california, 4 / joshua tree national park

it took us about 2 hours to find our campsite. kate and i spent a few hours in the town of joshua tree at a bar - we left early because they made us a vodka and coke, which tasted like hell, and because the irish heavy metal band didn't really suit either of our tastes. the bar was like every other establishment that we visited before we returned back to civilization at a subway in bakersfield - it was strange. and full of the same odd mixture of people. outside of the bar there were people who were missing limbs, hanging out in wheel chairs, and drinking liquids out of gallon bottles. inside the bar there were military men - really, a lot of them. and their ugly wives. but since joshua tree national park is such a hot spot for bouldering/rock climbing, you've got tons of hippies and twenty-somethings from L.A.

once we finally found our campsite, after getting to know the road between joshua tree, the town, and twenty-nine palms (the weirdest place i've ever been), we finally found our campsite. it was beautiful to drive through the park at night, although it was discouraging at times since we were tired and ready to find the campsite - but it was interesting to see the colors, rock formations and landscape change through the little light we saw from our car. once we got out tent up, we spent the evening on the picnic bench. i tried to climb the beautiful rocks behind us in my socks. we drank - a lot. the sky was awesome. and i like to think that kate and i shared one of my favorite, most real, and honest, and hilarious nights of our friendship yet. and like most wonderful nights like that, i don't really remember very much of it.

in the morning we woke up, and behind us we found a beautiful sun rising over some beautiful rocks. the park was busy - not with cars, but with people climbing these rocks. the rocks were similar to the ones in arches national park. i thought of camping with my dad there. i also thought about steve a lot this day and kept wishing i could be there with him. i don't think most people come here to see the trees. but i came to see the trees.

after leaving the park, we spent some time in the town of 29 palms. after leaving the town (nicknamed the "city" of "murals" - there's a mural on every (probably about 25, total) buildings) we drove up to death valley. i can't figure out why i don't remember most of this drive - except that we spent most of it in alien land of a new kind. driving down these long, 2 lane roads, where you pass nobody, except for huge military tanks, and there are beautiful desert mountains all around you - sand dunes that go on forever.

we did stop in a small near the nevada border, and had the best date cookie of my life. and saw an awesome elvis impersonator. if you've got the time, googlemaps the area between joshua tree national park and death valley. you'll understand. the desert is the type of place that can erase your memory of it.