HINKLEY-CA; Barstow-CA

April 2nd: We pulled stakes in Kingman-AZ, hitched Independence to Betsy … and concentrated on following Elohim's lead into our Future 🙏

We're leaving AZ, this morning.

We loved AZ's warmth; but the constant devil winds and thin altitude air made breathing difficult for both of us. We did not know that the desert air would be worse for us than the humid rainforest coastal air of the PNW. I had always heard Drs. telling me that a drier climate would be best for my lungs … so, when in the Spring 2023 Holland agreed with me to sell the house on Longview-WA and travel the USA - making Yuma-AZ our long-term "home base" … I was elated! Holland had periodically lived all over the lower extremities of American States, and I was thrilled that I would get to see and experience those places with him - and make a home for us in Yuma, "the sunniest place in America!"

But that wonderful dream turned into a hellish reality, as we tried valiantly from 2023 to current 2025 to build a life "down south" on those hopes and prayers: we simply cannot breathe easy in any of the southern states - and Holland has faithfully ferried me to CA, NV, AZ, NM, & TX … doing, and going far beyond, to find a safe haven for us to rest our struggling lungs, and build a happy Life to enjoy our senior years.

NO GO 😕

While the air in Arizona can be dusty, doctors sometimes recommend it for people with lung issues because the dry, arid climate and lower humidity can be beneficial for certain respiratory conditions, especially compared to the humid climates of some other areas.

Reduced Humidity: Lower humidity in Arizona can help reduce the growth of mold and dust mites, which are common triggers for asthma and allergies. However, Arizona has a higher prevalence of certain lung diseases compared to other regions of the country - such as "Valley Fever" (Coccidioidomycosis) = this fungal infection is caused by inhaling spores of the fungus Coccidioides immitis, which is present in the soil in Arizona. It can cause a variety of symptoms, including fever, cough, chest pain, and shortness of breath: Arizona has a specialized Valley Fever Center that provides research, treatment, and education about this disease; "Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease" (COPD) = this is a group of lung diseases that damage the airways and make it difficult to breathe; "Asthma" = Arizona's dry climate and dust storms can trigger asthma attacks in susceptible individuals. Somehow, this info is not mentioned by Drs. promoting AZ's "wonderful air for struggling lungs". Since we've been making our 6 month trips to AZ, since 2023, Holland has struggled with fever, cough, & shortness of breath: I have been struggling with shortness of breath - and have had several serious asthma attacks that have scared my poor husband when they suddenly happened. It wasn't until we were set up in Fortuna-AZ the winter of 2024, that I connected the dots 🤬 It was in Fortuna, that we realized that AZ was out of the question for "home base" - and we will probably never come back here again for a lengthy stay.

Dry Air: Dry air can make it easier for some people with respiratory conditions to breathe, as it can help reduce mucus buildup and make breathing feel less heavy. This has not been the case for us … I have struggled mightily to breath easy - no matter what part of the State we have hunkered down in. My chest always hurts trying to suck air into my lungs … and Holland's lungs never escape the mucus build up. He always quips, "I sound like a fricking cat with a hair ball it's trying to loosen." And I try not to laugh, because it is true - he does sound like a cat with a hairball 😉 But, it's really not a laughing matter because I know his chest is hurting with the constant hacking and spitting … but at least he is not spitting up on the floor, like a cat would do; and that is a blessing (no joke).

Lower Pollen Counts: While Arizona does have dust, it also has lower pollen counts compared to some other areas, which can be beneficial for people with seasonal allergies. Personally, I have not noticed this - my eyes always itch after a breeze loosens pollen and sends it my way … Fall and Winter in AZ is windy and carries dust & dried-out foliage refuse in the gusts - Spring and Summer in AZ is lush with new growth following rain showers - new growth comes with heady pollen fallout; and I am noticing that Holland is sneezing and blowing his nose more than usual. Seasonal lung issues are happening for us in AZ as in the PNW - the difference is, that there are the aforementioned desert lung complications thrown into the mix; and those new complications make our lung issues more complicated. More seriously deadly, due to the fact that compromised lungs do not rebound like healthy lungs would. In AZ, I have had 2 major asthma attacks that seriously worried both of us - I felt bad for Holland because he'd never seen a full-on asthma attack before: it is very scary, and seriously concerning. And I am concerned when he has a COPD flareup, because his lungs are more compromised than mine - when a fever sets in and the chest-pain coughing and hacking starts, it is a serious concern.

