I just got back from a trip to California
I attended my first photo workshop at the Salton Sea. From wikipedia:
...
The modern sea was accidentally created by the engineers of the California Development Company in 1905. In an effort to increase water flow into the area for farming, irrigation canals were dug from the Colorado River into the valley. Due to fears of silt buildup, a cut was made in the bank of the Colorado River to further increase the water flow. The resulting outflow overwhelmed the engineered canal, and the river flowed into the Salton Basin for two years, filling the historic dry lake bed and creating the modern sea, before repairs were completed.[2] While it varies in dimensions and area with fluctuations in agricultural runoff and rainfall, the Salton Sea averages 15 miles (24 km) by 35 miles (56 km). With an estimated surface area of 343 square miles (890 km2) or 350 square miles (910 km2), the Salton Sea is the largest lake in California.[3][4] The average annual inflow is less than 1,200,000 acre feet (1,500,000 dam3), which is enough to maintain a maximum depth of 44 feet (13 m) and a total volume of about 6,000,000 acre feet (7,400,000 dam3). However, due to changes in water apportionments agreed upon for the Colorado River under the Quantification Settlement Agreement of 2003, the overall water level of the Sea is expected to decrease significantly between 2013 and 2021.[5]
The lake's salinity, about 54 g/L, is greater than that of the waters of the Pacific Ocean (35 g/L), but less than that of the Great Salt Lake (which ranges from 50 to 270 g/L). The concentration increases by about 1% every year.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salton_Sea
Here are a few from the trip... I took so many images yet had so few keepers. Need to improve on the ratio.
Day 1:
Came across a squadron of pelicans.
Then did some sunset shooting
Then sunset turned into night
Day 2:
Of course I had to photograph something abandoned
Then I found a kitty and we bonded a bit
Then we had some free time, so we hunted down this landscape
Then we had another sunset
And that sunset turned into another night shoot
Day 3:
I haven't processed those yet... but there was more abandoned stuff on day 3.
It was a fun (and affordable) workshop and an interesting area to photograph. It was my first trip to the west coast (prior to that, Kansas was the furthest west I'd been) and I wasn't prepared for the desert heat and how bright the sun is off the salt flats but I learned a lot and made some new friends.
= new reply since forum marked as read
I especially liked the sunset pics and the into night ones.
Well done!
I look forward to seeing more.
Next time you come out to California, come on out to the coast......we have a lot of great sights out here too. 
Also, the humidity is somewhat higher so you don't feel as though your skin will flake off!
The Salton Sea area is NOT typical of California.
Some in there would be suitable for February contest that ends today. Topic: Keep it SIMPLE!!!
I made an entry for the contest. I'm sure it'll be recognizable because of this post... so much for anonymity. 
Niland. Here is the old store.
Of course, there's an identical block of stores across the street so I could have it wrong.
That's a great image!
A nicely done from you means a lot to me. 
And for me that's when it's first falling into disrepair.
Thank you, BTW.
I don't know how you stand the desert... This pale skinned woman is not cut out for the heat.
and great for us because we get to see some incredibly beautiful photos. Thank you so much for posting them.
I'm quite an introvert, so the was the hardest aspect of the workshop for me (being around people ALL.THE.TIME!) but we were with a great group of people and I was actually there with some members of my local photo group I go out with. I'm glad you like the images.
She never fully opened her eyes. I hope it's because it was so bright there and not a health issue. She helped ease my separation anxiety from my own kitties.
Thanks!
Particularly East Jesus.
It would be nice to see it restored because as I understand it, Salton Sea is the only Wetland left in the state of California. I know there are agencies that no longer want water diverted for the purpose of keeping it full. Of course, they aren't thinking about all the salt and such flying all over when there's a dust storm. Ick!
other bizzaro destinations in the US... maybe create a book from them. Of course, who would buy that.
I didn't notice the bird poop smell but there was a rotting smell that couldn't be overlooked.
But your pics make me want to go back. That says a lot.
