A Rig with No Name

7/16

Open up that Golden Gate...here we come!

California Dreamin’ on such on summer day!   Yep, we made it to the “Golden State.” But, again, a slight detour off The Mother Road.  Well, about 3 1/2 hours south of Route 66.  We were heading to Joshua Tree National Park. 

“The first part of the journey, we were looking at all the life, there were plants and birds and rocks and things.  There was sand and hills and...” Shoes!  What ?  Shoes?   Yep, there was actually the remains of an abandoned gas station awning where thousands of shoes have been tied.  I guess it’s kinda like shoe heaven, where their “soles” come to rest.

“The heat was hot (115) and the ground was dry, but the air was full of...” our rig rambling down the highway for about 3 hours, at times not seeing a single other sign of life or passing vehicle for at least 30 minutes.  We’ve been through the desert in a rig with no name, it felt good to be in the air conditioning! 

And then....we enter “Joshua Tree National Park”.  We drive through entering at the south side and meander about 40 miles to the west side.  Basically, JTNP is two deserts meeting: The Colorado Desert and the Mojave Desert.  We entered at the Colorado Desert, lower elevation and hotter! 

We walked through the Choilla Cactus Patch.  These were beauty beyond belief.  But no touching......very painful and once it sticks, it sticks well!

Then we cross into the Mojave Desert, home of the Joshua Tree!  I thought they looked like something a child would draw: a trunk, some sticks, and some pointy things coming off the top.  Some looked like they were saying “Ta-Da” with their limbs stretching to the sky.  And it seems, I wasn’t the only one who saw this.  Mormon pioneers thought the outstretched branches resembled the arms of Prophet Joshua leading them to the promised land!  Hence the name. 

We also saw Skull Rock and two road runners crossing the street to get to the other side!  And,  I saw a snake slither under a cactus.  It was pale pink in color and about 4 feet long.  The park ranger said it could be a type of racer or gopher snake, not quite sure.  Now, here’s where the planets aligned...I saw a snake out in nature on...World Snake Day!   As the Joshua Trees would say - “Ta-Da!”

As we leave the park, through the town of Joshua Tree, lo and behold, or should I say high and behold.....we actually find another giant Muffler Man!  He is not on Route 66, but on Route 62.  He is standing watch in front of a renovated 1949 gas station turned shop.  His name - Big Josh, of course,  and this called for a photo op!

We headed to our campsite, just outside Palm Springs.  Tomorrow, we visit the “Golf Capital of the World.” You know, cuz Dan & I are such big golfers! 

*Thanks America for the lyrics!

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