Souvenirs from Joshua Tree
Keys View. If you look close enough you can see Joshua waving. Yes, THAT Joshua. Nice guy. Tiny though.
Setting out into the great unknown
It started with a list of travel destinations:
Maybe Hawaii? My yacht’s in the shop so that’s out.
Perhaps Alaska? My polar-bear-skinning knife is on backorder.
Why not Italy? Too much pizza. (Your boy is gluten and lactose intolerant.)
Then it hit us like a lightning bolt. JOSHUA TREE. Close enough to not be annoying but exotic enough to still be exciting. I took my camera with the hopes of find something beautiful. *Cue squinty eyes and a drag from my cigarette* It was also cheap. (Your boy is monetarily intolerant as well.)
I can’t believe everyone stopped to pose right when I asked them to. A+ for obedient tourists.
I came back with some okay pictures and a feeling of melancholy. There is always this itching for the future. What are these pictures for? Who will see them? Why isn’t National Geographic answering my calls? It’s hard to shake myself out of this mindset. Finding joy in the act itself has eluded me recently. I can’t see where I’m at when I’m looking through a telescope. Meagan tells me to slow down. I know I should.
These kids were last seen packing a slingshot into their trousers and taking my lunch money.
The children are our future. So please don’t die.
It wasn’t THAT angsty though. We witnessed so many groups enjoying their Memorial Day Weekend. One particular family dynamic shook me. House rules were, “Y’all have 15 minutes. Climb any rocks you want but stay where we can see you. Have fun.” 6 different kids set off in 10 different directions. The joy of these feral children was contagious. I admired the parents’ trust. I couldn’t imagine letting my kids' scale rocks the size of buildings. My anxiety had me picturing a boot slipping on stones. A trip to the hospital. Medical bills. Massive debt. Growing resentment leading to eventual disowning of the children. Oh the trauma. But that wasn’t a possibility. These kids knew what they were capable of. So did the parents. They had boundaries and were willing to let go of the leash.
This person was last seen…actually…they were not seen again…
Me and Meagan were able to climb a few rocks. These were significantly smaller rocks. They screamed, “Young adult that wants to live dangerously while also allowing for selfies.” I stopped every now and then to check my footing and capture a new boulder. See now this boulder was slightly browner and more curvy than that last one. All were beautiful. All were special.
I only had one hand for climbing because my other was keeping the camera from jostling around my body. This small inconvenience was enough to keep me distant from the task at hand. I’m so focused on the camera that I lose track of my senses. I was struggling between climbing and capturing. These two diverging paths lead me to a dead stop. I never found a flow. The tradeoff is having the moment caught forever. I’m hoping one day a long blink will instantly transfer a memory into our brain cloud. That way I can eat all the cake I want.
Skull Rock felt like a playground for grown ups. Only things missing were a bartender and someone to do my taxes.
I’m sorry Netflix, it’ll never happen again. I was thinking of you the whole time.
We were tired on the second day. Hot and ready for rest. I'm in this constant state of wanting to experience new things yet falling back into the same routine. I crave novelty but cradle comfort whenever I can. I want life to be easy. I want something simple. I have so many thoughts about what I’m supposed to be doing. None of the directions make sense. I keep wrapping myself in options and I feel dizzy.
These lil spiky's represent the spiky's in my lil heart.
The Cactus Garden. Eat at your own risk!
Choose your own adventure.
There is a road that takes you through the heart of the Joshua Tree. Most of the main attractions sprawl like veins from the highway. Each one worthy of exploring. Our time only allowed for a handful though. I went with hikes that had the best reviews on Google. Wherever we set foot it had to be on divine soil. Hallowed ground. Wait, who are these people rating hikes on Google? I don’t care to know. It’s an even bigger red flag that I’m looking for the perfect trail in a world full of unexplored territory.
No trespassing? You mean to tell me I brought my spray paint and half dozen eggs all this way for nothing?????
Wall Street Mill. You won't believe this but there was a fully operational vending machine in there.
One trail led to an old mineral mill from the mid 1900’s. Dilapidated trucks served as landmarks along the scattered path. A plaque commemorated a shootout over property lines. Some things never change. I can’t help but be grateful for how cushy my life is. These relics take me to a place I will never know. Their voices still echo in the wreckage. Imagining their lives is difficult. It seems painful. I wonder what they complained about.
“Ever since Germany invaded Poland the gas prices have been ridiculous. It’s up to 19 cents now. If it hits 20 I swear I’m going to take my chances in Canada.”
A beautiful three bed, two bath. Open floor plan. Lots of sunlight. Critter adjacent. $2.7 mil
So much of life can feel out of our hands. Our own emotions can often take the wheel. Writing this feels like taking back some control. Each sentence on the page is one less thought complicating my mind. I don’t know where this is headed. I’m trying to be okay with that. This takes practice. Time to focus on my feet.
He quickly declared himself the “President of Joshua Tree”. He’ll have some competition in the upcoming primaries or until someone pushes him off.
SCORE: 7/10
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Good for folks addicted to rocks.
Ample opportunity for people watching.
Main road is very convenient. Easily accessible.
Plenty of campsites with free tents and camping gear. You have to kick the people out of them first but it’s small price to pay for free swag.
Thorough introduction to dirt.
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Lots of people. Don’t they have jobs?
The amount of rocks is irritating.
Not a single Bighorn sheep sighting.
No wifi due to lack of innovation.
The copy on the informational signage was lackluster. It was devoid of personality and the facts were tedious. Give us something juicy.
I tried to stargaze but for some reason my eyes were vibrating and I couldn’t focus on them properly. Meagan felt it too. It was either a paranormal encounter or some sort of retinal detachment.
Joshua Tree | May 29-30, 2022
