I've decided to take a Journey...

The novel I am writing is 50% based on my personal experiences with my grandfather down at the Salton Sea in Southern California, and 50% based on my fucked up imagination.

Having said that, I have felt this irrepressible need to drive to the god-forsaken place and take some pictures; re-experience it if you will. 

My husband actually agreed with me that it is probably important to do this, I was not expecting that.

So this Sunday, I will leave to drive out there with 6 other people in the van with me - I decided it might as well be a family thing and then invited a couple dear friends for good measure!

I plan to drive the same route, stop at the same stops, and generally re-create as much as I can from memory.  My daughter is attending this trip down memory lane, so I might use her as a stand-in for some of the more important photos. 

What I am struggling with is how excited I am to show my kids and husband this vital piece of land that is so ingrained in my history, in who I truly am as their mother - as a wife to my husband.  The summers I spent there changed me.  The shit that I saw affected my world view. 

The Salton Sea was where I did a lot of growing up - growing up faster than any seven year old should.  I've got demons down there, but I refuse to let them scare me - I'm going to go and have a good time with my family and I'm going to show my kids the fun "kid" things so that they have the experience they should.

I can't wait to stop at Hadley's and get a date shake, I haven't had one since I was seven!  I can't wait to see if my kids love them as much as I do!  I want to take pictures with the giant Cabazon Dinosaurs.

Everything we do will be based on having a good time...I promise you that!