We’re having the time of our lives and it’s safe to say we’re dreading the end of this journey. We know we’re still only about halfway through, and we’ve got lots to look forward to, but the warm weather and awesome landscapes paired with wonderful company has made us forget all the woes we experienced earlier on.
“Could we live here and make it work?”
The weather was perfect – sunny, low-to-mid seventies, and hardly a cloud in the big blue sky. As we continued down the coast of California, we passed through several small but endearing little beach communities. We asked ourselves with each one we drove by, “Could we live here and make it work?”
Our next stop was to visit Sam’s cousin Emma in Goleta. This was highly anticipated for many reasons: Sam’s Aunt Laura also happened to be visiting, he had never met Emma’s husband – Anton, and they had a beautiful new addition to the family – baby Luna who is 6 months. We admired their neighborhood as we drove through and thought their home was just charming. It was so great to catch up with them – seeing family on this trip is everything!
We found another great place to camp for the night right on the beach at Refugio State Beach. Again, we couldn’t get over how accessible the beaches are here in California and what a treat it is to be able to fall asleep to crashing waves and wake up with a dip in the ocean. The desire to move here is real, but tucked in the back of our minds is the distance from the rest of our friends and family, the devastating natural catastrophes that exist, and the heavy tax burden that comes with residing here. Still, it’s not off the table!
We moved on the next day to visit Sam’s grandmother, Marlene, in North Hollywood. She was married to Sam’s grandfather, Paul who passed away a few years ago, who was an extremely accomplished artist. Marlene gave us a tour of his old studio and we got to look through some of his old paintings and drawings. It’s clear that this where Sam’s creative side comes from! But the tours didn’t end there – after dining at Spumante (one of Paul’s favorite restaurants), Marlene drove us all over Hollywood showing us the sights and studios. It was such a treat for us – especially since we’ve been avoiding cities with a camper and pup in tow! Marlene gave us a place to sleep, shower, freeze our ice packs and fill up our water jugs before hitting the road. We enjoyed a great Armenian breakfast at Lilit Bakery before moving on to Joshua Tree National Park.
After the uncomfortable experience in Buffalo, we had pretty much written off dispersed camping. Because we have been “winging it” day-to-day, we’ve not really planned far enough ahead to make reservations at various campgrounds. It has mostly worked out for us, but this time it did not work in our favor. The cooler temps have made this part of the country a prime place to be this time of year. We simply couldn’t find a place to camp, but we did manage to find a BLM spot just north of Joshua Tree for the night. As we made our way to it I was a little nervous, but once I saw how open, vast, and beautiful it was, I was a changed woman. Camping on BLM land in the desert is truly where it is at!
We explored Joshua Tree the next day, admiring the beautiful trees and cacti against the rocky landscape. It was busy, being a Saturday. There were cars lined up outside the entrance waiting to get in. Fortunately, we’re traveling with a National Parks Pass which got us in pretty quickly. The park was much more crowded than Yellowstone was at the end of October. Our visit was brief, we made time to wander off on a few trails and picnic in the park. We knew that BLM camping was awaiting us again that night, so we wanted to get settled before the sun went down, which is pretty early these days.
More adventure awaited us in the California desert, but it wasn’t of the National Parks variety. Many who knew the area advised us of all these great gems out this way. It was going to be a big day and it did not disappoint. First we stopped at Salton Sea, once a tourist vacation hot-spot, now a “ghost beach” due to the rising salinity levels. We stopped at the State Park which was overrun with water boatmen and dead fish, there was a strange smell that lingered in the air, and it was seemingly devoid of people. It felt kind of sad. The park employees even seemed confused about why we would want to come there. We began to wonder ourselves why we bothered to go.
It turns out we were simply in the wrong place. We continued moving along the edge of the lake until we stumbled into Bombay Beach, a literal ghost town with sculptural ruins resting right on the shore. It was magnificent looking at all the abandoned structures and admiring how the few residents that remain exist in such a dilapidated town. They really made the most of this tiny community filled with trash and creativity. But this was only the beginning of it.
Our next stop along the way was Salvation Mountain, followed by East Jesus and a detour through Slab City. Turning trash into treasure is an understatement, but truly what these communities are all about. We were so inspired, and excited to see some art again. It was nothing like I had ever seen. These artists were humble, raw, and resourceful. Religion aside, the message they preached was love and peace. And as we explored the lawless community of Slab City, I almost couldn’t believe we were still in the U.S.
Hooked on camping off the grid, we landed in Holtville on a complete whim. Conveniently located next to a free hot spring, it allowed us to bathe on this streak of camping without facilities. We were in heaven!
It has become apparent to us that we are now heading east, which means we’re moving towards home. It feels so far away from us, but yet here we are heading back – just taking the long way.
Going Over There 
We’ll miss you at dinner today. Hope you’re having turkey somewhere! Enjoying your posts and cards.
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