March 7th

March 7th

Things are busy here in Jumbo Rocks campground.  I'm pretty sure it was full Thursday, but all day Friday there was a parade of hopefuls cruising the campground for that elusive empty site.  (No reservations, first come, first serve). The campground road has become quite constricted, as motorhomes and vehicles pile in for the weekend.  Nancy was focused on where next to camp. I was concentrating on the batteries, and why they're drawing down so quickly. I found that the fridge needs 12 volt for the electronics, and draws even when running on propane.  I also found it has climate control, designed to eliminate humidity buildup, also drawing 12 volt, un-necessary in the desert, and so shut off. 

So, of course it was the propane which provided the days entertainment.  I checked it first thing this morning and found that we were down to one bar on the monitor.  We could put on extra blankets and do without the furnace, but no fridge would be a problem.  The 90 pound tank lasts so long you tend to forget about it; we were hoping it would last until we rolled out Monday morning.  The previous owner carried a 20 pound tank, so you could resupply under just these circumstances, however, in our optimism, we considered it extra weight and left it at home.  So off to town we went in the Bigfoot.  Extricating ourselves from the campground created some excitement, passing incoming Class A's on a winding, single lane road lined with campers of all descriptions.  

Twentynine Palms has 23,000 people and the main national park offices, yet no gas station carries propane.  The local building supply was rumored to have propane, however, his compressor had been broken for an extended period of time. The RV Park/golf course was next, and did have propane, but no one in town seemed to know where it was, and when finally discovered, the highway signage was under a different name.  We did nearly drive into the local Marine Base; there were three barbershops on the highway advertising Marine Haircuts (I really wanted one, but Nancy said no), right beside the tatoo parlours and the "We Buy Cars For Cash" joints.  After finally completing the propane mission, we treated ourselves to fry-fi at Rotten Ronnies, paid some bills, caught up on some correspondence, and Nancy booked us into Borrego Palm Canyon Campground at Anza-Borrego State Park. On our return to Jumbo Rocks, we were relieved to find our spot still unocuppied (we left the Accord and sufficient debris to indicate ownership), parked, releveled, and shut down with a sigh of relief.

March 6th

Kirk seems to, at last, be over his stomach issues.  On the other hand, he had a run under a bush at some critter, likely the wily white-tailed antelope squirrel, and got a poke. What a surprise, everything in the desert is sharp, poisonous, or both.  So he’s a little squinty in the left eye tonight.

Nancy did some trails today, while Kirk & I did not.  First was the White Tank Trail, named after some local mountains, not the large white water tanks (which are everywhere on hillsides, since wells are non-existent).  Next up was the Hall of Horrors Trail, those naturalists will stoop pretty low to get folks on a trail.  (This turned out to be a trail to rock climbing sites-Nancy)  After that was Cap Rock Trail, and since we were in the area, another look off the Keys View. The Faults were still dormant, although I heard there was a small quake off Vancouver Island, maybe loosening things up…  After lunch, a beverage and a snooze in the sun.  After sitting and relaxing for 10 or 15 minutes, Nancy went of to explore the wash behind the campground, and found the backside of skull Rock.

Desert Paintbrush

The batteries don’t seem to be charging the way they should.  We’re running the generator during legal hours (sorry R&A), which charges them at 13.6/7 volts, but with the furnace running at night, it’s taking quite a bit of generator time to keep them over 12.4 volts.  Likely time to replace the house batteries; I lust after a large set of 6 volt batteries, and maybe a couple of rooftop solar panels to make boon docking electrical issues a non-event.  Oh yeah, Jumbo Rocks Campground is $10/night. 

March 5th

We wandered off north-west-ish this morning, out past the West Entrance Station to Joshua Tree The City.  Parks has a Visitor Centre there, which is mostly a gift shop and restaurant.  One thing they do have is a long list of courses they give, everything from desert survival to the art of photography.  What a good idea to build a constituency.

Next, we went east on Highway #62, towards Twentynine Palms, where we stopped for some groceries.  Poor Nancy, has to suss out the layout of every new store along the way.  Kirkby & I were sitting out in the car, as is our wont.  

An older gentleman pulled in beside us, went in, did his shopping and returned to his car.  He asked where my pup was, Kirk having migrated from the sun on the leather seat to the shade of the floor.   Luckily, he then got a phone call.  Nancy came out, loaded the groceries, and we went to  leave.  Uh oh, Accord has dead battery, and will not start.  Headlights must have been on for the hour I was listening to the radio.  I hop out of the car, and ask the nice gentleman if he might have booster cables.  Turns out he did, and two minutes later, we were on our way.  Whew!  He looked like an old Marine, and likely had a gun or two in his car, but a Very Nice Guy.

We turned south at The Oasis of Maria, and headed south to the North Entrance station. (confusing, I know).  Back to Jumbo Rocks for lunch.  After lunch, we went to Hidden Valley, and Nancy walked the Barker Dam trail.  The Barker Dam is a remnant from the 1800’s cattle era, when rainfall here was double the 2-4 inches it is today, and there were lush valleys of grass for cattle.  It was “improved” during the gold mine era to provide water to process gold ore.  As Nancy’s photos show, the dam holds back little water today.

