolation here depending on where you park. Only slight ding is this is a fairly well-known boondocking area and the Verizon signal is strongest near the entrance (closest to S22), so if you want a spot with good internet, you’ll likely get some rigs in your view.
4. Pet Friendliness – 5/5 Another great pet spot. You have days-worth of hiking and exploring in the surrounding hills, plus lots of space to hang out in camp. Also this is mostly “scrub” desert so not alot of cholla around which is a big positive for paws on the ground.

Overall Rating = 4.75

Summary: This is probably one of our absolute favorite boondocking spots.  It has easy access, lots of space, gorgeous desert nature and simply fabulous mountain views all around. Although it’s fairly well-known amongst boondockers, Borrego Springs is a lightly-visited town so there are lots of opportunities to find space to yourself. In boondocking circles you’ll sometimes hear this called “Clark Dry Lake” although the boondocking area is actually up the hill before the dry lake bed.  The spot is only ~7 miles NE from town, right off S22 on Rockhouse Canyon Road which is an easy dirt road that takes you back into the boondocking area. Front area (nearest S22) is super-easy to access and has the best Verizon signal, but is also the most popular. Further back on Rockhouse Canyon (nearer to the dry lake bed) the spots get much more isolated, but Verizon signal fades fast. We chose a spot a few miles down the dirt road which had very poor Verizon signal (just barely usable w/ our external antenna/amp), but really great privacy. The area is on private land inside Borrego Springs so there are no “official” rules about camping (this also means no restrictive dog rules), but that may change! According to our info a large part of this area was just recently acquired by the State Park, so it’s probable that boondocking will still be allowed in the future, but possibly with a stay limit and most likely some dog rules too. Lots to do & explore in the surrounding area including the cute town of Borrego Springs plus no end of historic trails and natural beauty in Anza Borrego State Park. Overall a fabulous spot and one we’d come to again and again.

Extra Info: No water or facilities (nearest dump/water inside Anza Borrego State Park). Good Verizon 3G signal near the entrance (closest to S22), but poor to zero signal further back.

Extra, Extra Info – OTHER BOONDOCKING? There is actually a ton of other boondocking around Boorego Springs

1. PEG LEG - This is actually right next to Rockhouse Canyon Road and is a great “beginner” boondocking area. It’s a large, flat and super, super easy-access “dirt parking” area right off Peg Leg road next to the Peg Leg monument. Cute little area and always rigs around. There’s a free book-swap in the mailbox. This is the same area where the annual Peg Leg Liar’s Contest is held. More info HERE. Free and no official stay limit.
2. GALETTA MEADOWS - This private land inside Borrego Springs allows free camping (3-day limit). Great for sculpture viewing! Contact Galetta Meadows for more info.
3. ANZA BORREGO STATE PARK - One of the unique things about Anza Borrego State Park is that they actually allow free, no-permit back-country camping anywhere within the state park as long as you stay within 1-vehicle length of the road, don’t trample vegetation and stay 100-feet away from any water source.  There are lots of dirt roads leading to interesting spots around the park, but for those looking for a specific spot there is “official” free back-country camping at Blair Valley (could fit big-rig at the entrance), Yaqui Pass (easy, large area), Yaqui Well, Culp Valley, Sheep Canyon, Arroyo Salado, Mt. Palm Springs and Fish Creek. Download the State Park magazine for more info HERE.
   NOTE/ If you have a dog be aware that Anza Borrego State Park does *not* allow dogs on any trails or in any wilderness areas. So if you go back-country camping w/ pooch you can only walk him/her on-leash on the park road.
4. OCOTILLO WELLS SVRA - This large off-road vehicle area east of Anza Borrego SP off Hwy 78  allows free 30-day camping anywhere within the area. It is also surrounded by BLM land. More info HERE.

"Aerial" view of our very private boondocking spot from Coyote Mountain. You can see S22 snaking off into the distance in the far background.

Another "ariel" view towards some nicely-spaced rigs near the back-end of the boondocking aera.

