Year in Gear

With everything seemingly in place as 2010 faded out, it was disappointing, but not altogether surprising that things didn't quite go the way they should of this month.  

Trying to shake my winter apathy I had everything wrapping up around Christmas to welcome January with open arms and a fresh start.  But, a day into 2011 and it already looked like the edits I was working on weren't ready to leave my desktop yet.  Christmas bills pending I was feeling good knowing that these edits would cover my holiday expenditures in full - that was until the heat on my car started to go.  

Snow piling up, complications with translations for the corporate edits, and delays with my full-time media work began taking their toll early.  It's not just the number of things on the go, but the stagnation that the combination encourages.  It seems to go this way every year for me.  January shows a glimpse of promise, but then throws a wrench in my otherwise good luck for several straight weeks of continuous frustration.

The only reason I'm writing this now is to further convince myself that I might finally be in the clear.  A Chinook has rolled in and is finally starting to ease the winter conditions, my corporate edits are all away and just awaiting a final thumbs up, and after taking the opportunity to get some preventive maintenance done, I should have my beloved Jaguar back in a couple of days.

It just goes to show that no matter how organized you are - and for an editor I believe I am - there really are never a shortage of variables waiting to test and challenge just how prepared you really are.  As the stress begins to melt now I'm finally remembering what I was thinking several weeks ago.  

What should I do with my 2011?  I think perhaps it's finally time that I start working on a new video project for myself. 

North Shore Motel, Salton Sea

Abandoned North Shore Motel before demolition in 2008.

When the idea first came up in mid-2009 to drive to California and check out the Salton Sea, we were already too late to see the North Shore Motel standing. 

Site of the North Shore Motel - September 2010.

What remains of the motel now is a barren slab of concrete just across the road from the Yacht Club. The area is still hauntingly quiet and full of clues regarding a more promising time. The swimming pool has been filled in with concrete now and the desert brush is reclaiming the parking lot. Still, you can't help but let your mind wander and think about what it all must have been like when the destination was on the up and up.

1963. North Shore Motel in the top left.

My fascination with the Salton Sea and locations like the Yacht Club and the former North Shore Motel continues to grow the more I learn. The history seems hidden, a novelty of sorts, waiting for some future improvement to give it the proper context.  

What will become of the Salton Sea isn't exactly clear as there are still major environmental and economic hurtles to overcome if the area is to ever thrive again. However, one thing is for certain.  The area remains an incredible place to discover and explore. Even with the motel gone, the Salton Sea still lends itself to those looking for an escape.

View from the motel to the Salton Sea.

Tiles from one of the bathrooms baking in the sun.

An old grocery sign discarded in the parking lot.

The tennis court having seen better days.

Chimney Rock, Nebraska

Featured prominently on the state sign and state quarter of Nebraska, Chimney Rock was one of those places I learnt about as a kid because of the Oregon Trail video game. If your school also had the floppy disk version of the game then I'm not alone in this discovery. Chimney Rock was a geological marker for the rougher trails ahead.

On our Mount Rushmore road trip in 2007, my friend Andrea and I headed further south to try and reach the Colorado border. The day was all about exploring. We set out to drive across Nebraska and see what we could find. Not surprisingly, there were a lot of wide open spaces, small towns, and the occasional cornfield. 

Chimney Rock was a scenic spot to stop and wander. There we found markers for the Oregon Trail and Pony Express. All and all it was actually a really nice drive, and the kind of outing that was less about the destination and more about the journey.

Chimney Rock in the classic Oregon Trail game.