I was down in Los Angeles for a recent vacation and we hiked into Joshua Tree National Park for an overnight backpacking trip. These pictures were shot on an iPhone 8 (not 8 Plus) and no filters we’re used (or animals harmed) for these photos in the making of this adventure. All shots are todo natural. You cannot go wrong when such incredible beauty is surrounding you…all you have to do it point and shoot!
We hiked the Boy Scout Trail to Willow Hole and the Wonderland of Rocks area.
The trail starts up into a rocky valley, which you have to hike into, and then up and over (about 1000 foot elevation gain) to gain the expansive valley floor of Joshua Tree park (where the actual Joshua Tree’s start to manifest). It’s a beautiful, relatively moderate hike, and it starts here –
When you get high enough on the ridge, the view towards Yucca Valley and Twenty-Nine Palms starts to open up –
When you get up and over the ridge, the park opens up to a otherworldly land of Joshua Tree’s as far as you can see –
There’s also a view in the distance of Mt. San Gorgonio, the highest mountain in Southern California at 11,503 feet elevation. It’s called “Old Greyback” for a reason and is the highest mountain going out towards Palm Springs (on the left if you are on the 10 Freeway). Center of photo –
This is what the trail looks like. It wasn’t too hot on the desert valley floor (about 72-74 degrees or so). The sun was hot though, since there is no shade at all.
There were incredibly majestic Joshua Tree’s all around us, as far as you can see –
“The name Joshua Tree is commonly said to have been given by a group of Mormon settlers crossing the Mojave Desert in the mid-19th century: The tree’s role in guiding them through the desert combined with its unique shape reminded them of a biblical story in which Joshua keeps his hands reached out for an extended period of time in order to guide the Israelites in their conquest of Canaan” – Wikipedia reference cited here.
The desert was in bloom with many beautiful flowers and signs of life – lots of flowers everywhere!
And a barrel cactus too –
We saw lots of wildlife. Desert cottontail rabbits, hundreds of ant hills, a RED western rattlesnake (look really close in the picture) and two desert tortoises (we kept our distance). The desert felt healthy and alive. We also heard coyote’s howling in the distance in the evening. A bit unnerving however, still a welcome and joyous sound in the desert.
We hiked into the Wonderland of Rocks area and there were massive ancient rock formations everywhere. It was like a Flintstones world. I felt as though a Pterodactyl was going to fly up over the rocks any moment…seriously.
The shadows were getting longer as evening in the desert came on –
Shadows Getting Longer
Home for the night –
I felt this was the evening’s best picture of a Joshua Tree that I was able to capture. I was really pleased with the way that it came out. My personal favorite – no filter.
The sun can be an oppressive force, so I was pretty well screened up with desert hat, white long sleeves, and sunscreen on my face (I like the Badger brand right now)….and lots of water. We packed 11 liters between us for two days.
When we were driving back there were some ominous looking clouds (sort of reminded me of like Ghostbusters) gathering over Mt. San Jacinto.
Rebuilding
I thought this was an interesting share-worthy read
– https://www.cnn.com/style/article/notre-dame-restoration-gothic-cathedral/index.html
Be Happy
….there are small ways to improve any job, and those incremental improvements can add up to major increases in job satisfaction.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/07/smarter-living/how-to-be-happier-at-work.html
April 6th. Merle.
2019 Germany Trip – In Pictures
I was fortunate to be able to attend a trade show for work in Nuremberg, Germany in March of this year. Many of you know I am an amateur photographer. I love to take pictures along the way. Here are a few select shots from around Nürnberg deep behind the lines in the heart of bonita Bavaria.
Man takes flight.
On our way.
Lufthansa logo art.
Gentlemen welcome here.
Lego Millennium Falcon.
This one turned out a bit too dark due to the way the sun was facing. I still liked the picture and I did get a few night shots of this epic restaurant over the river; further along in this post.
The king called out his jet fighters.
View over Nuremberg from the castle overlook.
Castle guard tower on the approach to the Imperial courtyard.
Nuremberg church at night.
Old guard overlook that houses Der Nassauer Keller in the basement.
Outside of the great food, the Heilig-Geist-Spital restaurant has a remarkable history.
The Holy Spirit Hospital in Nuremberg was the largest municipal facility for the care of the sick in the old imperial city . It was also the depository of the imperial jewels , which were kept in Nuremberg from 1424 to 1796. The hospital was built over the Pegnitz river.
Heilig Geist Spital Nuremberg at night from the bridge over the river.
Heilig Geist Spital Nuremberg at night from the bridge.
Hotel Fackelmann
Franco’s spot.
Sangre del Toro
Sangre del Toro alternate view
Good News
We hear so much bad news all the time, here is a great story with a real hero from these passengers stuck on an Amtrak train –
in a condo made of stone-a
I got the opportunity to see the King Tut (correct: King Tutankhamun) exhibit here at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.
Words cannot express the magnificence of it all. Impressed just feels like the understatement of the millenia for such a display of treasures (historical, cultural and of course, financial – everything was really “golded up”).
I can say that I appreciate the antiquities of this plane and I feel fortunate to be able to have witnessed the exhibit here in Portland.
Thank you OMSI (OMSI’s awesome.).
A few select shots from the day –
I’d like my inner remains someday to be plastered in by gold walls, guarded by four ancient goddesses, and hundreds of King Cobra’s displayed to ward off nefarious types in the afterlife as well.
The Mask – A Face for Eternity
