Get Your Kicks Way Off Route 66

by Fayeruz Regan 04.2024

The American West is still shrouded with an air of romanticism. At the heart of our fascination is the desert. The spirit of the West is celebrated in many ways, but none more American than a good old-fashioned road trip. 

The visuals are strong; waves of heat rising off the asphalt, saguaro cacti, and fiery sunsets. Road trip films often become classics. Easy Rider followed two bikers through the American Southwest and became an anthem for youth counterculture in the 1960s. My generation venerated the film Thelma & Louise, where a soul-searching road trip liberates the female characters. Many of us dream of getting our kicks on Route 66. 

My fascination began with a glow-in-the-dark tee I bought at one of Jerry Garcia’s last Grateful Dead shows. A cartoonishly hilly desert was split by a two-lane highway, and the sky was full of stars.  It spoke of adventure.

Every year I escape winter with a trip back to California, where I once lived. As the years go by, my circle has whittled down to a tight-knit group. This means less obligations and being nimbler. I found myself once again venturing into the desert. 

I want to share a few gems off the beaten track - places I find extraordinary. Should you ever want to get your kicks, string these stops together for an adventure you’ll never forget.

Jacumba Hot Springs, California

They say Jacumba sits atop a vortex. Indeed, the place has a strange energy. Sitting a quarter mile north of the Mexican border, one side sees Border Patrols barreling through the sand, kicking up dust, and lining people up. On the other side is a desert oasis. Not a gated resort but an intentional community of musicians, artists, and shaman apprentices. This long-forgotten resort was re-injected with life when three young visionaries bought the entire town. 

They revived the natural hot spring, which now pulls the healing “magic water” into pools flanked by fire pits and hammocks. The onsite restaurant serves gorgeously plated Mediterranean foods. The bar is dark, and filled with soft-focus paintings from the 1970s. Think of women in gauzy states of toplessness. The authenticity and remoteness of this place, coupled with the beautiful dilapidation of the surrounding dwellings, transports you to a Moroccan mountain town. 

Salvation Mountain

A mountain emerges in the Sonoran desert, drenched in over 60,000 gallons of paint. A technicolor waterfall and yellow brick road wind around the foothill. Towering above are stucco red letters, spelling out “God is Love.”

Salvation Mountain was Leonard’s Knight’s labor of love. For nearly 30 years, he painted the folk art masterpiece and slept under the stars in his hammock. He happily gave tours of the psychedelic interior. Tree trunk columns were made from stacked tires covered in stucco. Painted branches extended from them, shooting off like rainbow lightning. Car windows were set into the stucco to let light in. Though he has passed, the place still resonates with his hopeful energy. 

Bombay Beach

Nestled along the Salton Sea, this town was nearly abandoned 20 years ago. I remember a sign on a trailer reading, “Keep Out: Pit Bull with AIDS”. Those that remained scraped by with things that old neighbors, and society at large, had discarded. This Mad Max ingenuity was an offshoot of creativity, and it was unstoppable. 

Fast forward to 2023 - the Bombay Beach Biennale takes place from January to April, pulling in creatives from around the world. Artists convert abandoned spaces and found objects into art installations and immersive experiences. One of its founders is Tao Ruspoli, an Italian prince who was once married to Olivia Wilde. 

Pioneertown

Roy Rogers and Gene Autry helped to found Pioneertown in 1946.  A movie set built to replicate an 1880s Western town, it has been featured in multiple films. The place has had a bit of a renaissance, and many of the facades have been converted to specialty shops. The wild west vibe feels authentic. Residents wear crumpled western hats, dusty boots, and tumbleweed blows by as if on cue.

At the center of this rustic scene is Pappy and Harriets, a beloved music venue and BBQ restaurant. Robert Plant is a regular and the place pulls in noted artists. Angelenos make weekend pilgrimages to see their favorite bands in an intimate space, and you never know who is going to pop in around Coachella time. 

Not mentioned but looming large in my mind: Slab City. That place deserves its own article. 

Happy trails.