Salvation Mountain In Pictures

Late last year, craving adventure and beautiful views, we made the VERY long drive down to explore the infamous Salvation Mountain and wow, was I blown away! I can honestly say that I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it. Describing things was never something I was very good at, but thankfully, I took a crazy amount of pictures while I was there and I'm so excited to be sharing some here today!

Salvation Mountain is located in the lower desert of Southern California in Imperial County just east of the Salton Sea and about a hour and a half from Palm Springs. Salvation Mountain is Leonard Knight's tribute to God and his gift to the world with its simple yet powerful message: "God Is Love." 

"Salvation Mountain is a literal man-made mountain 28 years in the making, covered in half a million gallons of latex paint. What started as a small monument made of dirt and painted cement became, over time, a sprawling adobe and hay-bale mountain complex, with peripheral structures made of telephone poles, tires, and car windows, as well as art cars and sculptures, all painted in a patchwork of stripes and color blocks of whatever paint was donated that week." - Aaron Huey, National Geographic

Everything is so colorful and vibrant! From what I've noticed, there is a caretaker who resides on site who I'm assuming helps with the upkeep of the place. I've also heard that visitors donate paint to help.

It was fairly empty when we visited (we arrived just before sunset) but WOW was it hot! It was over a 100 degrees this day, which is unsurprising since it is in the desert lol. Just keep that in mind when you plan your visit though! :)

Views from the top!

Watching the sun set on Salvation Mountain was insanely beautiful!! These pictures honestly don't do it justice.

Overall, I would say that the 3-hour drive to Salvation Mountain was definitely worth it! It's such a gem that needs to be experienced in person. For more information on site rules and parking, click HERE. To learn more about the history behind Salvation Mountain, click HERE.

ADDRESS:

603 Beal Rd

Niland, CA 92257

(760) 624-8754

Songs To Put You In Your Feelings

Do you ever catch yourself listening to a song that brings about so many kinds of emotions? I find myself in this situation more frequently than I like to admit. 

Last week, I went to this thing called Emo Nite which is...exactly what it sounds like lol. I'm horrible at describing things but Emo Nite is essentially an event where a bunch of people with a love for emo/punk/rock music can come together and listen to just that. I remember the first time I went to Emo Nite because it's a feeling I won't forget. I found myself standing between so many strangers, with all these songs that defined my teenage years blasting over our heads and I never felt like I belonged in a moment more than I did at that time. Suddenly, those strangers weren't strangers anymore; they were people who shared the same feelings I did, and for those few hours we were all connected through music. I honestly don't know to make that sound less corny than it does, but it's the truth! 

So, it got me thinking how there are so many songs that just cut right through you and put you in your feelings. Here are a few of those songs on my playlist...

1) Someone To Stay - Vancouver Sleep Clinic

2) Nervous - Gavin James

3) Stay - Mayday Parade

4) Oceans Away - A R I Z O N A

5) Memories - Shawn Mendes

6) All Too Well - Taylor Swift

7) The Man Who Can't Be Moved - The Script

8) One - Ed Sheeran

9) Meet You There - Busted

10) Far Away - Nickelback

11) Collide - Howie Day

12) Hold Me Down - Motion City Soundtrack

13) Only One - Yellowcard

14) Goodnight Moon - Go Radio

What are some of the songs that just hit you right in your feelings? Please leave them in the comments below, I'd love to go through them! :)

5 Years

I was having a conversation with an old friend the other day, and we started talking about our school days, days when we were pretty much young and reckless and that's all the responsibility we held. The thing is, when you're young, you look at the world differently. You have nothing that attaches you to where you are, so you look at the world as a vast universe, with the possibility that you can do anything and be whoever you want. I think that's an incredible way (albeit maaaybe a little selfish but still) to look at life. I'm not sure at what point in time you eventually lose this outlook.

5 years ago, I started this blog. It initially started out as a place where I could share my thoughts and ideas. I had no idea where I wanted it go (quite honestly still don't lol), but it was there when I needed it to be. From then until now, a LOT as changed and I have previously mentioned here that a thing I've learned over the years is that the only thing that's constant IS change. It's always there, it's always happening.

It's no secret that as we grow, our priorities change. We're still given those same 24 hours in a day that we were given when we were younger, but why does it feel like so much less? When I look at my blog posts 5 years ago, I remember a person who was so driven, and made time for things she truly enjoyed. And then I got a job, and then I had bills to pay and things to look after. My priorities shifted. I started putting in time to things I thought would help me move forward. I pushed the things that once truly made my life enjoyable off to a corner, telling myself they would always be there when I had "extra time". You know what though? No one is ever guaranteed of any extra time. This IS the time, and it's all we're given. This past year has been such a turning point in my life. I got to experience what it's like to feel at rock bottom. It's never a fun feeling, but it's in these moments where you get a chance to get off your high horse and re-evaluate your life, your choices, and your priorities.

Change may be constant, but at the end of the day, I've also learned how important it is not to lose sight of who you are along the way. I'm grateful to have this space to come back to be reminded of that. Whether you've been a reader of this blog from the beginning or are just stumbling upon it today, thank you. If there's anything I want you to take from all of this, it is to just DO what you makes you the happiest, and please, do it today.