I used to fly out here when practicing low-level desert flight (helicopters, I was an aircremwan).

We would land right next to the lake but not overfly it. At night, it was like a perfect mirror.

But man did it smell, it was eerie af, and the dust sometimes made all your gear stink for days.

I seem to recall an orange? grove that grew next to where we would land. I always wondered if it's proximity to the Salton Sea affected their taste.

It continually got worse and worse, and this was back in 2003-2012, while I was out there.

Edit: One of my favorite photos, of a sign, where we would land.

Yes, those are bullet holes, no not from us.