When I hear tall tales or folk stories about a thirsty traveler who sees a mirage of a desert oasis, this is what I imagine: a clump of palm trees around a desert spring. This is a photo of a real oasis I visited in 1000 Palms, California. It is at a spot in the desert where an underground river comes to the surface of the desert along a fault line. A tiny bit of dank water trickles through the center of the palms - not very refreshing, but enough to support a flurry of plant and animal life.