We enjoyed ham Don McMuffins this morning. A new neighbor dropped by to chat. He and his wife are long haul truckers but freight is slow so they hit the road in their RV for a while to let the younger folk earn a living. He seems rather an RV novice and had a few questions about our electrical system. We finally got away from camp about 10am. First stop was the dump station for tank duty then we were off toward the other side of the mountain and park. We stopped at several pullouts to enjoy the view and had lunch in one, left over green and fruit salads.
We headed into one campground at White Tanks. Nice signs showing we should turn to go to the campground. Stupidly placed sign a while after the turn saying no vehicles over 22 feet. We had to break apart and turn around then hookup again. Where do they hire these people?
We continued on to Jumbo Rocks Campground and found a nice site, aligned right for solar, level spot, room enough for both vehicles and a big yard. There weren't too many sites where we could really fit. There were lots of vacant sites even though the signs when you enter the park and enter most campgrounds say the campgrounds are full. More lazy folk employed here. You just can't believe any of the signs.
A rock next to our campsite looks like Alfred Hitchcock. My brother Ernie says it should be called Alfred Hitchrock.
We're in a no cell zone here which is a good reason for the HughesNet Internet system. We'll be here a few days while I explore and Lou relaxes her knee. Nice spot.
We enjoyed our neighbors campfire. (Bill and Teresa, Bills brothe Mark and Ella the dog.
Thursday: (04/02) Our spot at Jumbo Rocks is quite nice. Lots of big rocks for me to jump around on and Lou to look at. One of the rocks is Skull Rock, about a 50 foot tall skull. I started the day with a hike to Skull Rock from camp. There is a nice nature trail along the first portion of the trail until you get to Skull Rock. The return trip across the road was less interesting but still a nice desert walk. After I arrived at Skull Rock, I had to climb around on the rocks eventually reaching the cliff above our campground then back down and completed the trail.
When I returned to camp, Lou had just started a driving tour of the campground so I got in the car. We drove out to Skull Rock and Lou was able to see it with a very short walk from a parking area next to it. We then drove on toward the town of Joshua Tree stopping at most of the pullouts, campgrounds and trails.
I hiked to the Barker Dam. Barker Dam's pond and Barker Dam.
The reservoir is very low at barker Dam, possibly 18" deep and 30x50 feet in area. Evidently the water does get higher necessitating a no swimming sign, in the desert.
Vandalized petroglyphs on the trail from Barker Dam.
We continued on looking at al the pullouts and stops until we ended up in town at the Crossroads Cafe for lunch. I had a Grilled Coyote, chicken breast, portobella mushroom, bacon, cheese in a whole wheat bun. It came with African Bean Soup, a barley soup with tomato and peanutbutter. Lou had a TBA (turkey, bacon and avocado) with a salad. Everything was excellent. Another place to return to. It's kind of a hippy restaurant and has atmosphere along with an interesting menu.
Lou looked around three thrift stores there as well. We then returned to the park.
On the way home we stopped and I took another hike to Wall Street Mill, a mining mill site, miners bunkhouse and windmill.
A rusting truck, one of several near Wall Street Mill Site. At the former bunkhouse site there is what was evidently a BBQ grill.
Cactus flower on the Wall Street Mill Trail.
We then returned home to relax. Lou fixed shrimp primavera for dinner.
Friday: (04/03) Up early, cereal for breakfast, and on the road in the car by 7am. We were off to do the laundry in Joshua Tree. The laundry was finished by 9am after which we proceeded over to my Aunt Mary's place in Landers. We had a nice visit and then went to lunch at the Carrow's in Yucca Valley. I had the Mile High Roast Beef sandwich, Lou had a steak, and Mary had a hamburger. Lou's and my lunches were very good but the hamburger that Mary had was tough. We then went back to Mary's place for a while before returning to Yucca Valley to buy groceries before returning home.
Dinner was roasted chicken, potato salad, avocado and cottage cheese with orange juice. The chicken was store cooked, the potato salad was ready to eat and the avocado was ripe, all planned by Lou so that there would be no waiting for dinner. The other items were excess from the fridge to make room.
The wind has been strong all day and is now (8pm) very strong. And it is cold as well. I may have to return to long pants tomorrow? The campfire for tonight was canceled due to high winds.
Saturday: (04/04) Hiking day, for me (Don). It's cold today but the winds are much nicer today. I toasted some English muffins for breakfast and we had peanut butter and apricot preserves on them. I headed off to some hiking. I was looking for the Arch Rock and White Tank but missed my turn so ended up a long ways down the road.
I stopped in the Cholla Gardens and took the nature walk. It could get sticky around there. A cholla flower and another cactus flower at the Cholla Gardens.
A Dutra flower near Cholla Gardens and another cactus flower in the gardens.
I backtracked and found the Arch Rock trail. I hiked back to the other side of the Arch and then started hopping around on the rocks and found White Tank and many caves and tunnels formed by fallen boulders.
A boulder cave near Arch Rock as well as another skull rock.
Some flowers near Arch Rock.
I then came back to Live Oak Tree, Live oak Tank and Ivanpah Tank and hiked by the oak and the two tanks. There was only an 8" diameter puddle of water left in the Live Oak Tank, hardly enough to fill a single canteen.
The Ivanpah Dam below the Live Oak Dam. All filled with sand now, no water at all.
I returned to camp for lunch. More roasted chicken, potato salad and corn chips.
Fortified, I headed off to Mt Ryan and hiked to the top. Only 1.5 miles to the top but it did take me a while to get up. Coming down was much nicer.
Above left, the trail to Ryan's Mt and a view of Ryans Ranch below.
There are some good views from the top but it also shows how the park road goes around in circles. Seems like the shortest distance and least emissions would be on a straighter road. It is a flat desert.
A chuckwalla on the trail.
Next stop was Hidden Valley. A nice fairly level 1 mile hike around an isolated box canyon that has slightly different plant life than other parts of the park. Above right is a hidden flower in the valley.
A hidden lizard and a hidden rock climber.
A final stop was at Cap Rock to hike the .3 mile nature trail. It was a wheelchair accessible trail so no problems here. Above left, a lazy joshua tree near cap Rock. Joshua trees reproduce by three means two well displayed here. By falling and rooting, by spreading from the roots and not observable by seed.
Enough hiking for the day possibly 8-9 mile total if all the off trail and rock hopping is added in.
Dinner was hamburgers and for some reason I was hungry. After dinner, we went to the ranger talk. It was interesting but it was also cold and fortunately no wind.
Sunday: (04/05) We had English muffins for breakfast and we had peanut butter and peach preserves on them today.
A rabbit visited our campsite on the morning we left. It helped that all the children were not around that morning.
We then headed off to 29 Palms to the Oasis Of Mara park visitor center. They had a local artist fair there this morning. When we visited the Oassis Of Mara we saw a joshua tree blossom. The trees in the park did not have any blossoms.
We continued West on Highway 62 and explored the Indian Cove camp ground and the Black Roack camp ground. Reservations can be made at these campgrounds and they cost $15/night while all the other campgrounds in the park are $10/night. Jumbo Rock at $10 is sooo much better both cost and asthetisc.
We stopped at the Crossroads Cafe again in Joshua tree for lunch. I had the cheesesteak sandwitch while Lou had the Reuben Sandwich.
I tried to climb to the top on one of the big rocks behind our campsite. I know it's possible since I've seen others on top but I had to decide to leave it to better, younger and even more fool hardy folk than me. I descended without being able to wave at Lou from the top.
And now a little relaxation. We're off toward Bakersfield tomorrow.
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