View of our boondocking spot from dirt spur off Rockhouse Canyon Road

Typical boondocking site. You'll see clear-out spaces and fire-rings like this all around.

Another site view, with another rig parked in the background

View of short, paved section near entrance of Rockhouse Canyon Road. Boondocking are starts right after the "no tresspassing" sign

Dirt-road section of Rockhouse Canyon Road. This is near the entrance with some rigs parked right off the road.

Biking around the dirt roads w Polly in the boondocking area

Very approximate map of Clark Dry Lake boondocking area. Borrego Springs in on the left. S22 constinues to Salton Sea on the right.

“we were out of step….temperamental misfits and innate barbarians…not equal to the job of coping with modern high-power civilization.”
Marshall South, circa 1939

Marshall South, the "desert prophet". From www.californiahistorian.com

Marshall South was a poet, an artist, a dreamer, a visionary, and a writer…and most likely completely nuts. But he did something unique which made its mark in history, takes us on a beautiful hike through the desert, and gives us a story to tell …and you know me, I love these kind of stories!

The year was 1929 and the Depression had affected everyone. At the time Marshall South (a fictitious name…he was born Roy Bennett Richards) was a writer living in Oceanside, CA with his wife Tanya. Exactly what happened next is a bit of a mystery.

On remote Ghost Mountain where the Marshall's made their home

In 1930 the couple packed everything they owned into a Model T and moved into the desert. It was the beginning of an ”experiment in primitive living” in a remote and completely isolated spot in the mountains at Blair Valley.  According to Marshall he wanted peace and solitude, and the ability to experience mental and physical freedom. However it’s likely the Depression played a factor and he saw the opportunity to make an alternative income riding the coat-tails of popular ”return to nature” movements of the time. Either way, a 17-year experiment had started.

Do I look like I could live here? The old ruins of the Marshall South Homestead

The South’s named their chosen spot Ghost Mountain and started construction of their adobe house, Yaquitepec….and popped out 3 children no less. The living arrangements were totally out there. They chose a spot with no water, far from civilization in a crazy, brutal desert environment. Being out in the boonies they became nudists too (who wouldn’t?). The entire thing was like something out of a fictional novel and Marshall finally capitalized on the story in 1939 with a contract with Desert Magazine to publish a one-year series entitled “Desert Year” that would feature life at Yaquitepec, month by month. It was a huge success, so much so that it continued through 1946 (you can read them in this book).

View of the badlands from Ghost Mountain. There is a special beauty here.

But here is where the story goes a little crazy, and become a little mysterious too. Marshall heavily romanticized his experiences on the mountain. Through his writings he portrayed a utopic life in harmony with nature and completely embodied this image, becoming “the desert prophet”. Personally I think he was swept away and trapped by his own written creation, living a life quite different from his mind’s eye. In a surprise (to just about everyone) Tanya filed for divorce in 1947, took the kids and refused (ever again) to speak about her time on the mountain. Marshall died a year later (sickness? malnutrition? heart-break? who knows…)

Taking the dirt road to Ghost Mountain

Another view of the ruins

Both the mystery and the story live on. Today you can still see the old ruins of Yaquitepec in Anza Borrego State Park. A fine drive to Blair Valley (mile 22.9 on S2) and a few miles on a dirt road takes you to the base of Ghost Mountain. Then another mile of steep uphill hiking takes you to the old homestead. Paul and I took the trip on an week-day morning bursting with winter sunshine. We were the only folks on the mountain and spent a good hour at the top, peeking around the old ruins and trying to imagine what a hard and crazy life it must have been. In many ways I can understand what they were doing here -> the need to find a link with nature, to experience peace, to depart from the norm, and in other ways I can’t understand it at all.

But I do love the story…

View of Blair Valley from the top of Ghost Mountain

Remains of an alternative life in the desert

Dried yucca flowers

Sun-dial made by the Marshall's

View from the trail

One of the water cisterns

So, what better way to express that love than…..you guessed it….COOOooooKIES!