 

Specific Conditions: The dry climate of Arizona can be particularly helpful for individuals with conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma, as it can help reduce inflammation and improve lung function. FALSE! Holland was diagnosed with COPD years ago, and I married him with that full knowledge … and I have environmental asthma, which means that I only suffer asthmatic flareups and serious asthma complications when symptoms are triggered or worsened by exposure to specific substances or conditions in their environment, such as allergens, pollutants, or irritants. The dry climate of AZ has not been kind to our lungs 😟

Dust Concerns: It's important to note that while the air in Arizona is generally dry, it can also be dusty, especially during certain times of the year or in specific areas. People with lung issues should be aware of the potential risks of dust exposure and take precautions, such as staying indoors during dust storms or using air purifiers. We decided on AZ because of it's warm climate and what we were led to believe, it's "wonderful air": we did not know that we would be indoors 95% of the time while here; and that my hopes for "a year'round tan" would not be happening: I am going back up North, paler than when I left! Simply because we cannot get out of Independence, or Betsy, for any length of time without suffering an entire week following an outdoor venture 😒 We do have, and utilize an air purifier - that thing never shuts off; and still, our poor lungs struggle.

So, we are leaving AZ, this morning. Who would have thought we'd need to go back to the PNW to enjoy sun rays (skimpy as they may be), spend time outdoors, and draw a carefree breath (our lungs struggling only with seasonal allergies, not daily happenstance)? 🤔

Our route this morning.

Barstow-CA from Kingman-AZ; 3h 17m (206 mi), via I-40 W

The road out of Kingman, was horribly rough. Poor Independence.

Rain; nearing Needles-CA

The rain smelled good - it had a dusty odor, and taste … but also a very refreshing Spring rain scent.

This … blesses the desert, with color.

We left Kingman at 9.30 AM; we still have a way to go.

Low-lying fog hangs over the Providence Mountains-CA

CA roads are trash - it doesn't matter what type of road you travel. Just trash.

What is the weird looking building, in that field over there?

I went online to see if I could gather any info on this weird building that stands alone in a desert field, and came up with a couple explanations - none of which actually pinpoints what the thing is:

Internet pic 

a) It’s a GPS calibration device. These are scattered around the U.S. (but not overseas - GPS remains a U.S. military system). To continually refine the accuracy of GPS signals, calibration devices like this - basically, giant, hyper-accurate GPS receivers - constantly compare their GPS-computed position with their known location.

b) It’s a navigation beacon for aircraft, called a VOR, which stands for Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Radio Range.  It sends out signals - using frequencies only just slightly above those used by the FM radio stations, that tell aircraft their bearing from the beacon, and their distance, and allows planes to ‘see’ where they are in any weather, even in the absence of GPS or ground-based radar. While it may look high-tech, VORs are relatively ancient, first coming into use after World War II. This is what Holland believes it to be.

c) Remember Jodie Foster, Matthew McConaughey, and the Very Large Array of radio antennas in the movie Contact? This is part of another, less photogenic deep-space radio project. The signals from these sensors—there are nearly 300 across the country—are mathematically pooled together to create a virtual, continent-sized radio telescope. I'm settling on this [explanation] because AZ seems to be the gateway state to a lot of spacey stuff.

d) No one knows what these are - or rather, those who do won’t tell us. These sites, which were built after 9/11, are controlled by the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security, which will not release information about their purpose, other than that they do not produce “harmful radiation or interference.”

