I know I just finished talking about visiting a bunch of national parks last week, but this past weekend we had a quick jaunt down to another one! We both needed to get away from post for a bit, and Joshua Tree is only about 3 hours south of us here, so off we went! We only gave ourselves the weekend to visit, as it's another desert park, and we see plenty of desert as it is. Though, there is definitely a reason that some stretches of desert are national parks and some are military bases!
To start with, the craziest part of the weekend was the weather. As all our friends, family and other loved ones back east are getting slammed by yet more snow, we are having roads washed out from all the rain we're getting here. In the past month, we've had more rain than we've had in the past two years altogether! And, yes, it was raining again when we went down to Joshua Tree.
Now, this wouldn't be quite so funny, except for my family's 'curse.' On both sides of my family, it rains every time we go camping. Dad used to laugh that the only time he'd gone camping when it hadn't rained, it had snowed, and one of Mom's camping nicknames is Monsoon Mary. From this proud lineage, my sister and I carry on the tradition. Living out here, Zach and I have managed to have a few camping trips where there has been no rain. It helps when you're camping in an area that hasn't had rain in months, but who's quibbling?
So as we left to go camping, we expected the rain, since we were driving down in it. However, the thunder (not artillery practice, but actual thunder!), lightning and HAIL did surprise us. Yes, lots of hail, too, as a matter of fact. My thought is that the weather imps who control the family curse saw that I was finally camping at a time when there was enough chance for precipitation and decided to milk it for all it's worth. I just thought it was funny as all get out. :)
The rain and cloudy weather suited the Joshua trees, though. They are such twisted and oddly shaped trees that the mist flowing in and around them looked very appropriate. The Joshua tree itself supposedly got its name from early Mormon settlers in the Mojave, who saw the tree as similar to Joshua reaching to the heavens. Thus, they dubbed the tree the Joshua tree, which caught on more than other names for the tree. At least, that's how the story goes. Personally, I have yet to see a Joshua tree which reminds me of a person reaching up to heaven, but maybe that's just me.
The other comment I have about the Joshua trees in the park there, is that they are so much GREENER than the ones up here! I don't know if it's because they are in the park and protected from nearby cities, or if all the rain has helped this spring, or if they are naturally greener than the ones further north, but there you go - greener they indeed were. Granted someone from Oregon or West Virginia or someplace similarly Green probably wouldn't notice the difference in the trees here and the ones there, but Zach and I both noticed it.
Overall, Joshua Tree wasn't our favorite park to visit, even of the desert parks. If we were rock climbers, that'd be another story, because there were some absolutely fabulous climbing areas. Instead, we are hikers, and though there is lots of space at Joshua Tree to hike in, it was just desert, not something that we enjoy hiking in. Still, glad we did see it while we were out here. Another spot checked off on our life's list!
To start with, the craziest part of the weekend was the weather. As all our friends, family and other loved ones back east are getting slammed by yet more snow, we are having roads washed out from all the rain we're getting here. In the past month, we've had more rain than we've had in the past two years altogether! And, yes, it was raining again when we went down to Joshua Tree.
Now, this wouldn't be quite so funny, except for my family's 'curse.' On both sides of my family, it rains every time we go camping. Dad used to laugh that the only time he'd gone camping when it hadn't rained, it had snowed, and one of Mom's camping nicknames is Monsoon Mary. From this proud lineage, my sister and I carry on the tradition. Living out here, Zach and I have managed to have a few camping trips where there has been no rain. It helps when you're camping in an area that hasn't had rain in months, but who's quibbling?
So as we left to go camping, we expected the rain, since we were driving down in it. However, the thunder (not artillery practice, but actual thunder!), lightning and HAIL did surprise us. Yes, lots of hail, too, as a matter of fact. My thought is that the weather imps who control the family curse saw that I was finally camping at a time when there was enough chance for precipitation and decided to milk it for all it's worth. I just thought it was funny as all get out. :)
The rain and cloudy weather suited the Joshua trees, though. They are such twisted and oddly shaped trees that the mist flowing in and around them looked very appropriate. The Joshua tree itself supposedly got its name from early Mormon settlers in the Mojave, who saw the tree as similar to Joshua reaching to the heavens. Thus, they dubbed the tree the Joshua tree, which caught on more than other names for the tree. At least, that's how the story goes. Personally, I have yet to see a Joshua tree which reminds me of a person reaching up to heaven, but maybe that's just me.
The other comment I have about the Joshua trees in the park there, is that they are so much GREENER than the ones up here! I don't know if it's because they are in the park and protected from nearby cities, or if all the rain has helped this spring, or if they are naturally greener than the ones further north, but there you go - greener they indeed were. Granted someone from Oregon or West Virginia or someplace similarly Green probably wouldn't notice the difference in the trees here and the ones there, but Zach and I both noticed it.
Overall, Joshua Tree wasn't our favorite park to visit, even of the desert parks. If we were rock climbers, that'd be another story, because there were some absolutely fabulous climbing areas. Instead, we are hikers, and though there is lots of space at Joshua Tree to hike in, it was just desert, not something that we enjoy hiking in. Still, glad we did see it while we were out here. Another spot checked off on our life's list!
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