Oh yeah baby…Chocolate chip, gluten-free and drippingly luscious (the recipe is HERE -> I used half the sugar and double the choc chips), whipped up in a mere 20 minutes in our handy-dandy RV oven. Do you feel the love? I certainly do, and I’d venture to say that Paul is now a very satisfied man

Happy Heart’s Day everyone!!

What a great capture! Photo Credit: Kathie Maxwell

One of the things that always amazes me about RVing is how social the whole thing is. Before we started full-timing I always imagined that once we got on the road we might have a tough time making friends, especially if we were boondocking. Once we got out there I realized that wasn’t the case at all and I wrote about this phenomenon last year in my 5 Ways to Create Community And Friendships On The Road. What I didn’t mention in that post was that the same thing happens while boondocking.

You may be out in the boonies...but you are not alone....

So, what's your name handsome?

You may be out there by yourself, off in the wilds and happily running around like primal man, but believe it or not you meet people. This past week in Borrego Springs was a fabulous example of that. Not only were we in this wonderful, isolated spot but we made several friends through contacts on the blog (this post), met others who we found through their blogs (this post) and met even others that we just bumped into on the road. It’s actually one of the many, many reasons I love blogging -> your writing attracts people who think just like you and by a simple sharing of adventures and thoughts you create this wonderful sense of community right through the internet. How much cooler does it get than that?

Bob & Paul chattin' by the fire

But outside of blogging the physical interactions are always the best. We met Kathie & Bob on the road hiking near our rig and were invited over to a wonderful evening of fireside chatting & snacks. Not only was it a great night (and we have plans to meet again when they come and workamp in San Diego), but Kathie took the best shot of the day, maybe even the best shot of the week, which so perfectly captured the moment (first shot above) that I just HAD to share it.

Meeting The Bayfield Bunch!!

Another great meeting was bumping into Al & Kelly from The Bayfield Bunch at the farmer’s market. It was actually Al’s wonderful pictures and easy, personable style of writing about The Slabs that got me hooked on his blog several years ago, and I’ve been an avid follower ever since (do go check it out!). Since I’d read the blog for so long meeting them in person almost felt like meeting an old friend. And indeed they were just as lovely, inviting & relaxed as their posts (plus they got superstar bonus points for giving me the title of  ”youthful charm” in their blog  ). Lovely to meet you guys!

Just goes to show that RVers are a great bunch. But then, you knew that already didn’t you?

Paul leans on a squeeze-point between 2 boulders in "The Slot"

In “real-time” it’s a day since we left our fabulous boondocking spot in Borrego Springs, but in “blog-time” I’m still sitting in the sun and enraptured by the place, and will be for at least another 3-4 blogs or so (there’s simply TOO many great impressions to write about). So, get ready for a little delayed writing, but with all the impressions as real as today.

One of the images still etched on my mind are the slot canyons. It’s one of a mere multitude of deep impressions from Anza Borrego State Park, and for those unfamiliar with the place I have to start there….because the park really is something else.

On the dirt road to nowhere...Anza Borrego beauty

Anza Borrego is the largest State Park in California. At over 600,000 acres (2,400 km²) it’s got  500 miles (800 km) of dirt roads, twelve designated wilderness area, and 110 miles (180 km) of hiking trails. It’s a desert wonderland encompassing millions of years of history, deep canyons, high mountains and endless reams of solitude. And completely unique to this park (and just about ANY state park I know)….you can boondock anywhere in the back-country for free!

"The Slot" badlands as seen from the parking spot

But today we’re taking a trip to the badlands and deep into the slots. These areas take you back in time to when the California desert was a tropical sea. Badlands are super-cool, deeply creviced tracks of land that look like giant-blown-up stretches of 100-year old alligator skin. Geologically they’re areas where softer sedimentary rock has been eroded by years of wind and rain. In Anza Borrego that soft rock is mostly sandstone, and in areas the rock has been eroded down to form slot canyons up to 100-foot deep.