The Lavic Lake Volcanic Field, between Newberry Springs-CA & Barstow-CA

The Lavic Lake Volcanic Field:

 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavic_Lake_volcanic_field)

The new bridge in up, now = the old bridge is totally gone; Barstow-CA

The new North First Avenue Bridge; Barstow-CA. The original North First Avenue Bridge was built around 1930, spanning the Burlington-Northern-Santa Fe Railway intermodal yard, in Barstow-CA

Skanska Completes $30 Million Replacement of North First Avenue Bridge in Barstow: https://www.vvng.com/skanska-completes-30-million-replacement-of-north-first-avenue-bridge-in-barstow/

YES … yes, He does ;-); seen coming off the bridge, towards Skyline RV Park. Barstow-CA

Barstow-CA is on Route 66

Rock has been laid at Skyline - this is something new & it looks nice; it should keep the dust devils grounded ;-)

Skyline RV Park; #30384 Old Hwy 58, Barstow, CA

After we unhooked & set things right inside Independence, Holland suggested we drive to Hinkley-CA; it's not that far away, and we've been intending to get there for quite a while (every time we come to Barstow); now we need to make the time since we have decided this is our last trip this way, coming from AZ or going to AZ:

Hinkley-CA from Barstow-CA; 18 min (13.0 mi) via Old Hwy 58 and Santa Fe Ave

CA soulless politics and business practices suck.

The Hinkley Bible Church is still functioning.

Hinkley, California, is famously known as the "Erin Brockovich town" due to the landmark lawsuit and movie based on the real-life story of groundwater contamination by Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) with hexavalent chromium. The movie is based on true accounts, and 98% accurate.

Erin Brockovich Clip on Water: 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGQGxJ4bqK4)

Holland wanted to check this place out; I prayed about it.

Psalm 121.7-8

I was listening to some Petra songs, this morning ;-)

Petra: 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNvWU_DUATc&list=PL06A3-WmRbqh1ZtIv5rR7QC2XTDJt_y_5)

From 1952 to 1966, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) dumped about 370 million U.S. gallons (1.4×109 liters) of chromium-tainted wastewater into unlined wastewater spreading ponds around the town of Hinkley, California, located in the Mojave Desert.

The real-life Erin Brockovich, a real-life legal clerk, investigated the apparent elevated cluster of illnesses in the community linked to hexavalent chromium, and her efforts, along with those of the real-life lawyer Edward L. Masry, pitted and won a 1996 direct-action arbitration against PG&E, resulting in a $333 million settlement, which was the largest settlement ever awarded in a direct-action lawsuit in the history of the United States

In 1996, residents won a direct-action arbitration (a formal, out-of-court dispute resolution process) against PG&E, resulting in a $333 million settlement, which was the largest settlement ever awarded in a direct-action lawsuit in the history of the United States.

While the movie praised a successful win, the cleanup of the toxic contamination was a slow process … and the true results are that some wells in Hinkley-CA, still test at dangerously high levels of chromium-6.

Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) is still in business, having emerged from bankruptcy in 2020; and continues to operate as a major utility company in California, providing natural gas and electricity to approximately 16 million people across a 70,000-square-mile area in northern and central California.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is STILL operating!

I couldn't believe what I heard! And I can't believe people are swallowing the BS

Acres of alfalfa - which is a worthless pursuit & a business stunt to pacify unscrupulous laws.

Hinkley-CA~No Hollywood ending for town plagued by toxic water: 

https://www.sbsun.com/2013/07/09/hinkley-no-hollywood-ending-for-town-plagued-by-toxic-water/

Toxic plume spreads, PG&E faces 2nd Hinkley suit: https://www.sfgate.com/science/article/toxic-plume-spreads-pg-amp-e-faces-2nd-hinkley-4688046.php

In the Hinkley area, PG&E is using contaminated water, containing hexavalent chromium (chromium-6), to irrigate alfalfa fields as part of a remediation effort, aiming to convert the toxic chromium-6 into a less harmful form, chromium-3, in the soil.

Alfalfa can be used for phytoremediation, a process where plants are used to clean up contaminated soil by absorbing and accumulating toxic elements. Alfalfa is a good candidate for this due to its large biomass productivity, high tolerance to potentially toxic elements, and strong capacity to take up these elements. 

