Last post from Glamis North KOA (for this season)

We've spent the last few days getting the campground ready for closing. The summers here are just too hot to remain open, so unlike most KOA's that are just opening for the season, we're just closing for the season. We'll be back in mid-October to undo all the closing exercises and make ready for another winter season of desert camping and off-roading.

Trees full of egrets on the south edge of our campground. The Salton Sea attracts millions of birds as they migrate.

This abandoned building in Niland used to be one of the busiest tomato-packing facilities in the country. After an infestation of white flies, and a flood, the tomato industry here has not been able to recover.

And you thought there was no color in the desert. Lots of bouganvillia around here.

Yellow-headed blackbird is one of the many bird types coming to our yard feeders on a daily basis.

Quail and doves, also.

Jared, serving breakfast on the last day of operation for Sassy's Outback Cafe.

This old, diesel water truck keeps our campground streets and driveways damp so the dust is held to a minimum. The truck runs on a mixture of diesel and fryer oil.

New, large swimming pool - not quite finished, but at least ready for water before closing for the season. When we come back in October there will be 3 new pools and 10 mineral bath hot tubs ready to go. We've worked on the pools and pool area all winter.

This is the older pool, our only working pool this season.

Another view of the new pool.

This little guy fell into one of the new hot tubs and couldn't get out.

I put a piece of plastic pipe into the tub and gave him/her a route of escape.

Wednesday, June 1 we hit the road! First stop will be Joshua Tree National Park, but only for a day, and then it's on to the Grand Canyon for a four day tour with The Escapees. Stay tuned, we'll have lots of new scenery to show over the next couple of months.

Catching Up On Local Sights

So much to see, so many places to visit, and all of them just a few minutes away from our home. In less than two weeks we'll be leaving the Salton Sea area and traveling through a LOT of states and won't be back here until mid-October. Enjoy these local scenes.

Pat, overlooking the yacht harbor at the Salton Sea Museum

Salton Sea Museum from the water-side.

Just a small sampling of birds that winter on the Salton Sea.

Tilapia on the beach. They die for several reasons, mostly lack of oxygen.

Snake encounter near the beach. NOT a rattlesnake.

Dave, watching a mud pot roil and boil. That's a new geothermal energy plant in the background.

Bubbling mud in a mud pot.

Pat confirmed that the mud is HOT.

Salvation Mountain at Slab City. It's a manufactured mountain - mostly hay, clay, and paint.

The Mountain is desigated as an American Folk Art Project.

Can't deny that it is Folk Art.

One of the many painted vehicles parked around the Mountain.

Mid-May Miscellaneous stuff

In 17 days we will be leaving Glamis North KOA for a summer of travel. I think we would both like to stay here, but it is getting too hot. It gets so hot that the campground shuts down from June 1 to Oct 15.

It just looks like sand in the desert, and it is, but this is also a scene in a John Wayne western movie. Can't tell you the title, 'cause I don't know, but I'm told that he comes riding over the dune and down to where the picnic table has been placed. It's a table from our CG, but it wasn't in the movie.

Can you say, "Mad Max"? Well, no, it's just our part-time neighbor, Gary Wagner all suited up for a dusty, desert ride.

Lots and lots of trains pass by on the shore of the Salton Sea. Most of them are container trains, like this one. Multiple engines at the front and the rear is common, as the trains can be up to a mile in length.

You're looking down into an old salt mine on the east side of the Salton Sea. The bottom layer is a viscous slurry that you don't want to get into.

The sign says, North Shore Beach & Yacht Club, but it hasn't been that for many years. It is now the Salton Sea Museum. The building got at least a few seconds of fame in the sci-fi movie, The Island, where it was tricked out to be a night club. Watch the movie and look for the building with the distinctive vents on the rounded front.

Pat, enjoying the white sandy beach at the Salton Sea Museum.

The Museum from the sea side.

Pat, Roslyn Loewen, and Jean Yost with Pat's birthday cake. Jean baked the cake.

The candles are merely symbolic, as well they should be at this age. She still looks pretty good, doesn't she?

Some of the staff that came together to celebrate Pat's birthday. Around the table from the front, clockwise: Jean, Roz, Cal, Jose, Jared, me, Pat.

Jack Rabbits in the desert, plentiful, and with very large ears.

Deer are a common sight in the desert.

Not sure what this is - some type of ground squirrel/gopher/chipmunk. Lots of them, also.

When you see these guys circling overhead, you're probably better off the just keep moving!

Map of the desert area we travel into.



A view of the All American Canal. The break in the canal at the left side shows a "drop", which is a break in the canal to allow rainwater to run off the mountains and flow freely to the sea without damaging the canal. The canal water is diverted underground to allow for this. Drops occur every 2-4 miles, depending on the uphill terrain.

That's all for today. We'll have another posting closer to when we hit the road.