Joshua Tree 2008

 

You saw the video, now here's the blog. Last weekend we took Ciara to Joshua Tree National Park. It pretty much was Ciara's first time camping (outside of camping at the beach). We were all pretty excited about it. But not excited enough that somehow both Patrick and I slept through and didn't wake up to the phone alarm at 6am...

** editor's note - I still don't believe it was set, for I NEVER sleep through an alarm.

Thus, I was preparing myself that our leaving 2.5 hours late probably meant we wouldn't get a camping spot at Jumbo Rocks campground on a Friday. :(

Sure enough as we paid and drove through the Ranger Gate we were informed that all campgrounds were full already except one clear on the opposite entrance (30 miles of slow turns through the Park). With expectant breath we stopped at the campgrounds on the way as we made our way to the Cottonwood site. Luckily we found one in Jumbo Rocks after all - someone must have recently packed up. We were so excited!

Jumping out of the car Patrick and I started pitching the tent and unloading food while Ciara happily started running and climbing around on our campsite's backdrop of ...you guessed it: big rocks.

 

That afternoon we continued exploring the huge, slightly orangish boulders - climbing, scaling, slithering through small passages - that was definitely Ciara's favorite part of the trip. We then continued down a trail to see Skull Rock. It's amazing how much it resembled a skull! As we shot photos and Ciara climbed around, a very amiable family from London joined our spot and I knew the minute I heard the father's accent that P would mention he was from Ireland and that he also lived and worked in London for a year. The 2 ended up sitting together chatting about photography as they both had expensive cameras and the Brit commented that he was a professional photographer. Meanwhile, I chatted with the mom and her daughter who was about Ciara's age. Anyone who knows me knows I love foreigners, so I enjoyed myself plenty. The daughter was so sweet and bright. She commented to me, "I know I've only been here 3 days but I REALLY like America. The people are SO nice...!" Wow - God Bless her for saying that:)

 

As we returned to camp we all stopped short when we saw an older couple camping with not one but 2 Basset Hounds. We always lament that we can't take Fred-the-Basset camping or on our big hikes. He barks too much and also he just doesn't have the stamina. We ended up talking to the couple a good half hour while petting their hounds who - being the social breed they are- loved the attention. Then, unbelievably, came a Biker who ALSO had one and he came to let the dogs play together. Patrick and Ciara were going nuts - P, especially - wants 1 or 2 more in addition to Fred. He is almost obsessed with sending me pictures almost daily of multiple Bassets playing together. I keep telling him I love Fred but I will go NUTS with another one.

Finally after returning to camp and having dinner we went to the presentation (solar-powered, of course) at the Ranger Station. I really enjoyed it as they talked about the dangers of light pollution from LA, San Diego and Riverside that are making it harder to enjoy stargazing in the Desert. The ranger went on to point out constellations and I even saw a shooting star!! But it was very windy that first night and quite cold so we left a little early to warm up at the fire and then hit the hay.

The next day we awoke and Patrick contentedly fired up his new camping gas stove that he just bought. He was adamant about having eggs, bacon, sausage and hashbrowns for breakfast - even though I rolled my eyes stating he was high-maintenance and that I grew up camping and happily eating a simple bowl of cereal. Well, there you go.

After breakfast we took an easy couple-mile hike to Baker's Dam. It was lovely - not too hot at all. The path also led us to real petroglyphs drawn at least 100 years ago by the native Indians in the area. That was amazing to see in the caves. We then went off the trail a bit and found a few more, faded but true - - very cool!

After a big lunch and a short nap for Ciara and I we then drove a ways and got out to hike the 4-mile, more difficult terrain and hilly trail up to Lost Horse Mine. I had done this trail a few years back and remembered it being long and harder going then just a leisure trail. But I didn't let Ciara in on that. She was already commenting at lunch that she wanted to go back to the campsite to climb on the boulders. But her dad and I both commented that we'd have time to do that later and that we like to get out and hike and see things on our trips.

Poor Ciara - at 9 and a half years and Physical Education only twice a week at her school (don't get me started ya'll) she isn't in the shape that I was at her age. The trail was a 'trek' to her. She did her best and pulled through it but not without 1 tantrum (he he he) and a whole lot of complaining. But she did it - although she was disgusted when we got to the gold mine to see that they had constructed a chain-link fence around most of it since it was so unstable that they couldn't have people climbing around it. "We came all this way and we don't even get to go inside it??!!!" she exclaimed. Ha ha ha. I had known that already as well, but didn't fill her in on it beforehand. Smart Gal...

Nighttime was less windy that Saturday and we had a huge fire and roasted and ate a disgusting amount of marshmallows and Ciara actually went to bed before us this time since she was exhausted.
The next morning was our final hike to the ruins of Key Ranch. Not too much left to the shambled old building, but it always interests me to think that at some time someone lived and worked in this exact spot so many years ago.

Alas, time to pack up and head home - I truly love the desert and seeing it bloom this time of year with the wildflowers was an extra treat. Good Times :)
Click on Slideshow below!

Joshuatree2008

Joshin' Around at Joshua Tree

On Friday we all played "hooky" and took Ciara to camp at Joshua Tree National Park in the California desert. Here we are at dinner time with my barely-adequate recording on my digital camera...:)

P n E at Joshua Tree

It was another lovely Spring weekend memory made with my Patrick. This time we packed up my gas-efficient Scion and headed out to the Southern California desert park of Joshua Tree. Only 2 hours away, I try to go every spring as I love desert, dry heat, hiking and camping. Patrick had never been and this is the best time of year to go, so it was a no-brainer.

During a most-enjoyable drive up P entertained me for once (hahaha) with some stories of his youth in the Navy. I love it when he tells me stories, as I am very good at it myself and it runs in my family and culture. Story-telling runs in his Irish culture as well, but P doesn't have E's "gift to gab". :)

We stopped off first in Palm Springs – also a first for my man. The weather was perfect – warm, about 88 degrees – but not too hot. We parked, and strolled around the main street, stopping in galleries and boutiques that caught our fancy. It was such a charming afternoon there! One interesting thing we both noted was how gay-friendly (“Frisco!!”) the town had become. They even had a “Hamburger Mary’s” bar there – it was HUGE in Hillcrest, San Diego. Being the Gay Man’s Best Girl Friend that I am, this accelerated my good mood to an even better level.

Eventually we made it into the Park – after making us drive the long way around it to the 29 Palms Northern entrance – oopps! It was late afternoon – the best time to take pictures. Patrick is becoming increasingly involved in his photography and this trip was definitely an invitation to partake in it.

Joshua Tree Park is interesting. One is able to enter at one entrance and drive completely through to the opposite side. In doing so, you can see and enjoy the different ecosystems and plant growth according to the elevation. We started out in flat lands with many Joshua Trees and then enjoyed the famous Jumbo Rocks in the middle of the park – which have a red sheen at sunset – (but there was too much cloud-coverage that day). Many rock-climbers flock to the rocks nowadays – I couldn’t believe how many were scrambling up those HUGE boulders like spiders. Very cool.

Eventually we ascended some hills where it definitely got cooler and I had to break out my jacket. After enjoying the view (but not the strong, cold winds) – we headed back down again to see a different desert terrain with blooming, tall Ocatillo bushes. All very stark but lovely.

Early the next morning we got up early to embark on one of the several hikes. We chose to do the short 2.5 hour loop to Mastedon Peak. Along the way we got to enjoy 2 natural oasis’ and an abandoned gold mine. The weather had cooled – perfect for hiking. I think Patrick took about 500 pictures! We will definitely head back again in the Fall.
Click below for my short photo gallery slideshow!

Joshua Tree 2007