Alfalfa watered with toxic water is likely unsafe to consume because contaminants in the water can be absorbed by the plant and accumulate in its tissues, potentially posing health risks; alfalfa that has absorbed these toxins can lead to various health problems - consuming animal products that have been fed with this alfalfa would be foolhardy. What are they going to do with all that alfalfa?

I was glad to leave Hinkley behind us, as we turned back towards Barstow.

Holland drove back to Independence on the backroad, saying with a smile and a wink, "My backroad Baby need her back road fix." It was a thoughtful thing to do - he prefers freeway driving; and I do need my back roads scenery fix, now and then 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨

Driving through Barstow, towards Skyline, we pulled over so Holland could get his fix … anything and everything pertaining to cars or trucks, gets his immediate attention 😉

Old Hwy 58 from Hinkley-CA to Barstow-CA; 16 min (13.3 mi) via Old Hwy 58 and CA-58

Tom's Certified Welding & Machine Shop; #28664 US Highway 58, Barstow, CA

Tomorrow, we will take a drive to Victorville-CA, tracking down a phantom town:

Victorville-CA from Barstow-CA; 32m (32.2 mi) via I-15 S

'ONE MORE DAY'; Barstow-CA

We stayed 2 days; Skyline RV Park, Barstow-CA

April 11th: We had rested, but I still woke with a sore chest and aching ribs the next morning (from all the choking activity the day before); so, we paid for another day's stay here at Skyline RV Park - and we're going to do nothing but take it easy … and recoup our energy.

Last night, Holland & I made a decision to forgo all of the places we had planned to see in CA, due to the high altitude - we've visited a lot of high altitude places already, and have both been feeling lethargic, winded, and a little ditzy.

We have visited with Aunt Gaye, but we will not be visiting with Holland's Colorado cousin: 6,000+ elevation just is not doable for us; Holland has COPD, and I have severe asthma flareups - we have noticed that high elevation causes our lungs acute stress; not just in AZ & CA; but also in other various elevated places we have been touring.

It was my thought that if we drove across America so our lungs would have time to acclimate … our lungs wouldn't cause our bodies too much stress. Apparently that is not true - Holland has been coughing up a lot of thick mucus, and I've been having severe asthma flareups.

On our way to Barstow from Kingman, I had the worst flareup I have ever experienced; not only did I feel like a plastic bag was tied over my face … my heart felt like it was about to burst; my arm and chest hurt for a good half hour after I was finally able to use my emergency inhaler (if I can't suck air in, I can't use it - all I can do is stare at it, knowing it's my link to life or death). Holland was driving and there was no place to pull over, so he put his left hand on my chest and prayed: that's what I needed more than anything.

But these flareups are coming more frequently, and they are scary for him to go through with me. They are a course of life for me - and I know where I'm going if my breath actually is stopped … but I'd rather not KNOW that I am dying, and I'd rather Holland not watch my body go into the struggle to live: it's horrible.

It's horrible to experience.

It's horrible to watch.

It's a helplessness that grips a person (asthmatic person, and the stander by) until breath is restored.

Diamond Rio - 'One More Day' lyrics: 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuE1XJ_uqOs)

It's 11:41 PM … and my face still looks like it's gone through a meat grinder; it will look like this for a few days until the strain marks disappear: these are the worst my face has ever looked after an attack.

I'm praying for relief - for myself, and for my husband. I know Yeshua is able.

I know my healing was secured 2024 years ago: please join me in prayer that it becomes a reality in my New Life, with my new husband. I do believe 100% in divine healing, and Elohim knows my Life is His to do with as He Wills.

********************

April 12th: I was enjoying my morning coffee, and liking what I saw on my Peak Flow Meter reading: I was in the {safe zone} this morning; so, I didn't need to use my emergency inhaler :-)

My Peak Flow Meter & Asthma Relief Plan.

Peak Flow Meter: 

(https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/asthma-attack/symptoms-causes/syc-20354268)

But I did check it periodically during the day, so Holland wouldn't be unduly concerned (I promised him in Yuma-AZ that I would be more vigilant; and I will be): 

'DESERT HOLIDAY RV RESORT; Yuma~AZ' Post: (https://roadgypsiesvalandholland.blogspot.com/2023/10/desert-holiday-rv-resort-yumaaz.html)

A wind storm kicked up as Holland was getting his morning coffee:

A huge windstorm blew through.

