Palos Verdes, California

At Donald Trump’s Golf Course.

Beach.

(not from the beach) (from the side of the road in the desert somewhere).

From Vegas To LA..with some Salvation Mountain in between

After Las Vegas, we decided to explore the Salton Sea, and very strange place indeed. In the 50’s, it boasted a popular vacation destination, but then the giant lake became polluted with argircultural run off, the salt levels became too high, and all of the fish died. Then it flooded, and all of the resorts died. Now, a smattering of people still live there, and enjoy a beautiful lake in the desert. The only problem is the stench. And the thousands of fish bones…

 And then we went to Salvation Mountain, which was featured in the book/movie Into the Wild. Indeed, it was wild. Leonard Knight, the man in the picture, has been working on this masterpiece for 20+ years. He also lives in it.

He also had the most adorable kitten I have ever seen.

The view from the top.

 

 

 

Vegas to Amboy, CA

The ceiling of the Belagio. Glass flowers!

The view from outside our Vegas room.

A teeny little bar called the Palms in the absolute middle of nowhere, in a town called Wonder Valley.

Strange salt flats in Amboy, CA.

A sign in front said “pyramids for sale”.

Traffic Jam on the Hoover Dam, and some Vegas

And on the 43rd day, they rested.

Anatomy of my purse

Today was spent driving to Flagstaff about an hour away, eating falafel, buying books, and driving home. On the way back, in a state of half-sleep, half-car sick, I decided that when I got back to the house we were staying in (my uncle’s), I would immediately pour everything out of my purse, place the items in an organized fashion on the floor, and take a picture of it. Which is what I just did. So here it is. I know how much all of you readers/picture lookers have been just dying to know what I carry around in my purse and now your minds can rest, for they will finally know what I lug around all day.

Ta da! Now if you are extra bored/ interested, here is a detailed description of each item, numbered for your convenience.

1,2 – Two pens I took from a container in Bookman’s used book store in Flagstaff, where 18 was purchased.

3- A notebook purchased from a Target next to Bookman’s. I wrote down this idea inside that very notebook upon its conception, so I wouldn’t forget when I roused myself from the half dream/half car sick state. Since this is such an important thing I am doing…

4- A balm I bought from a medicine woman on a Navajo reservation. Apparently her sister makes it, and it is she who is featured on the lid.

5- Change in the bottom of the purse.

6- A postcard from El Rancho hotel, which was given to us on the desk in the hotel room. I began to write a letter home on it, then stopped, realizing I would just call them on the phone in a few minutes away. Not wanting to leave a half written post card on a desk, or throw out a post card, it has been in my purse ever since.

7- The ticket/bookmark we were given to gain entry into the UFO Museum and Research Center in Roswell. Remember, it is also a bookmark!

8- A postcard from Shiny Pony Land, a store in Marfa that is co-run by the wife of the man who interviewed us on the Marfa Public Radio Station. Lovely couple, lovely items. I plan to go back when I amass my millions in the photo blog industry to buy a dress I fell in love with for $350.

9- This would be my trusty cell phone.

10- The business card for the buyer of the Contemporary Art Museum in Houston. I tried emailing her about my Bullet Buddies, but her email doesn’t seem to work…curious indeed.

11a- My Juice Leatherman, given to me my the thoughtful Ben Terris.

11b- As I write this, I realized that there are two elevens. This 11 is my wallet.

12- A smaller, pinker swiss army knife. You can never have too many knives. Though I have yet to use either…

13- Sunglasses.

14- A receipt for food we bought yesterday afternoon at Mt. Hope Natural Food store, in Cottonwood.

15- Two shells I have been toting along from Folly Beach in South Carolina.

16- Earrings, one of which as lost ofs wire.

17- More earrings.

18- A headband.

19- The book I bought from Bookman’s. So far, so good!

20- A necklace Ben got me in Spain.

21- A spare key to start the car.

22- A spare key to open the car door.

23- (back to the top!) A business card from Marfa Public Radio.

Congrats! You are done. I promise you won’t have to read so much again, so please keep checking back for more photos.

Arizona chickens

Arizona– Arcosanti

Today, we explored Jerome, a lovely, hilltop art/hippie community in central Arizona. Great views, great food, great sugar packets.

Then we made our way down to Arcosanti, an “experimental urban community” an hour north of Pheonix. It began in the 70’s with an italian architect named Paolo Soleri, who decided that something had to be done to combat urban sprawl. His solution is self contained communities, where driving is not necessary. You live where you work where your recreate. The vision was to create a community that would house 5,000 people, but since its conception, it so far is only the home to 100. Still, a pretty neat place.

Arizona

Goodbye, El Rancho.

A different view at the Petrified National Forest

Maybe one of my favorite “things on backs of trucks” yet.

Gallup, New Mexico!

Something seems wrong about this sign..

Where we stayed…very snazzy place.

We were lucky enough to be in town during a Najavo dance.

The tiniest, blondest boy I’ve ever seen danced the first dance by himself.