Hanging out in the deeps

I love going into these slots, mostly because the light-and-c0lor plays can be amazing (depending on the time of day), plus you feel like you’re squeezing into some deep and unexplored geological past. Our very first slot experience was Antelope Canyon in 2010 in AZ. It was very pretty but it was guide-only and heavily over-run with tourists (there must have been at least 5 groups going through with us at the same time). Here in Anza Borrego the grey/blue/brown rocks may not be quite as pretty, but the experience is totally rocking.

A wide-open section at the very back of "The Slot"

We decided to hit “The Slot” which is a few miles off Hwy 78 ~1.5 miles east of Borrego on a road supposedly called Buttes Pass. I say supposedly because (honestly) the dirt spur looks like any other dirt road in the entire park, has NO markings on it whatsoever, and we would have totally missed it if our GPS hadn’t indicated the name (one time I’ve actually liked the darn machine). There’s nothing that tells you you’re getting close either, but if you’re lucky enough to find the road, simply take it 1 mile to the “Y” intersection, stay to the left and then drive another 0.8 miles to a relatively flat spot which is where you park.

Warm colors and gorgeous curves

We arrived at ~9AM with first light filtering the tops of the badlands and striking diffuse silhouettes in the canyon. A short scramble down from our parking spot and we were in the slot and ready to explore. Best of all we were the ONLY people there. Paul and I spent a couple of hours scrambling through the slot and around some of the “arms”, exploring the beautiful curves, admiring the light and feeling the cool, sandy walls on our fingers.

The whole experience is pretty surreal. It’s like being inside a living sculpture reliving eons of time with your footsteps, and while you’re in the slots everything above and around you seems almost like a dream. Coming out of the canyon and into daylight wakes you up to the heat and expanse of the desert, almost a surprise. There are several other slot canyons around Anza Borrego, all of which are worth a visit. Be prepared for back-country driving, the cool depths of the canyon and impressions that will etch their way into your mind forever.

Paul leans in the shadows

Beautiful blue-grey lines

Almost there!!

I had 2 reasons for going on my day-trip that day. The first was a “bucket list” item to see iconic Salvation Mountain, and the second was to meet-up with RV travelers Live.Work.Dream. Both were something that had been on my “list” for a while and it just so happened that both were at The Slabs. A two-in-one deal! Leaving Paul and the pets behind I loaded up the toad and got on the road for a day of meet and adventure.

Fabulous Salvation Mountain

It lies~ 3 miles east of Niland, CA on Beal Road and locals call it “the last free place on earth”. A place where people from all tracts of life can make their own statement, where the land is free, access is open and creativity has no bounds. That’s the theory anyway. Ironically it’s an old military installation, the Camp Dunlap Marine Training Facility. It was abandoned in 1946 and completely dismantled by 1961 leaving only the original cement foundations == “the slabs”.

One of the many colorful vans around Salvation Mountain

Somehow the absence created a draw and pulled in a whole new crowd with a whole new agenda. Initially it was mostly an RVers destination, at one point hosting over 5,000 snowbird rigs each winter, but then it changed. The artists moved in, then the free-wheelers, and then a vision of God that (literally) changed the landscape. It became a mish-mash of culture with literally every sort on one spot and for that reason alone it’s a fascinating place. This is “Slab City” and, no matter what you might think of the place, it’s like nowhere else on earth.

Paint cans invite you to add you own touch to the Mountain

I’d scheduled to meet Jim & René at their boondocking site in the Slabs sometime that noon. The trip from Borrego Springs is ~75 miles, the first 30 of which is a pretty drive through badlands, followed by a decent and drive around the great wide, flat and (often) odiferous Salton Sea. It was a hazy, but sunny day and I was in fine spirits as I approached the run-down town of Niland. Taking the bumpy road east out of town I got my first glimpse of color and my first taste of the Slabs. Salvation Mountain was shining like a rainbow beacon several miles ahead it expanded and glowed to fill my vision as I drove closer. This was a moment I wanted for myself so I stopped the car at the sculpture and got out to admire the view.

