Phoenix to San Diego

In Phoenix, I put down my camera and spent time hanging out with the best of friends. Greg and Erin flew out from Columbus, and we all stayed with Chris and Kelley. We went on various escapades: played games at an arcade bar, rode on a real steam-driven train, visited the Frank Lloyd Wright Taliesin West compound, played with small children (Chris and Kelley’s, not random ones), and we even had time for board and video games. Good times. I miss my friends already.

After Phoenix, we headed West a short distance to spend a night on BLM land in the Sonoran desert. Flowers were starting to bloom, wildlife was coming out, and we had a lovely sunset. There was no one else in sight, making it a pretty sweet spot. At night, we heard both Great Horned Owls and Screech Owls – confirming this desert is very much alive.

In the picture below you can just make out Evelyn.

After the BLM land we continued West to Joshua Tree National Park. The park is unique and beautiful, and like many other National Parks, it’s pretty obvious why it was given the designation. In the Southern region of the park you’re still in the Sonoran Desert, but as you climb North, you enter the Mojave. This desert is brimming with wildlife: we saw birds, hawks, lizards, and dozens of squirrels, chipmunks, and rabbits. Joshua trees are everywhere, too, but they’re actually a type of yucca, not a tree.

Being California, there were lots of signs warning you that cacti are sharp and pokey. There was even a spine removal kit stationed at the front of the trail into this Cholla Cactus forest.

Skull Rock is a popular spot in the park. It’s right next to the road so there are lots of people around, but it’s still worth seeing.

It’s been warm enough that reptiles are starting to come out more, like this whiptail lizard.

Prickly Pear cactus is far less common here, but you can still find them if you look.

Abbey and I had intended to camp in Joshua Tree, but all the campgrounds were full. We were surprised by this since it wasn’t even 3PM on a Thursday. As we continued on in the park, though, we started to see just how popular of a park this is: hoards of people stopped at the more popular easy-to-see sights, full parking lots, and people stopping in the middle of the road because they saw a squirrel. Joshua Tree has the unfortunate problem of being too close to Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Diego. It’s still easy to enjoy the solitude of the park, though – just hike 1/2 a mile away from the parking lots and you have it to yourself. Abbey and I hiked the short “Live Oak Trail” and were stunned to find Live Oaks in some of the more sheltered valleys of the desert.

Ocotillo can grow and drop leaves several times a year – it all just depends on water. They were leafing out when we visited Joshua Tree.

Not sure where we would camp, Abbey and I left Joshua Tree and headed Southwest towards the Salton Sea. The drive was beautiful, and Evelyn was flying since it was all downhill – in fact, the valley containing the Salton Sea is about 200 feet below sea level.

On the Western side of the Salton Sea is Salton City, a failed attempt at developing the region into a massive resort town. Originally designed and plotted for 40,000 people, the town has roads, street signs, water, and electricity run to thousands of lots – but few actual houses. Of those, many are abandoned. We drove into the deserted city, into an abandoned RV park, and out onto the beach of the Salton Sea.

Out on the beach there was a small group of campers that were there to fly ultralights. Abbey and I set up camp on the beach and were soon greeted by the ultralights, who curiously flew over to see the new campers.

The ultralights were doing circles and stunts right around us, waving and smiling the whole time. Abbey and I were giggling with how surreal everything was.