Superstition Hills

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The Imperial Valley is known for its agriculture, the heat, and for having nothing to do besides go to the mall or go eat somewhere. The most prominent however is the desert. Everybody who has ever been to the Imperial Valley will obviously agree it is a desert region. Therefore, what represents the Valley more than the desert itself? It’s the environment that surrounds us in everyday life and it’s where we go for recreational fun. How exactly does the desert represent the Imperial Valley? The desert best represents the Imperial Valley because it serves as a home, recreational pleasure, and benefits jobs and the economy.
The desert represents home because it literally engulfs the Valley. We are surrounded by desert terrain, weather, and wildlife. Whether you were born here or moved here, this becomes home no matter how unfavorable the conditions are. We live in the desert and the desert makes us who we are. It gives us the ability to handle awful heat conditions and be more resourceful. The desert is our home. When you travel anywhere else in California and people ask where you’re from you respond, the Imperial Valley and they automatically associate it with the desert. And when you are done visiting another city or town this is where you come back to, when college is over, when you’re on a break, even once you move away this is always home. You won’t remember home being the mall or Burgers and Beer, but the desert that you lived in. You’ll remember the dirt, the heat, the lizards and coyotes. We use its resources, we adapt to the conditions and live here. The desert defines how we live and where we live, the Imperial Valley - the desert.
The desert isn’t just home, it’s where we go for fun. Especially during the winter when the weather is cooler and allows for you to actually enjoy being outside. Why go to the mall or the movies when you could go off roading and really go on an adventure? When you and your friends try to decide where to go to hang out the question asked is well what else is there to do besides the mall? The answer: go to the desert. When you own ATVs or a trailer, or anything that permits you to really enjoy the desert, the fun never ends. There is always an adventure to go on and the adrenaline rush is much better than the food consumption and money pit at the mall. The desert isn’t just good for getting in your pinch of risky business but also a chance to meet new people. Once mid-October hits, desert enthusiasts are loading up and driving out. From October to February desert season is in full motion. There are people out there all the time during that season. Not only will you be able to meet local people but people from all over the state or even from out of state. Yes, the beach is nice but even the beach bums need a break from that every now and then, just like we need a break from the heat and go to the beach when we have a break. People who come from out of town go all out because they don’t get to come down all the time, this is their chance to enjoy the desert.
The desert also brings business to the Imperial Valley and provides jobs for some of the most important careers here. When desert season comes around people go to the gas stations for gas, snacks, charcoal, and any other little necessities. Grocery stores get major business because campers and riders buy food, lighter fluid, wood, cooking utensils, plates, chairs, basically everything you need to make a second home. Sports shop and cycle shops get business because everybody goes in to buy riding gear and anything they need to fix up their ATVs. Another way the desert helps with jobs in the valley is because we are close to the border and when people cross illegally they go through the desert. This provides jobs for the Border Patrol. The desert is not genuinely liked by a lot of people. However, since it is such an unfavorable place to live, doctors, cops and other crucial jobs like these get high pay in the valley compared to places up North because it’s almost like compensation for having to deal with the weather and conditions. Therefore some of the highest paying jobs in those fields are in the valley. Of course the desert doesn’t really bring in business for gas stations and grocery stores year round but it does help those who have more in demand jobs.
The desert is a lot of things: beautiful, fun, true and definitely hot if we’re being honest. What it really is, is the perfect symbol of the Imperial Valley. It serves as a home to everyone who lives here, it provides people -local and tourists- with a getaway, a place to let loose and have fun, and it also helps our economy even though some might say it doesn’t. Whether other people agree or not, the desert is the best thing to represent the Imperial Valley and although I may not have had an overwhelming amount of evidence to be convincing, these three qualities are what stand out to me. You can’t have a diamond without dirt and the Imperial Valley is literally the diamond in the desert - I mean rough.

Superstition Mountain is used for events such as the Imperial Valley Score and the District 38 semi-professional races. It is also used as a practice bombing range for the Naval Air Facility. A lot of “snowbirds” and locals also visit this place to camp and ride ATV’s usually around the fall and winter seasons.