The Adventure Begins for SIT - Joshua Tree National Park

 

March 25-28, 2013

Twentynine Palms California - Joshua Tree National Park

Wow! What an amazing place and to have this opportunity to see it.  The other amazing thing is that Steve and I actually could hike.  Now some of you are probably thinking what’s the big deal!  This was the first time both of us have actually done a pretty intense hike (3 miles to boot) since our limbs were adjusted!  We took it slow but that provided us with the opportunity to get some video, pictures, and even see a small desert tortoise. 

I was waiting for Steve as he was taking some pictures of barrel cactus, and I heard a noise and looked and there was this little guy moving across a hill.  He got high centered for a bit, and I was getting ready to be the hero when he was able to free himself.  It kind of reminded me of when I worked in the forest and got the Forest Service truck high centered…………….we won’t go into how I got it free.  But I digress.  The hike was to the 49 Palms Oasis which just pops up in the rugged rocks in the middle of the desert. Pretty awesome sight to see.

The day before that we adventured to a different part of the park and walked around the Hall of Horrors rocks.  It was another wonderful rock formation and we did find one horror.  Oh make that two as we took our Go Pro camera so we could video what we were seeing and show all of you – the horror was we didn’t record a darn thing.  So, you will just have to close your eyes and pretend.  The other pictures you see will give you a slight clue of what the rocks look like.

One day we spent going to the Keys View and the Bill Keys Ranch.  It is amazing how it is preserved, but also the other wonderful thing is the tour you can take with one of the Park Rangers or volunteers and learn the history.  As you walk around you can pretend you lived in the early 1900’s and figure out which chores you would make your little brother or sister do!!

I haven’t had a chance to work with the video we shot so when I get that taken care of will get it posted.

Friday we left Twentynine Palms California and headed to Parker Arizona to hang out along the Colorado.  If you want to know what happened there, read the next post!

Here are some pictures - we hope you enjoy them!  SIT

                                                  Joshua Tree National Park - The Beginning

                                            The Lost Horse Mine

                                            Looking Towards Palm Springs - Keys View

                                              Why the park is called Joshua Tree

                                              Nature's artwork

                                                    Leanin' Over

                                                  Growing from rock

                                                 Just one of many BIG rocks

                                                    Perfect spot for rock climbing

                                               One of the rock formations found while hiking

                                               Springtime

                                              Just a small boulder

                                             Steve trying to figure out the rocks got stacked

                                                  Is this the way to water?

                                              Steve after bench pressing the tree

                                              Trying to get motivated for some weight lifting

                                             Tory's new weight machine! Grrrrr

                                                  WOW!  She's strong!