One of the many rooms & tunnels inside Salvation Mountain

Salvation Mountain was the inspiration of Leonard Knight. In 1967 he had a powerful vision from God. The vision took over his life and travels until his trip to The Slabs in 1984 where he planned to stay for “just a week” to build a small monument with a bag of cement. Weeks turned into months and 25 years later he had created a towering mountain with a core message of LOVE for the inspiration of anyone who wanted to visit. It’s a monumental structure -> at over 50 feet tall and 150-feet wide you can literally drive your car to the top, and the bottom sections are tunneled with life-size rooms, tunnels, branches and a chapel. Everywhere you look there are interesting visual details from minute carvings to large, bold paintings.

Another of the Salvation Mountain vans

The outside section also has several interesting decorated cars and a massive selection of paint-buckets which welcome you to add your own touch. Leonard himself tended this structure daily and greeted visitors for most of his life, but sadly entered a nursing home just last year, leaving the future of his creation in question (I heard a volunteer group is gathering to take over care of the mountain). No matter what your background you can’t help but be impressed. I spent a good 20 minutes climbing around and through the structure enjoying the moment and taking a slew of interesting angle shots.

Jim, Rene and doggie Wyatt in front of their rig

Having satisfied my bucket item I took the drive on through the main heart of the slabs to meet Jim & René. They’re a techno-travelling young couple that I first discovered through their wonderful website Tripawds, dedicated to 3-legged doggies. They also maintain an RV travel blog and a business site. And of course they have their own 3-legged wonder, Wyatt, a rumbunctous, smart and endearingly cute German Shephard. We spent the first hour bonding and chatting about life on the road, dogs, family and business before they took me off on a whirlwind “local” tour of the Slabs.

The “Definition of a grievance”, a mammoth sculpture of blown-out tires in East Jesus art garden

"The Range" caters to free music

You'll see a bit of everything at The Slabs

So HOW can I sum it all up? WHAT are the slabs? WHO is there? It’s almost impossible to put into words and even more difficult to squeeze into a single blog post. The slabs are everything and every facet of society all-in-one. They are normal people, creative people and weird people all tucked together. They are the ultimate ratatouille of the desert and we tasted just about every aspect of it within a few hours of walking around:

• There are the snowbirders who boondock peacefully on the flats -> everything from young travelers to old-timers, colorful campers to high-end rigs and seasoned regulars. We met the Travel n’Pals, a Slab City RV group of old-timers who’ve been coming to the place for years and boast a flush toilet, small library, mail service and weekly meals. The most experienced of the lot had come to the slabs for over 29 years and could tell ALL the stories of how the place has changed over the years. We also met young travelers, friends of Jim & Rene’s who just enjoy the ability to camp for free and absorb the spirit of the place.
• Then there are the artists -> a mish-mash of spontaneous and semi-organized collaborators who’ve staked their spot in the Slabs. The largest installation is at East Jesus and we were given a personal tour by one of the local artists explaining the origin of each of the sculptures as well as the free-spirited community they live in. The sculptures are all fabulous creations from junk and are lit-up to a gorgeous show at night. There are several other spots around the place that showcase art, as well as music venues that host free entertainment on a semi-regular basis.
• Then there’s the locals -> many of which have created semi-permanent homes and a mini-section of which actually stay at the Slabs all year
• And finally the trash and the homeless -> people living outside of the arms of regular society, sometimes in ramshackle old trailers and surrounded by years of accumulated junk.

"The Television Will Not Be Revolutionized". Another of the installations in East Jesus.

It’s ALL there, every aspect of it and ALL together in one. If you’re open to the experience it’s an interesting and incredibly varied spot, and most folks you meet are friendly and chatty. If you let the wierdities of the place get to you, you probably won’t enjoy it at all. Me? I LOVED it! It’s life experience all wrapped up in one, and beyond the run-down bits there are TONS of fascinating stories which could easily take many blog posts to fill up.

