The Salvation Mountain
This summer, I really wanted to visit random places, the ones that few people know and barely travel to and The Salvation Mountain was definitely one of these unique places in the world.
If you travel a lot, you will likely notice that the world's landscapes are pretty much similar from a country to another and besides the culture, travelling can quickly become boring if it is just for the 'landscapes'
However, God being the greatest architect of the world always has some surprises left for the wanderers... & The wow effect comes from places like the Salvation Mountain.
I truly believe pictures tell enough about how magical this place is but the story behind it doubles the WOW effect and that's where I want to lead you... #STORYTIME
The Salvation Mountain is...
> The expression of one man's faith
The story tells that the mountain was built and painted by a war veteran named Leonard Knight who converted at the age of 36. His conversion story is pretty funny since he converted while he was in his mini-van running away from his sister's consistent evangelism. After his conversion, he dedicated his life to spreading the message he had in his heart: God's love.
He thought of God's love as universal and wanted the whole world to know about it.
> A lesson of faith
As you might imagine, to reach this level of perfection and "wow-ness", Leonard had to go through several failures before the 'perfect plan of God' came through. Indeed, the mountain wasn't an immediate success and was not even the first mean he thought of to spread his message.
As a matter of fact, Leonard prayed for 10 years to get a HOT-AIR BALLON which he would paint and write "God is love". His goal was to let this balloon fly above all as a message of love and hope. Unfortunately, after 10 years, he never got his ballon. However, he didn't let discouragement win him and decided to sew a patchwork made of different colourful fabrics to make his own balloon. This was his first success! He flew the balloon for 14 YEARS before the fabric started to be worn out.
> A lesson of perseverance
When the fabric started to wear out, Leonard was in the desert in Niland, California. He started to be discouraged but decided to nonetheless build an eight-foot cement balloon. Over the years, It eventually grew to become a 50 feet tall construction that was a huge mix of cement, sand, junk and paint found at dump #Recycling101. Despite his determination, the back-then 50 feet mountain was unstable and eventually collapsed !!! 😮 😭
YET, Leonard wasn’t discouraged this time. He even thanked God for showing him that the mountain wasn’t safe, and started from scratch saying “Now God, You build it.” ( AND THIS IS WHAT I CALL A MAN OF FAITH, I would have been crying 😂). With the knowledge of Navajo Indians and God's guidance, Leonard successfully built the mountain as we know it today: A stable architecture which foundations are as strong as its story 💪.
The faith, love and dedication of one man allowed us today to visit such place...
Take a look!
What you need to know for your visit
1. How do you get there?
It is a popular, not-so-popular place to visit. No bus goes there and no Uber or Taxi will take you there, you will have to drive. Moreover, if you rely on touristic guides, stop dreaming about this place because they will not bring you there not only because it is far (depending on the city you leaving from, I left from Vegas) + the roads leading there are narrow and it is located in Slab City...😕
#Tip: If you have the budget, rent a crossover or an SUV, a smaller car is also okay but these are better
> Please, make sure your gas tank is FULL, it is basically in the middle of nowhere and you don't want to be stuck with no gas and no service
> Regarding service, DOWNLOAD MAP.ME and DON'T RELY ON YOUR 4G or INTERGALACTIC DATA (you'll regret, talking from experience, I almost cried on my way back.. I was like Jesus, I know I'm stubborn and a bit too adventurous, if you get me out of here, I will be more cautious so please! )
* Map.me is FANTASTIC, it works without service, download it in a service zone where you have wifi, otherwise you wont be able to.
2. How much is the entrance fee?
It is freeeeee !! 💃 However, since we want the mountain to remain what it is, donations are welcome. They usually need paint donations but financial donations are also welcome and you can do it online .
3. When should I go?
DEFINITELY NOT DURING SUMMER! Don't believe Instagram models, this picture tells you why ( zoom in my face 😂 )
4. Is it a safe place to visit ?
My answer might surprise you because yall know your girl is all about "TRAVEL ALONE, BE INDEPENDENT, TAKE RISKS AND LIVE ON THE EDGE" *while on vacation* BUT for the first time, I would say IT IS NOT! Hear me out :
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First of all, the United States is generally not safe. This was my first time travelling alone within the US and I have to admit it is one scary country to travel around... Stereotypes about African, Asian and Latino countries need to go
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Secondly, The Salvation Mountain is located in Slab City and is uncontrolled; There is no police officer looking out for you there: You are on your own! "The closest body of civilization with proper law enforcement is approximately four miles southwest of Slab City in Niland" (more on Slab city here)
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Finally, as I said above, phone service tends to disappear and for my unfortunate iPhone users, when it is too hot, phones stop working (🙄) so what would be your last recourse in case you are in danger?? (you might as well do your last prayer since you are at the Salvation Mountain)
You'll be lucky if you have a visual memory and could find the way back to the highway with no issue where you will get service ( which I do)
#Tip: So if you can go with a friend, please do. If not, be cautious!
You know how adventurous I tend to be so if I say it is not safe, please take me on my word.
Related #StoryTime 📖: On my way back to Vegas, I suddenly had an issue with my car. I was fortunate enough to be at a gas station so people were sometimes passing by (It's a ghost town, you barely see people..). I was desperately looking for service to call the car rental insurance when “an old white man” (the type you see in horror movies) proposed to help me IF I follow him to his shop... I’m usually so naive that I won’t see the issue or the danger BUT THIS TIME MY GUTS WERE LIKE NO WAY YOU FOLLOWING HIM THERE! I would have rather drive 5 hours back to Vegas with the issue than being the next body found in the news!
🙆🏾
😭
5. Hmm.. so should I go?
I know I might have scared you with the * safety issue * but if you can YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY GO! It's worth the experience whether you are Christian or not, remember it is not a religious site but a beautiful testimony of love and faith and a great place as well. Also, you should visit it before they destroyed it ( Rumors has it that the California state wants to sell or lease the land)
THE SUN WAS BURNING MY SKIN & I HAD SUNSCREEN !! Standing 10 seconds for a picture was HELL. All my time there, I felt like I was in an oven and kept wondering if Hell was hotter than this... DON'T FORGET THAT WE ARE IN THE DESERT.
> I'm pretty sure, it is better during winter since LA does not really have a winter.
> Tip: If you do go during summer, wear long sleeves to protect your skin or have an umbrella, anything to protect you). Wear closed shoes, the sand is burning.
As a Christian, visiting this place and learning about Leonard's story made me reflect a lot on my relationship with God... The sacrifices and dedication Leonard made are truly an example to follow. I had no idea why I wanted to go to that place so bad, trust me! I drove 10H in one day making few stops just so I could get there. I only stayed 20 mins (bcz it was damn hot) but it was worth every millisecond (though I missed my favourite group's concert #Boyz2men). Even though we are aware of God's love, it sometimes feels good to be reminded of it in different ways. ❤️
Leonard Knight passed away at the age of 82, not too long ago and I genuinely hope he made it safe to Heaven 😊
They made documentaries about him,check it out
