A friend and I left San Diego on dual-sport motorcycles, heading east through the Anza Borrego desert, making it as far as the Salton Sea and setting up camp on the desert floor just outside of Ocotillo Wells. The versatility of the bikes allowed us to enjoy the open road in the desert and take short cuts on dirt roads, though I found the Salton Sea, with its desolate surroundings, near-abandoned towns, and odd history to be the highlight of the trip.