salton city (Riverside, San Jacinto, San Andreas: house, earthquake, living)

[.highnlite]

So, why would you state you would check out Fontucky's suggestions, but react rudely to mine? This sounds odd.

[Fontucky]

Because I'm speshul.

[.highnlite]

Originally Posted by Fontucky

Because I'm speshul.

Ed?

[gougeon]

Originally Posted by .highnlite

The san andreas fault won't kill you, it will just knock your trailer off its blocks, break your gas line, and with the last gasp from the pilot light, blow the damned thing up, that might kill you.

Hint, if you feel your trailer fall off its blocks, run like hell. and do not light a cigarette.

I guess after I asked for positive input, the above response felt not only snarky but definitely not funny.........it felt demeaning if nothing else.
I never said that I wouldn't check out any other suggestions, I am an eternally optomistic person who appreciates helpful input. I am a strong person and I have always made my own decisions once checking things out, and I normally give back according to what I receive.

[.highnlite]

A. The post you responded snarkily to was after this post, and was completely factual.
B. The post you quoted here is also completely factual. Unless you have earthquake tie downs, (not always required) that is exactly what a trailer or mobile home will do, it will fall forward or backward off its blocks. If, the gas pipe does not break, and it shouldn't break if you use an accordion pipe. You can simply jack the trailer back up.

Here is the deal, you are entering waters you know nothing about. You requested information, you got sound information. You, for some reason did not like it.

I suggest, that next time you enquire locally, you listen without returning false value judgements.

Based on your replies. the Salton Sea or perhaps better, Slab City, may be exactly where you will be happy.

[Chelito23]

Honestly, I read the trailer comment and it didn't come off negative to me. I had never thought of the potential explosion as a matter of fact....

We had a 7.2 quake here almost two years ago, and there were trailers knocked off their foundations or support structures here in the Imperial Valley. But there was not one explosion, so I imagine there is a special kind of flexible connection for trailers' water heaters, to prevent what was hypothesized. Good food for thought.

BTW, out water heaters are strapped or braces to the walls due to quakes, it is a state law. Earthquakes are a real threat...so I think the comment was fair game. But in all honesty, you will learn more about this as you go. Not being negative, just a fact of life in earthquake country.

It sounds like you will enjoy the area once you move. Most people on this site are looking for something different than you, but overall, the posters that gave you advice were pretty spot on. You have a lot of choices due to your preferences and the good comes with the bad. Most people you meet in rural CA are pretty laid back and helpful. You will always have a few people talking smack that don't know what they're talking about, but don't take it personally.

I also wanted to mention that the Salton Sea is at a turning point. There is a plan (emphasis on plan) to cut it in half, let the southern half dry out and keep the north half "alive", semi oxigenated and maintin it's salinity level within a range so tha fish can survive. I think the dried up southern half will have a ring canal around it as wetlands and waterway flow into the North Lake from the agricultural runoff from the Imperial Valley (which is what feed the lake). I just thought you might want to know what may be happening with the sea over the comming years. I also think down the road this area has potential to grow somewhat. Not that it will ever become Palm Springs or the next IE, but I think this specific area may end up being much more populated than what it currently is....but that probably won't happen for at least another decade. Just something to keep in mind.

There are a lot of energy projects in the area that are supposed to come online over the comming years from solar panel farms to geothermal projects to windmall farms. All pretty benign, but again, it isn't going to be the same "rural" feel that it has currently. Just make sure you are aware of what the plans are for the area near any land you acquire...if having those kinds of green enery plants might bother you.

I don't know if government services are important to you, like court, medical services, governemnt offices or anything along those lines...but if they are, keep in mind you will be in Imperial County, so the county seat is about 80 miles south in El Centro. Imperial County is very poor and agriculture based currently, so even areas farthur to the south are quite affordable by California standards.

Niland and Calipatria are the cities at the south eastern edge of the Salton Sea and have the "town" feel going, but they are still removed from the main throughoutfare, so they feel much more isolated, despite being closer to El Centro and Brawley (shopping and governmnt). Bombay Beach, as mentioned earlier, is the most remote of them all and predominantly trailers, but it is an option.

On the North Shore there is Mecca and Thermal...very small towns, but those are the areas that I think will see growth (and an increase in land prices) first. The West Shore towns like Salton City and Salton Sea Beach are right on the transportation artery for the region, so that also keeps it noisier and busier.

Do you like off roading? Do you like the mountains? There is really a lot within a reasonable distance to the Sea. You have Julian which is like a small antique town in the mountains (great getway in the summer). You have Mexico nearby, and Mexicali is probably the safest border city to visit these days. The coastal areas are a good 3 hours away if you need you fix of whatever they offer. You also have Laughlin, NV within a half day's drive for cheap casino hotels in the middle of nowhere. All in all, you will be surrounded by lots of rural recreation. I know it's hard to get a lot of information about Southeastern CA online, so I hope some of this helps you.

[.highnlite]

I like the idea of cutting a ditch to the Sea of Cortez fill the lake, and have a great sheltered lake with easy access to the sea.

Guess I am the lone ranger there.

A comment on earthquakes and the San Andreas. Earthquakes are dangerous if you are in a structure or near a structure. If you are outside and away from buildings they can be fairly interesting.

The most potent quake I have been in, was a 6.5 and I was close to the epicenter. I heard what sounded like a subway train passing under me, my car was bouncing on its springs and I could hear crap falling off my shelves in my house. But, outside, watching the pines saw, listening to the quake pass under me, was a very interesting experience, unlike my friends in the Safeway in town that saw the big plate glass windows bend and pop out into the parking lot, shredding the shrubbery.

[Chelito23]

WELL...lol, if we do that, we flood Imperial County and even Indio and up towards Palm Springs, so we better have some mighty good flood control built around the lake and canal....otherwise Katrina could make New Orleans look like a rainy day compared to the square footage we would haveflooded, below sea level out here in the desert. Just imagine a major quake rupturing the **** or canal walls. But then again, it was all under water when the mighty Colorado used to flood the area centries ago.

There was talk about shipping in Sea of Cortez water (lower salinity) and shipping the overly salty Salton water to the Sea of Cortez. As you may imagine, Mexico wasn't crazy about that idea.

Ironically, there was talk of building a dam in the middle of the lake to separate the hyper salinity to one half in order to save the other half. One of the reasons this was ruled out was due to earthquake rise as several major active faults crisscross the lake...and building a dam on the San Andreas and it's splays is not a good idea for long term sucess.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by Chelito23

Honestly, I read the trailer comment and it didn't come off negative to me. I had never thought of the potential explosion as a matter of fact....

We had a 7.2 quake here almost two years ago, and there were trailers knocked off their foundations or support structures here in the Imperial Valley. But there was not one explosion, so I imagine there is a special kind of flexible connection for trailers' water heaters, to prevent what was hypothesized. Good food for thought.

If they're smart they have movement-sensitive cutoff valves installed between the meter and the gas line into the home. The slightest shake and the gas flow is blocked.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

I can't wait to fish some YFT or Dodo in the Salton. Can you imagine fishing out there and seeing a shark fin?