Joshua Tree - Palm Springs

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Joshua Tree……
We made what was supposed to be an overnight stop between Las Vegas and San Diego and found Joshua Tree National Park. What followed was several days of heaven. There are no camping facilities in Joshua Tree, just spaces scattered among massive boulders that are strewn haphazardly across the landscape as if cast aside like a childs’ toys. The absence of electricity means the absence of noise, motors, TV and of course the ambient lighting that diminishes the night sky. The nearest store and telephone was 38 miles away. And of course there was no cell signal. In short, there was nothing to distract us. We immersed ourselves in our surroundings. The antics of the tiny ground squirrels as they chased and teased each other like little children in the schoolyard was our evening sitcom. We accepted our place in the world around us. We were as one with the jackrabbits, ground squirrels and coyotes—no more nor less than the clouds and sky above or the Joshua Trees and boulders that surrounded us. We opened our ears to the silence and our eyes to the darkness. We heard the tiniest sounds made by the tiniest creatures. We saw millions of white diamonds hung on a black velvet sky.


Heading toward Palm Springs we drove westward along the eastern base of the Little San Bernardino Mountains and were greeted by a most unusual site. I had never before seen a windfarm, have you? Against the backdrop of the mountain, stand battalions of windmills in formation, propellers, like arms spinning. Performing the calesthenics that produce electricity.

We could have used some of that electricity when we rode the Aerial Tramway to the 8000 foot level of the mountain. After a delightful lunch at the top we were served a small portion of excitement and adventure on the trip to the bottom. About halfway down our gondola came to an abrupt stop and swayed gently as we just hung there by a single arm. Did I tell you that John has a fear of heights? He had already chosen a spot in the center of the car in order to avoid looking down and now was quite intent on looking calm and comfortable while intently studying the roof of the car. After about half an hour and numerous telephone conversations with the base station, we happily resumed our descent.