HAVING A ROUGH START//
In July 2015, we flew from NYC to Albuquerque, NM to meet up with friends who lived there at the time. We rented a gorgeous red baby mobile, to accompany our friend Cole's SAAB, on a road trip to Santa Monica where we stayed for a week. The SAAB broke down in the middle of nowhere, leaving us stranded for hours with naught but a lovely box of wine and a football. We decided on a plan B and ditched the camping gear with the car that was towed to Phoenix. The six of us and our luggage squeezed into a minivan and headed for the west coast. I wish we had a photo of us from behind – we were that heavy vehicle whose bottom nearly touched the ground.
The next day, we took Highway 10 and entered Joshua Tree from the south. Our first stop was just before the Cottonwood Visitors Center. We needed to stretch our legs, so we jumped out of the van, and all ran in different directions like little kids. We saw a giant jackrabbit, which was pretty cool, and took in the variations of vegetation and landscape. If you visit, keep in mind that Joshua Trees are not visible immediately upon entering the park.
CHOLLA CACTUS GARDEN //
We continued along Pinto Basin Road and soon discovered Cholla Cactus Garden – my ideal heaven. The garden contains acres of cacti that grow in clusters. The ground was covered in little prickly balls, and the needles were all stuck in our sneakers. It was a nightmare to get them off. The beauty of the landscape, though, did not disappoint. The air was dry, the sky was blue, and the glowing yellow/green of the cacti was gorgeous in contrast. When we looked closely, there were old flowers that had melted and looked like silly string.
EXPLORING THE ROCK FORMATIONS //
We spent the day in the sunshine; climbing mountains, taking photos, and looking around in awe of what was around us. I could have lost myself staring at the rock formations in every direction. When the warm, golden light began to leak through the rocks, it made it even more magical. It felt like we were the only ones there witnessing such a beautiful moment. I would apologize for all the photos but this was only a fraction of them, and with every turn the landscape is different. Oh, how I can't wait to return.
MY HAPPY PLACE //
On our way out of the park I had one of those moments – you know – when you are so happy, you think to yourself, “How did I get so lucky?” The windows were down, hair blowing in the wind, good music on the radio, and laughing with friends, all the while watching an epic sunset. It truly doesn't get much better than that.
Thanks to Justin, Cole, Ryan, and Ting for sharing this experience with us.
