Day 15 - on to California

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Around Gila Bend, AZ the odometer for this trip passed 3,000 miles. Obviously we're not taking the most direct route to California. We crossed the state line into California at 12:45 pm PST. The Imperial Sand Dunes Recreational Area came into view shortly thereafter. What a surprise to me. First we saw lots of campers just pulled off into these sandy parking areas. Then we realized they all had bicycles, 4-wheelers, dune buggies or dirt bikes. Then we saw the dunes. They are amazing, look just like pictures I've seen of the Sahara Desert, or a beach with no ocean. The dunes were covered with tracks from all the off road vehicles.
The desert changed as we came west, with the familiar cacti replaced by sage brush and other plants. Close to Ocotillo (obviously named for all the ocotillo on the landscape) we began climbing. We went from sea level to over 4,100 feet in about 10 miles. Our poor little van was getting tired of climbing, we were moving pretty slowly by the time we reached the top. The terrain was extremely rocky, great boulders piled high all around us. As we came down to lower elevations, it started looking greener until we got close to San Diego and it became really lush as well as much more populated.

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Comments

[Kim]

Sand Dunes
Maybe we ought not show these pics to Michael...he might get very jealous. :) Glad to hear ya'll are having so much fun. We miss you guys and love you bunches!!!

[Pat]

Unbelievable site
I love this site - what a great way to share your adventures and best of all you are heading to us- only 3 days till we see you and we will have lots of cold beer ready - woohoo! Signed - Your favorite cuz