Since last winter went so swimmingly, let's try it again! TFS has very graciously opened her home in the west San Fernando Valley to me again. This time her daughter AS (and dog and cat) are there too. Two women + two dogs + two cats = not my usual solitary winter again. Huzzah! Place name links like Los Angeles, CA go to Wikipedia. Place name links like Los Angeles use a local tourism or government website.
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| 2013.01.11 |
The Salton Sea |
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It's a nice warm day, unseasonably warm. We haven't been touring very much so we take advantage of the fine weather and head out to visit the Salton Sea .
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orchards in the area. | |
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The Salton Sea lies in a basin 227 feet (69 meters) below sea level, cut off from the Gulf of California by sediments deposited by the Colorado River , alternating between a freshwater lake and a desert basin. |
Although the basin was mined for its salt, the surrounding area was recognized for its rich fertile soils and an agricultural industry grew. Various canals were cut to fill the basin but they inevitably silted up. In 1905 winter flooding diverted the entire outflow of the Colorado River through an ill-advised canal cut into the river from the Mexico side of the border into the basin, flooding the area for two years before the inflow could be stopped and creating a lake that was 45 miles (72 km) long and 20 miles (32 km) wide. Since then, the only inflow has been from agricultural runoff, and the only outflow has been from evaporation, making the Salton Sea a endorheic rift lake . By now a very saline lake, 25% saltier than the Pacific Ocean, increasing by 1% annually.
We stopped at the Salton Sea State Recreation Area on the north end of the lake which has a large parking lot for camping, an interpretive center, and a stretch of lakeshore with covered tables for picnicers.
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| The salinity has killed off all but one species of fish (Tilapia) and fish carcasses are piled along the shore alongside slabs of salt. Despite the image of that, in the 1950s and 60s the Salton Sea was a popular vacation destination for camping and boating. And birds, even today, over 400 species can be sighted and it's a major resting stop on the Pacific Flyway migration route.
What appears at first as a sandy lakeshore is actually broken salt crusts and fish scales. Dessicated fish carcasses are collected in piles here and there. Despite the amount of dead fish around the air smells more salty than fishy. Definitely not off-putting except for the very sensitive. It's a very quiet place. Though it's a huge lake the increased salinity deters most if not all boaters. Very serene on this day with the low sun making the skies appear hazy in front of distant mountains, and still water.
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| 2014.01.11 |
From Brine to Bananas |
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Not even 20 minutes north of the Salton Sea Recreation Area, on our way there, we saw a yellow VW Beetle parked in front of what looked to be an abandoned market. We drove on by, thinking nothing of it because the whole area looked largely abandoned and barely inhabited. But on our way back we stopped to look further and were introduced to one of those off-beat out-of-the-way American roadside gems that make pulling of the road worthwhile: in this case the International Banana Museum (IBM).
Inside a little shop, for a $2 entry fee, we got to witness the Guinness Word Record holder for the largest collection devoted to a single fruit: bananas. I asked the owner, "Why here?", and he said simply "To be a tourist attraction."
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A nifty little spot, unexpectedly in the middle of nowhere. | |
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Edmonton Oilers at Anaheim Ducks |
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The Justice Private Automotive Collection |
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