Going Out West (Part 2 of 2)

If you read last week’s column then you know my husband and I spent a week out together traveling out west. Being together nearly every second for a week straight can tell you a lot about your spouse, about your relationship, and maybe most importantly, it can tell you a lot about yourself.
After a few days in Las Vegas, our week’s long vacation led us into the Mojave Desert National Park. The park was filled with volcanic rock, huge mountains, and absolute solitude. The silence was deafening … and scary. As we stood outside our car, taking in the wonder of it all, it made me realize just how far away from civilization we were and how alone. Just hours before we had been in one of the most modern and extravagant cities in the world, and now we were in the middle of a desert, far away from any civilization. I stepped into the brush for a picture and quickly got pricked by a cactus. It was easy to see how dangerous the desert could be. We saw evidence of wildlife (unidentifiable droppings) but no wildlife itself (unless you count that dangerous cactus that attacked me). We were in awe … until we discovered our cell phones and our only source of navigation, were dead.
One of us started to panic and one of us remained calm. We were in this together and we would find our way out. It quickly made us realize how much we rely on technology. We didn’t even have a map. In the middle of the desert, with no map, and half a tank of gas, we continued on our way. Suddenly, I felt the need to conserve our one bottle of water.
We continued on Route 66, and luckily for us, stumbled upon the “town” of Amboy, a famous pit stop along the old road and the famous Roy’s Motel. The long-closed motel is open to the public to view. The little white bungalow hotel rooms are lined up in a row, with the doors open as if they were abandoned just yesterday. The motel lobby is frozen in time, with a old phone and a pair of 1960s lamps on the desk. A piano sits in the lobby with an old Coca-Cola can left from the last person to play the keys. The motel stands as a homage to the travelers of Route 66 and a piece of Americana left behind.
From Amboy, we travelled for what seemed like hours through more desert, which finally started to give way to a few signs of civilization, the next being Wonder Valley. Hooray, we made it out of the desert! We both breathed a sign of relief and made a note to always, always carry a car charger. Later, in Palm Springs, we met a bartender who gave us the 3 C’s of travel: charger, camera and cash!
Wonder Valley is a dusty, desert community where the mountains wind down and make way to flatter ground. After World War II, the government gave five acres of land to anyone who put up a dwelling in Wonder Valley. Thus, the valley is scattered with little shacks and a few actual homes. There are no gas stations or grocery stores or conveniences of modern life. To make this place your home, one must enjoy solitude and self-sufficiency. We found the Wonder Valley website which proclaims its residents find it to be “paradise.” It makes you realize that everyone’s definition of “paradise” is different.
Wonder Valley eventually gives way to 29 Palms, the home of Joshua Tree National Park. From 29 Palms, it is a short drive to Palm Springs, our final stop on our road trip from Las Vegas. We went from modern extravagance to ghost towns and desert back to the glitz and glamour of Palm Springs, all in one day.
I am so glad we seized the opportunity to see the back roads of rural America. The sights of historic Route 66 and the forgotten towns and abandoned buildings from a time gone by make you realize how quickly innovation can change the way we live, just like our cell phones’ loss of battery in the desert sent us into a panic. Whether you prefer the modern conveniences of today, such as the moving walkways in Vegas so tourists barely have to move, or the desert solitude of Wonder Valley, the great thing about America is there is a place and a space for everyone’s taste.
 
Katie Wells is a well-seasoned traveler and will never go anywhere without a car charger for her trusty iPhone again. Contact her at kewsolutionsinc@gmail.com.