Day 15 - Indio, CA to Ajo, AZ

Our total mileage from our three-day visit in Indio/Palm Desert and within the Joshua Tree park was 223 miles. This morning we loaded up the car ready for a travel day east into Arizona. On the road at about 8:10am, we took I-10 East. 

Not long after we turned on Highway 86 South. Along the way approaching Mecca, CA we saw a lot of agriculture. Rob said we were driving through the Imperial Valley, where cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, peppers, melons and more are grown--all with irrigation 100% provided from the Colorado River. Lush green fields in the desert are always a weird sight.

We arrived at the Salton Sea about 40 minutes later. Rob planned a visit because of its prominence as a man-made disaster described in the building of the Hoover Dam book we read last year. 

Over millions of years, the Colorado River flowed into the Imperial Valley creating fertile farmland. Over time, the river changed course, and the climate became warmer drying out what was once a large inland sea leaving behind fertile ground in a dry arid land. Beginning in 1900, a series of irrigation canals were dug from the Colorado River to provide water to the newly named Imperial Valley for farming so that this fertile ground could be farmed. In 1905, the Colorado River's waters from spring floods broke through a canal head-gate. The river flowed unfettered into the Salton Basin for 18 months before the Colorado could be tamed through extraordinary measures. The water in the formerly dry lake bed created the modern land-locked lake that measures 45 miles long and 20 miles wide. Times were good in the late 1950s when fishing, boating and water-skiing took place.

Over the last 75 or so years, due to drought and water consumptions, the water levels have declined and the salinity has increased. Motorized boating declined since owners prefer the fresh water of the Colorado as it is less corrosive on equipment. Kayakers, campers, birdwatchers, photographers and hikers still use the area. When we visited today, there were toxic algae signs all around prohibiting swimming of any kind. It seemed like a toxic place where no life could live. We took a few photos and headed inside the Visitor's Center at 9am when it opened. 

Inside, the Visitor's Center had a much more positive outlook. More than 50% of bird species in the continental U.S. have been spotted at the lake. It is a vital wetlands since 90% of California's wetlands have disappeared due to agriculture. It is a rest stop along the Pacific Flyaway (bird highway) from Alaska to South America. We looked at a few of the animal species exhibits.

A Red-tailed Hawk looking regal.

A Burrowing Owl keeping a keen eye on us. 

A Kit Fox cozy in its den.

There were also three different tarantulas on display, but Michele refused to look at them nor allow Rob's picture of them in the blog. Rob said later that he noticed the displays and brochures were 20 years old! So, it seemed a little depressing or perhaps ironic that what first started out as a disaster, turned into a recreational wonderland and now is disappearing as the former naturally occurring inland sea did over 500 years ago. 

After our visit, we headed back out on Highway 86 which becomes Highway 79. Michele noticed signs for "America’s lithium low point" and later read that a controversial lithium extraction plant was starting up near the Salton Sea. We picked up Highway 111 South at Brawley. After an hour we were getting closer to Mexico. Along the way the Southern Pacific railroad had what we think are old railroad ties piled up in neat piles. This went on for miles and miles. 

Near El Centro, we picked up I-8 East, which runs fairly parallel to the Mexican border. At one point we were so close to the border that we could see it. On this map you can see our green highway route and just below it the US border. 

For awhile there were two big dirt berms separating us from Mexico, and then a dark, tall fence. 

 Occasionally we saw a few border patrol inspection stations.

The scenery suddenly changed, and the Gordons Well Dunes appeared. People were camped nearby with their RVs and off-road vehicles. 

We crossed over to Arizona at 11am, which put us into Mountain time, so it was suddenly Noon.

We stopped at a Firehouse Subs in Yuma, AZ. It was 65 degrees and breezy during our brief stop there. From Yuma, we continued east on I-8 for another two hours. 

We started to see larger mountain peaks in the distance and good-sized cacti and became excited about this new addition to the landscapes we've seen so far on the trip. 

At Gila Bend, AZ we turned south again on Highway 85. We arrived in Ajo, AZ at our hotel at 4pm. Mileage today was 310 miles. We got dinner just down the street at the Agave Grill. We shared a Bourbon burger, fries, and a salad. Tomorrow morning we head out to explore Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument on our way to Tucson.