I don't think we'll be going outside today … and Holland said he'd prefer I didn't flirt with flying sand grit either, given Friday's scary episode.

Even though the flow meter gave me a good reading this morning, I agreed - and apologized, pulling my head back inside & closing the front door firmly.

Holland sipped his coffee, and said, "We should be breathing a lot easier tomorrow when we get out of this high altitude; we'll be dropping from 2,000 ft. to 200 ft., in Bakersfield."

The elevation of Barstow is 2,178 ft.: this portion of the San Bernardino County, is Mojave High Desert region. The area around Barstow has an elevation range from 2,051 ft. to 2,919 ft.; depending on where you go … and we've been all around Barstow, in every corner of the Mojave desert region, at much higher elevations.

No wonder our lungs are in full-out revolt.

CA High Desert: (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Desert_(California)#:~:text=The%20region%20encompasses%20various%20terrain,and%20Little%20San%20Bernardino%20Mountains.)

Touching on another topic while I finished off my coffee, I mentioned to Holland a.g.a.i.n. that I seriously need to lose weight. I said, "either I need to stop eating the delicious fatty meals you lovingly cook … or I need to share kitchen time, and prepare some leaner, healthier meals": He said he needs to lose weight too, so he'd be happy to share kitchen time with me ;-)

I also researched COPD because I don't know as much about his lung issues, as I do my own. We agree that we will make sure each of us stick to our inhaler relief plans given to us by our Dr's. (mine given with my 1st severe asthma attack in 1996, that landed me in ER after I passed out and nearly took out a glass storefront-door; & Holland's given to him in 2012, when he ended up in ER fighting for his life)  … and we'll include natural home remedies, too.

I'm finding that the safe guards for COPD is similar to those for Asthma.

Natural Remedies for Asthma: (https://www.webmd.com/asthma/natural-cure-asthma)

Natural Home Remedies for COPD: (https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323649)

(1) Work towards a healthier body weight. The heart is a muscle: I need to get back to walking again - at least a mile/daily … this is hard to do living on the road, as we are; but where there is a Will - there is a Way, and I'll find it.

Holland can't walk a mile a day - but he says he will walk as much as he can, as far as he can. Daily.

(2) Consume omega-3 fats (EPA+DHA): I need to get back to eating more fish; Holland likes beef and pork … and lots of sugary snacks: but my body NEEDS fish in my weekly diet, and he is consenting to including tuna and salmon in our monthly meals - I'm not crazy about salmon, but I will choke it down if it will relive asthma stress.

Holland loves both … and wants to can both; to take with us when we go South, again.

He makes a delicious tuna steak; and recently made a tuna-egg sandwich that I raved over. He is a marvel in the kitchen; and cooking relaxes him - I don't mind sharing kitchen time with him. When he cooks, I'll just scale back on what I eat and drink before suppertime :-)

(3) Eat more plants: I'm cooking more, and doing more grocery shopping - green leafy items are coming home and getting included in our meals.

And Holland is finding out that {diet food} does not need to be "yucky", or "boring rabbit food" ;-)

(4) Reduce intake of bad fats and sugar: we're working on this - Holland is a big-time-snacker: cutting back on empty calories, and sugary toxins, will take time.

(5) Exercise regularly: again, this is hard to do living on the road, but I am working on it - and I hope Holland eventually joins me, at least in the weights department ;-)

(6) Bleu has been rehomed, and is enjoying his new digs … so pet dander is no longer a concern for either of us.

Early on in our new marriage, Holland set up a air-filtering thing in the bedroom to keep the air flow as clean as possible (we need to get one for the livingroom area, too); and we bought a mattress lifting bed frame for the RV, to keep our heads elevated when we lie down - this benefits both of us (I had a electrified bed in my previous marriage, so I didn't have to sleep sitting up in the recliner).

