For Christmas, my girlfriend and I went to Yuma, Arizona to spend time with her father and stepmother. An activity we did while there was to visit the Imperial Sand Dunes which are about twenty miles out of town. These dunes cover a forty mile area, and are partially opened to the public. It tends to draw lots of off road enthusiasts with their four-wheelers, and other vehicles.
Upon arriving, I proceeded to climb the highest dune to take some pictures. Heather didn't want to go that far, so she chose to relax, and read a handout we were given at the ranger station. After catching up with her, we played in the sand for a little bit. The texture of the sand is like powder. And since sand doesn't absorb heat, but reflects it, the temperature of it was considerably cooler just a few inches below the surface.
Several movies have been filmed on location in these dunes including Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. The scene recorded here is one of my favorite rescue scenes in cinematic history.
If anyone is ever in the southwest United States, this is definitely worth stopping by to see. It is right off of Interstate 8 just as you cross into California. Until then, have a merry Christmas.
