On This Joshua Tree Hike Were a Lizard Fight Club, Boy Scouts and the Oddest Find, Maybe Ever.

Onward I went from Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument to Joshua Tree NP. This time I made sure to leave EARLY enough to not show up at the new spot in the dark like I did last time.  (#SlowLearner)

I thought I would try the boondocking area at the south entrance of the park. I had been forewarned that most of the ‘good stuff’ was closer to the north side of the park but I wanted to ‘rebel’ and decided to stay in the south spot.

South Joshua Tree boondocking at Cottonwood Road. Miss Thang in the foreground.

The Girls were very happy to be out and about without having to be on a leash! (Damn campgrounds. Blech.) ‘Where’s Trixie’? Yes, she’s in the photo…  : )

This decision only lasted for two nights before I moved to the north boondocking spot. Long story short, I wish I had stayed at the south spot. There were trees there and more secluded spots at the south side. The north side was nothing but a giant open area which is actually a dry lake bed. Meh. Like, look at it!

North Joshua Tree boondocking spot off of Sunflower Road. Closer to amenities but probably my least favorite boondocking spot as of yet. Power lines and all. Super fresh?

Just, stark. Noisy. Also, Space Invaders (usually tent campers) come in nightly and park too close. Boo!!!!

The roads were really bad (potholes, uneven) and there was a lot of noise from four wheelers, motorcycles and people shooting near the base of the mountains in the background. (YEEEE-HAWWW!)

Where the pavement ends and the BLM land begins off Sunflower Rd. Uck. 

 

Not so inviting, eh? It really wasn’t. That’s me almost under the power lines. (And, the power lines were very noisy.)

Also, it took so long to just get to the park that it was about the same time frame to get anywhere as it was from the south spot. There were amenities closer to me here, but I didn’t use anything or go out to eat. Oh well, next time I will stay south! Palm Springs is not far from the south area.

Joshua Tree was immense and otherworldly. Loads of hiking opportunities. Ryan Mountain was a great hike- it’s about three miles round trip with an elevation gain of 1,075 feet. I caught it early one morning and it was a good time. Go early to avoid the crowd because it’s a popular hike, especially during Spring Break!

On top of Ryan Mountain! No, I didn’t climb 5457 feet.. only 1,075. (Whew!)

View from the top of Ryan Mountain with a strange shadow messing it up.

View from the top of Ryan Mountain looking down at the Wonderland of Rocks.  See the teeny ant road below? Amaze-balls. Me high.

On another fine day, I hiked part of Boy Scout Trail from the south trail head. This hike strangely offered me a ‘very first’ and truly unique experience.  I stumbled upon something so rare to find in the wild that maybe I should have reported it. (I didn’t.) Something so unique to be out all alone in the wilderness that it is illegal in most states. I came upon….

a JOINT.

Just sitting there in the middle of the trail. Almost like a trap. Looking  right at me. I had to laugh. And yes, I picked it up. And no, I didn’t smoke it. Who knows what was in there! Besides, the effect for me is never good.

I am glad I did pick it up, just for the sake of the Boy Scout troop leaders that came up the trail after me with a band of Boy Scouts. (Seriously) What fun THAT would have been to have had to explain to those kids! Or to try to pry it from their death grip.

I know I HAD to have taken a photo of this clean, unsmoked joint sitting in the middle of the trail but for the life of me, I cannot find it.  : ( So, if you don’t know what a joint looks like, here:

Now, just picture sand underneath and Joshua Trees all around and this is what I saw on the trail. Except, what is that, a filter on the end?? What?

Also, while writing about this I just realized I picked it up but then I completely forgot about it and I DON’T KNOW WHERE IT IS. So now it’s funny to me that, somewhere in my rig, there may be a joint. (Did I already throw it away?) I love having ADD…

(Oh, and I JUST connected that there were literally Boy Scouts on the Boy Scout trail hike.)

On my ‘joint hike’, after my interesting find, I witnessed an epic lizard fight. These badasses had to be lizard MMA Fighters. Got a couple of shots of them literally biting each other’s asses.

See? (below)

Ok, they were biting each others’ tails. Anyway, tails flew and there was lots of spinning and flipping. The drama escalated and then the biting happened. They kept biting for a short time but then realized they couldn’t do much else in this position so once the bell rang they scurried off to their respective corners, bruised and bloody. Satiated, I carried on.

At first, there was an obvious winner…

WAIT! He bit BACK! This fight ain’t over yet!!! #LizardLifeIsHard. Who do you think won?

Epic.

So that was the end of the excitement and the beginning of my bad news. I got back to the parking lot $150 poorer from a parking ticket on my windshield. Boo!!!! No fair.

My hikes into Joshua Tree  were some of the first times I left The Girls alone in the Rv without having another camper I know close by to give me that neighborly security. I have this tiny silly fear that despite my hitch lock, someone will drive off with my Rv taking them along with it, my most valuable possessions. (As well as ALL of my possessions!)

Here they are safe and sound, playing after Trix got a bath, just look!

Alas, nobody drove away with my rig and The Girls were just fine! I am getting used to this lifestyle one experience at a time. Still loving every minute of it I am!

Here’s a photo tour of Joshua Tree with dangerous or witty captions. Enjoy!

Can you tell it was spring? Pollen on my pants after walking through the desert. Or, plant semen on my pants.

Desert art. Probably creepy at night.

Desert color. And, everything is trying to kill you or make you miserable.

A Joshua Tree in Joshua Tree! Go figure.

“Like A Rock!!!” No, wait…

More Joshua Trees on Boy Scout Trail hike. And, probably a joint somewhere in the photo.

Mother Nature. Wicked little girl.

Rocks at the trailhead of the Ryan Mountain hike. Pur-dy.

Sunset at the North BLM site, off my bitchin’ Toyota truck.

Like I said, Joshua Tree was somewhat otherworldly. Like, this plant thinggy. (Really, what the hell is this?? I may have nightmares now.)

 

Cool, huge Joshua Tree on Boy Scout trail. While I was getting a $150 ticket.

These dudes’ nests were all around but this was one of the few that had dudes in it.

What the?? Desert Martians?

Blazing red in the desert. Probably poisonous  ; )

I love this original flower in a sea of cookie-cutter follower flowers. Bold, daring little fella.

Go ahead. Step on it. You’ll be the first.

Cool star pattern in a cactus. Gotta love the symmetry and design of mother nature. Well, I do anyway.

 

This tiny little guy (about 3″ tall) was one of the biggest plant sperm donators to my jeans

Cool desert cactus blooming called Ocotillo. (OH-co-TEA-O) Say it.

 

Itsy bitsy bitsy flowering plant. I love this shot.

Trixie in all her splendor, with funny shaved front legs from the vet. Unharmed and un-stolen. Living the good life.

Gizmo catching the sunset. Or, she has on a bitching headlamp that I need to get. Ok bye bye readers!

 

Thanks for reading and catching up!