Air Filtration System

Electric adjustable mattress lifting bed frame base.

'OREGON~OUR NEW BED & Hudson-Parcher County Park' Post:

 (https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2023/05/oregonour-new-bed-hudson-parcher-county.html)

Around noon, I went back to bed: my poor body was totally exhausted.

Staying alive is hard work.

I think I slept about an hour and a half, when I was shaken awake by whistling winds slamming against Independence's sides, and rocking her so hard I thought she'd be forcefully moved off the stabilizing legos - if she wasn't still hooked to Betsy; we left them connected because our stay here would be short-lived.

The whipping wind gusts shook Independence - and woke me from a refreshing, and much needed nap.

Watching the sand being whipped up and blown across the Park's landscape, I wished the desert's beauty wasn't so deadly.

Hopefully tomorrow will be clearer, and we will both be breathing a whole lot easier ;-)

TWENTYNINE PALMS-CA

Morongo Basin:

 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morongo_Basin#:~:text=The%20Morongo%20Basin%20is%20located,Park%20are%20within%20the%20basin.)

March 31st, 2024: We had nipped into the Skyline RV Park, in Barstow-CA, Friday evening to find refuge from a strong wind/heavy rain storm. The RV Park is a small affordable sandy lot on a back road … but it's also clean, will fit Independence with ease; and the Host named Ed, who proudly wears a 'Vietnam Vet' baseball hat, is friendly and helpful.

The winds and rain kept us here a little longer, but we didn't mind ;-)

Betsy & Independence.

Skyline RV Park; #30384 Old Hwy 58, Barstow, CA

This morning, we pulled stakes in Barstow, and pointed Betsy's nose towards Twentynine Palms-CA. Holland is meticulously planning a route through CA that will make our last visit here memorable: the Joshua Tree National Park, located somewhere near Twentynine Palms is a place that neither of us have ever visited.

It sounds interesting :-)

Holland planning the best route …

Today's Goal ;-)

The Barstow Train Depot is a beautiful building that catches the eye when crossing the bridge from main street to- & from- the Skyline RV Park, on Old Highway #58.

Barstow Train Station/Hotel~internet pic: 

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barstow,_California & https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barstow_Harvey_House)

North First Avenue Bridge in Barstow, CA

Barstow Rail Project:

 (https://www.barstowca.org/Home/Components/News/News/3757/18)

New structure being built.

Holland has been through Barstow and Ludlow many times in his childhood, young adulthood (Route 66 2-lane, then when the freeway was put in, in the 1970's) - and now, with me.

Route #66 from Barstow-CA to Ludlow-CA

Main street Barstow-CA

The desert is not flat land …

Ludlow-CA is about a hour East of Barstow-CA. In Ludlow, Holland called my attention to the mining carts … Holland's family had shares in a gold mine in Winnemucca-NV, so he knows mine carts when he sees them ;-)

Ludlow-CA

Ludlow-CA:

 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludlow,_California & https://www.vvdailypress.com/story/lifestyle/travel/2021/05/21/beyers-byways-ludlow-mojave-desert-worth-your-spare-time-and-more/5197109001/)

Mining carts; Ludlow-CA

Route #66 has been on my Bucket List for decades, so I was very happy Holland planned this little sideroad treat for me :-)

A train still runs in the background of these abandoned buildings.

California’s Ludlow & Southern:

 (https://www.trains.com/trn/railroads/locomotives/the-oddest-of-oddball-locomotives/)

Old Hwy. route 66, in Ludlow-CA.

Tracy Byrd - 'Somebody's Dream' song: 

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fR36bc5piYo)

Ludlow Massacre: 

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludlow_Massacre)

Leaving the Ludlow route #66 backroad, we were both pleasantly surprised to find ourselves traveling the 'Amboy Crater and Lava Fields' that were on Holland's Bucket List earlier this year, and we thought our opportunity to visit them had passed us by - I was happy for Holland that Elohim favored us with a viewing: all the way around the perimeter, on every side - for miles - was lava fields being pushed up out of the ground.

Lava fields.

Amboy Crater-CA (internet pic).

