Salvation Mountain

I went to Salvation Mountain this weekend. We had perfect weather throughout Southern California and it was especially felt here in the Imperial Valley desert. We drove through the agricultural Mecca (literally, Mecca, California) and through some other lonely communities on our way. While driving through Mecca, I began to understand why the Salton Sea is the way it is. Because of it's fertile soil and agricultural wealth, there's a lot of run-ff into the Salton Sea. I am not saying it's in bad shape or it's in good shape (there is a lot of controversy surrounding this), but it's safe to say it's anthropogenically induced. Of course, we had to stop at Bombay Beach and grab some California riviera breeze. I always feel kinda bad when I stop there. I don't want the few people left in that community to think I am preforming some kind of 'class tourism' or something. I am not better, no worse. I just like to stop and check it out. It provides me a place to think and bird watch, too. It is an interesting place, though. There is a great movie on the Plagues and Pleasures of The Salton Sea . Leonard Knight is in it as well. It's definitely worth watching.

Oftentimes when I go out to the desert, I am going there in hopes of meeting some locals and listening to their wisdom, in the form of profanity or not, it's all good. I have been to Salvation Mountain before, and Leonard blessed us with some storytelling, which he is very talented at. The place was booming this time around! There were so many people. I was happy to see Leonard, happy, and delighted to show his art to interested strangers and passerby's.

I went there mainly to get a picture of Leonard, smiling. To me, there is nothing in the world quite like a good smile. Smiles are a big deal to me. I can't describe it, but I can feel it. It has an energy and an honesty. I felt that since the first time I had met Leonard, and was delighted to personally be able to grab a shot of his smile this weekend. His Mountain is in great shape and looks wonderful. He really wants everyone in the world to know they are loved and they are special. You can see this everywhere on the Mountain and the dugouts throughout. I am so happy we made it to see this gentle, hard working and kind man.