Yesterday‘s crazy event ended at the Red Dog Saloon in Pioneertown just west of Joshua Tree. Our Team Six hung out there until all the other teams finished up, then everyone gathered for the awards. The saloon was amazing, filled with bikers, hipsters, nerdy tourists and our sketchy apocalyptic misfits. Kevin (@alexander _xpeditionand), one of my team members, bought me a hat to remember our team. Everyone at the event was amazing, kind and had great stories of places for me to visit.
After a few Champagne Velvet Pilsners, tacos and awards I headed out to Jimmie King and aired her up. Trinity, a team member, who is an avid camper, suggested I head to Bombay Beach at the Sultan Sea to camp. So I hopped on the road fighting sleep and made it to Bombay Beach an hour and a half later. I don’t know what was going on in town, but it was insanely loud dance music all night long. Add to that 30 mile an hour winds jostling Jimmie King back-and-forth and I was rocked and lullabied to sleep. I was so exhausted.
I woke up and HAD to find a shower. So today I treated myself and Jimmie King to a spa day. About eight minutes away is Bashford‘s Hot Mineral Spa. It’s a little oasis with six hot spring tubs. They have about 100 campsites, houses and trailers, a pool, Jacuzzi, laundromat, a place to wash your car and a little lake. It was truly an oasis and pleasure.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/gVQHZD93hn6rNmWX8?g_st=ic
When I got there, the office was closed so I slipped a $20 bill into the envelope to cover me and my Jeep. I headed straight for the shower. Then the mineral springs! 30 minutes of bliss. I then moved to the laundromat and while waiting for the dryer washed a month of dirt off Jimmie King. Then refilled all my water containers and made macaroni and cheese for lunch. Yes, Craft Macaroni and Cheese. After eating camping food for so many days, I like to spoil myself with crappy food.
By now it was about 1 o’clock and I thought it be great idea to go to the Jacuzzi and Blog. No signal! As soon as I hopped in, four elderly ladies hopped in around the pool and chatting me up. Two of them were from British Columbia, so I grilled them on what to see when I go through there on my way to Alaska. They gave me some good pointes that I hopefully remember. They all took off and went back to their trailers, so I hopped in the pool to cool down. All this water was fabulous.
I better start thinking of a camp site. I ran to my jeep to grab clean clothes and take my final shower. What a much needed relaxing day.
At about 4:30 I headed back to Bombay Beach to find a campsite for the evening. The town is sort of Port Aransas meets burning man. Parts of town were apocalyptic, but that may have been due to the party last night? Trinity suggested a trip to the town’s drive-in theater. I’m not sure if it’s still used or not but there was a projector that’s on and about 12 cars parked in the lot. Probably not shocking I wanted four of the cars there.
Now, I’m on the beach being buffeted by 30 mile an hour winds and relaxing in the top of my jeep.
Good night, All!
I hope your next week is fantastic!
G