Oceanside!

Claire broke into song as we arrived in California!  She is ready for the beach.

After the beautiful drive across the US, we cut across the Mojave Desert Reserve and the weather got hot.  The Joshua Trees got bigger and bigger and then suddenly disappeared and it was just desert.   

We stopped to fill up with gas at this iconic Route 66 stop in Amboy.   The desert is a strange wild place and apparently, filled with Alaskan’s—seriously we met 5 people from Alaska in a day and a half.  One of them at this gas station—he pulled into say hello when they saw the Alaska plates on our vehicle. 

Driving across suddenly we came across these canals vibrant teal in the desert on the salt flats, salt ponds.  They were so bright we had to stop to look at them.  I guess they flood the canals and then the salt comes up and when dried is harvested. 

As we drove toward 29 Palms we saw all of these old houses, abandoned houses and well lived in secured houses every little bit.  In areas you could see the foundations of all that remained.  It was strange and foreboding. A little Google search let us to what this place was…Wonder Valley. The last homesteading in the lower 48 in 1938.  Seeing this place you understand why it was last and wonder about the people that tried to make a go of it here and those that still do.  

Finally Oceanside, the night  we arrived as we walked to the beach both Paul and I  felt like, wow this is real.  Till then it had not really set in, a deep breath as we emerged from the water after a high dive.