Amboy Crater National Park-CA: 

(https://www.blm.gov/visit/amboy-crater-national-natural-landmark)

Amboy Crater - 250' high; side view. #16700 Crater Road, Amboy-CA

Heart-shaped cloud barely visible …

Large lava hills pushed up out of the Earth's crust; not volcanoes - just lava hills.

As we traveled a bit further up the highway, we saw where the landscape had been dug up, and a crisscrossing of water canals were scarring the land; so, I made a note of it, and researched it later. 

There were large areas, in every direction that had been scraped flat, near a labeled chloride plant.

This is what I found out …

Amboy Salt Flats: https://californiawithyou.com/2021/01/10/amboy-salt-flats-amboy-california/

Amboy is probably the most famous of the Route #66 ghost towns in the Mojave Desert, thanks to its appearances in various movies and fashion magazines. Now, it's more or less just a set – a filming location for hire – with a very low population ct.

This road route that is new to both of us looped around, and tied into Newberry Springs, CA - where we passed 'The Barn' Roadhouse we boondocked at, earlier this year.

BIKER BAR & BRENDA~Quartzsite-AZ to Visalia-CA: (https://roadgypsiesvalandholland.blogspot.com/2024/02/biker-bar-brendaquartzsite-az-to.html)

We continued forward towards Twentynine Palms-CA, on a backroad highway that Holland had never traveled before, and saw what looked like a lake, in the distance … and there is a lake named 'Wonder Lake', but our hilltop view of it was the only kinda-sorta view of it when we breezed through Wonder Valley, on our way to Twentynine Palms.

The landscape was pretty desolate … scrub brush, endless sand, and were the majority of paint-tagged dwellings (which had no door, no windows), were scabbed together 1 -room things with peeling outer layers: the whole place looked deserted.

On occasion, we passed homes that were lived in by people who were trying to keep it all together.

At one point, we drove past a homestead where the buildings (main house and outbuildings) were painted bright colors, and Holland said, "Who on earth would do that?" I laughingly quipped, "Me - I would do that … in fact, I did do that with the house Bob and I bought at the end of Nevada Drive; every single room in the house was painted a bright color (K = buttercream yellow; LV = Aquamarine; Bathroom = Aspen Green; spare Bedroom = Seahawk Green - that was what Alyna chose) - except the hallway which was a neutral Beige to lighten it up because it was shadowed, & the main bedroom, which was a very dark blue because Bob worked nights and had to sleep during the early daylight hours. My craft/computer room was flamingo pink: all the wood trimming was White - there were windows in every room, the kitchen and livingroom was literally all windows, so the house was well lit by natural light, which made the bright colors pop: the artist in me, Iikes that." He gave me the raised eyebrow look, and I laughed harder ;-)

Most of the roadways were relatively easy going … but turning off the Wonder Valley road towards Twentynine Palms was pretty rough, until we got to downtown Twentynine Palms-CA: thankfully, it was a short length of roughness.

A bit past the city limit marker, we pulled over and researched local RV Parks … and was quickly able to find one that could handle our length: so, Holland called and secured a space. The host was easy to work with, and the Park was only 17 minutes away :-)

Hilltop view of Wonder Lake-CA

Hilltop view of Wonder Lake-CA

Wonder Valley-CA from Ludlow-CA; 1 hr 3 min (65.0 mi) via National Trails Hwy and N Amboy Rd

Colorful homestead in Wonder Valley; all the houses had water tanks.

Exiting Wonder Valley …and it really felt like this place was the end of the world - it was so desolate.

Exiting Wonder Valley, and passing thru Joshua Tree City Limits …

A new adventure for both of us ;-)

Booked a space for the night …

Twentynine Palms-CA

More colorful dwellings; small, so probably holiday cabins.

Wall murals.

Joshua Tree RV Park-CA from Wonder Valley-CA; 32 min (27.7 mi) via Amboy Rd and CA-62 W

Joshua Tree RV Park-CA; 6225 Sunburst St, Joshua Tree, CA

Clean, spacious, welcoming; registered and ready to unhook & relax.