Joshua Tree National Park - Days 62 and 63

Desert bloom
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From San Diego we began our long trek back east, starting with Joshua Tree National Park.  We weren't exactly sure what we would find there, just that we knew we wanted to check it out and we had been told it was an amazing place with cool rocks.  Ok...whatever that means...

...and it means just that!  It's an amazing place with cool rocks!  The trees themselves are really bizarre looking, and its even more bizarre that they are related to lillies.  Actually while we were driving along through the desert (Joshua Tree is in the Mojave desert) we were shocked to find not only so much plant life but so many beautiful flowers, which must be some sort of lily.  Each part of the park offers something different.  We spent some time looking around the cactus garden which was pretty cool, given that you don't really see any cacti and then BAM you're in the middle of a field of them.  Same with the Joshua tree later on - you don't really see them at first, and then they are everywhere.

Watch out, they prick!
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We made our way up to Hidden Valley, which a friend told us to check out.  It was wayyyyyy cool - that's where all the climbers go.  By that time we needed a bit of a break so we headed to the town of Joshua tree, had some coffee and a late lunch, spent about an hour listening to this guy who's dad was "Ames" of the store Ames and Ames St. in Rochester, talk and talk and talk and talk and...you get the idea.  We were like WTF who is this dude???  It was kind of weird, but at least I got some email checked and other things booked on line.

The Joshua forest
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Back in Joshua Tree we went back to Hidden Valley to go on a hike.  Or, as they called it, a nature walk.  Except there wasn't really a well defined trail, and the huge rocks and boulders everywhere made it impossible to NOT climb on them.  This, my friends, was Dove's first experience with any sort of rock climbing, and she quickly fell in love :o)  Technically it's called scrambeling and isn't really rock climbing, but we'll get into that later.  We spent way too long climing rocks and taking in the views and then made our way to Key's View to take in a spectacular sunset.

Climb on!
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Dove was really tired, so we tried something new that night - sleeping in the car.  Hm.  Interesting.  Don't think we'll try that again.

Next day we got up super early, had breakfast and then hung out for a bit before heading to 29 Palms for lunch with Carter, and old friend of Josh's from college/Majik's fiance.  We had a good time with him and his roomate (and some great burgers too actually).  It was a short visit, but Marines are very efficient like that ;o)  We DID however manage to get a picture of the elusive Carter - this was a feat unto itself!

Playing in the rocks
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From here...Vegas baby!!!