Joshua Tree
It was a full flight to LA. I prefer to arrive early at the airport, because it gives me a chance to draw people at the terminal. In this case, we didn’t, so I made do with a quick sketch while everyone was boarding.
There was a cheer in the confined air of the Boeing aircraft. We were departing cold Wisconsin for the sun and shine of southern California.
Joshua Tree National Park is unique for harboring two kinds of desert plains - the Colorado desert and the Mojave. Vegetation changes, colors shift, and there is a distinct sense of having crossed a kind of border into somewhere. We couldn’t wait to see it for ourselves. I couldn’t wait to throw off my winter down-jacket.
The other reason to make the trip was to see Sandesh and Pallavi. (They are expecting a baby soon!) After spending the night at their place, we hopped into their flashy new BMW and drove into the desert.
Drawn on the iPad, trying to ‘see’ the light and shadows.
BNB was quaintly decorated the way a lot of rentals are these days. There were interesting things to look at in every direction. This lamp presided over the sitting room at our BNB in Joshua Tree.
The next morning we went to see the famed Joshua trees themselves.
Tall and proud.
A real tough guy in a real tough landscape.
The first time I heard the word ‘Joshua Tree’ was in the U2 album of the same name. It was an intriguing name, it had character and personality almost immediately. It is a privilege that I am able to travel the world now and see these things that gave me such joy and wonder when I was young.
We saw interesting sights on our hikes. The desert landscape is fascinating. That life can survive here for millions of years is testament to the hardiness of being. For us, it was perhaps the best kind of weather to see things in - pleasant, breezy, never too hot.
I love the way BNBs look. Hosts put a lot of care into decorating their place, and making it interesting, comfortable and cosy for their guests. This is why I really enjoy observing and drawing parts of the BnBs we stay at.
At The Two Sisters Cafe, we grabbed breakfast and coffee before heading back into the park for a final day of sightseeing.
Looking out of the parking lot at Two Sisters Cafe.
Would have loved to collect another stamp on our National Parks passports, but the Visitor Centers were closed due to the government shutdown. Our weekend here was the first days of the shutdown, and we were saddened to hear of vandalism and destruction over the next few weeks as the shutdown continued and security at the park was negligible.
The US is leagues ahead of many countries with respect to the amount of natural beauty it has to offer. It is a pity that preserving and celebrating this beauty is not a high priority to the government.
Flying back to Minneapolis, and then the drive home.