Quartzsite to San Diego--Algodones Dunes

In all the times I have driven across Southern California, I have never seen North Algodones Dunes.  The Wilderness area is located on Ca 78, midway between I-10 and I-8 and so out-of-the-way that you have to intentionally go looking for it.  

From Quartzite I passed farms of lettuce, then miles of barren desert before the sand started appearing.

Miles of sand--A fantastic beach without the water.

I drove to the top of a hill and parked behind the only other RV around....

When I spied these posts.

And they mean 14 days--free!  Wow! what a great place to spend the night and test out my new solar panel.

It was certainly quiet...

...until the traffic started appearing.

On your mark!

And as soon as one group departed, another would appear.....

...meet the neighbors...

...share a beer...

...then be gone in a roar.

By nightfall I was all alone on the top of that dune and the wind slowly removed the tracks made by the dune buggies.

As the sun settled below the horizon it became quieter and quieter...

Until the only ones left were me and Babe.  It was wonderful night.  The solar panel provided all the electricity I could possibly need, the stars came out brighter than I'd seen in a long time,  and there was not a sound all night. Yep, it is so nice to be back on the road.