The "bottle wall" at East Jesus is lit up at night for a colorful display

But the place is changing. From the time the film Into the Wild featured the place in 2007 it’s attracted more and more media interest. René told me there’s been several film crews in the area, and more news stories are cropping up on the place (mostly focused on the seedier side). In a way it’s probably a natural evolution of change in a place that was really never there to begin with, but it’s also attracting more “day lookers”, tourists and even real money. Who know what the future of this place will be? In any case I was incredibly happy with my experience and take with me the impressions of a spot that is truely like nowhere else on earth.

Our toad contemplates the mountain and the message of love

Another of the decorated cars at Salvation Mountain

A local artist at East Jesus demonstrates water music on one of the installations

One of the decorated cars in East Jesus. It's a "chick magnet"

A memorial to Chris Russell, founder of East Jesus who passed last year

Yet another fabulous junk art installation

“You should come over and try our bed” offered the husband, most generously I thought. I glanced over at Paul who was nodding in sensible agreement.
“Oh yes, in fact both of you should” added the wife enthusiastically
“We are most definitely taking you up on that offer” I concluded, to the happy endorsement of all

Hanging with our new buddies at their boondocking spot in Borrego Springs

We had just met two of our blog readers and an instant bond had been formed on the topic of beds. Or, rather more specifically the Sleep Number bed. I’ve had a hate-hate (did I mention hate?) relationship with this thing since we got the rig and our new friends (who also own a 40PDQ) were instantly in agreement.

Richard and Ginger's rig is beautifully silhouetted in the desert

Libby is a cutie

The lovely couple was Richard and Ginger (with doggie Libby) who just happened to be boondocking around Borrego Springs with their friends and had managed to hook up with us through the net. It’s another of those fabulous impromptu connections that form on the road and, as always happens with folks who travel and enjoy the same kind of lifestyle, we had an instant connection. Paul and I went for an afternoon drink, met the whole gang and…yes…went to lie on their bed which is a super-comfy memory foam mattress that they installed right after throwing out the old bed. A relaxing a lovely afternoon with food for thought on the mattress….thanks, guys!

One of the local shops selling arts and pottery

But that’s not the only lounging we’ve been doing here in Borrego Springs. This tiny community of ~2,700 people is a quirky desert town completely surrounded by the beauty of 600,000 acre Anza Borrego State Park (in fact if you look on the map, Borrego Springs is literally a hole in the middle of the State Park). It was California’s first “dark sky community” (the nearest stop-light is ~50 miles away) and the place stays true to that image by keeping things rustic and simple. A tiny downtown with a few key shops, a single grassy circle (aptly called Christmas Circle, because honestly the lush green grass is such a gift in the arid desert) and a few RV parks.

Christmas Circle is an oasis of green in the middle of town

But it’s got its little surprises too. There is a rather ritzy golf course, a couple of spas and a whole wealth of hidden art. Besides the fabulous Galetta Meadows, the town hosts multiple excellent events at its tiny Performing Arts Center, offers Art Walks and has other impromptu performances throughout the year (one of my favorite is the annual Peg Leg Liar’s Contest that we managed to tag our first year here).

The fabulous Friday morning farmer's market

And then there’s the farmer’s market. Every Friday morning from Nov-June, twenty or so vendors set-up in Christmas Circle and offer their wares. For such a small market it’s got just about everything you could want from organic vegetables to grass-fed meats, raw honey, fresh breads, food and crafts. If you’re here it’s a not-to-be-missed event!

Even the cats love it here!

This time of year is literally the PERFECT time to be here. Moderate temperatures, long sunny days and plenty of open and gorgeous spots for boondocking. There are people who come here every year simply to soak in the fabulous serenity of it all, and having spent a week here already I can totally see how you get hooked. Not a bad spot to shoot the breeze….and think about beds….

Paul sinks lovingly into the bed in Richard & Ginger's rig

The friends' pooch Lexie poses beautifully for the camera

Fresh honey at the market...yum!

Afternoon shadows at our boondocking spot