Hiking Skull Rock trail by Nancy:

Basically the trailhead signs all say take water or risk death.  To a tourista from water abundant MB, this statement is beginning to sink in after several desert hiking experiences.  

This a lovely 1.7 mile walk (high ankle breaking potential) from our campground to - yes -Skull Rock.  The trail runs through Jumbo Rocks area.  The early morning light made me wish Debbie was along with her super camera, she would have had a fantastic time.

Once again trail is marked by rocks on rocks.  Who could get lost?

Down into a cool wash (canyon) filled with Pinyon Pine, Juniper, creosote, and a large Turpinella Oak in this photo.  To Skull Rock.

On the way back I decided to cut across the top of the rocks to gain an overview of our campsite, if you look closely you can see the Bigfoot in campsite in photo below.

I looked for a shortcut back to our campsite and after crossing several crevasses which dropped into tight thorny canyons and carefully sliding along rock faces I got visions of coming across some 10 year old intrepid tourist stuck in one and preserved by the dry climate.  I decided that perhaps the actual trail was a better bet.

On the other hand, I kept to the Barker Dam trail as it and most other trails in the park are in open desert and not ones you would want to wander off of.  It is hard enough to tell where the actual trail is at times without adding to the dilemma.  Even though this is the cool high visitor season, the days get hot and dry and the nights near freezing.  Barker Dam wasn’t holding any water just a few remaining pools around it.

I saw a few lizards along the trail, birds including a Pinyon Jay and more whitetail antelope squirrels.

The desert is a beautiful place with micro-environments scattered throughout, it rejuvenates your soul like fishing!

Jumbo Rocks

Nancy here

Moved to north end of Joshua Tree park to Jumbo Rocks which is just that, a lot of huge rocks with campsites set amongst them, Creosote bushes, Diamond Cholla, California Juniper, Mohave Yucca, Pinyon Pine, Turpinella oak, Joshua trees, and you guessed it - cacti.  

Pinyon Pine

Things are beginning to bloom or budding like this Beavertail cactus. 

Truly experiencing desert life takes a stop over and time sitting.  Today, within a 50 foot radius of our campsite new animals included California ground squirrels, Desert Cottontail, Rock Squirrels, White Antelope Squirrels, and a truly busy fellow called a California Thrasher who ran back and forth in camp piercing the soil in search of dinner. 

Desert cottontail

Whitetail Antelope Squirrel

A Cactus wren proclaiming his territory on this blooming Joshua tree.

Dusk brought out the Coyote Desert chorus which seemed a lot less practiced than back home but made up for it in enthusiasm under a clear moonlit desert sky. 

March 3rd

Nancy had another long night with Kirk’s gastrointestinal distress; many trips outside. At least there was a nice moon…

Our first day in the Pacific time zone, so we were up and on the road at 8:15 am.  Our mission was to get to Keys View, a 5185 foot high overlook of the Coachella Valley. We are also seeking a north end campground, since on closer inspection, we found that most of the Park’s trails and exhibits are a 35 mph winding 45 miles of highway to the north.

We planned to cruise directly to the overlook, telling ourselves we would stop on the way back. Jumbo Rocks campsite was worth a tour, however, and we plan on an early departure from Cottonwood Spring tomorrow to spud into Jumbo Rocks for the weekend.  

Keys View was simply Stunning, with a capital S.  The recent rains had washed the air clear, and we could see the Salton Sea 30 miles away. 

Now here’s the interpretive sign.

Salton Sea, Signal Mountain, Thermal, Indio, Palm Springs, etc. right to the San Gorgonio Mountains, check, check, all laid out beautifully right below your eyes. 

Now have a closer look at the valley.  

See that wrinkle, running right down the centre?  Look familiar?  Right, it’s the San Andreas AND the San Bernadino Faults. Yep, no mention of it on the sign.  Everything you see on the far side of that wrinkle, towns, fields, golf courses, and snow capped mountains, everything, all will move 15 to 20 feet north, the next time it really lets go. And when you’re standing there looking at the immensity of it, you can hardly believe it.  Clearly the folks living down in that lovely valley can’t believe it either.

The north end of the park is also home to the Park’s namesake, the Joshua Tree.  As you drive along into their habitat, they start out small, and soon escalate into tall, full-blown trees.  These trees, combined with the rockpiles of eroded monzogranite, give the valley an otherworldly feel, worthy of a Star Wars shoot.  

On the way back to the south end, we stopped at the Cholla Cactus Garden and the Ocotillo Patch.  The Ocotillo were blooming madly.  The north end is full of nature trails and viewpoint, which we look forward to exploring, once we relocate somewhat closer.

Joshua Tree National Park

It rained steadily all night and was still raining when we made our leisurely departure from La Paz County Park.  For an area that doesn’t get much rain, we were drenched; we must have received at least an inch of rain, maybe more.  The non-vegetated overflow camping area was a soup of mud/sand/gravel. 

The water at La Paz was said to be not potable, however, according to the volunteers, it’s fine, just has some calcium in it, everybody around here drinks it.  Our water at home has some calcium in it, we sampled it and it tasted fine, so we filled the Bigfoot fresh water tank.  The first sign of trouble was Kirk whining in the middle of the night.  Luckily, Nancy got up and took him for a walk, because he had The Mighty Squirts (or the Trots, as Mom used to say). Still dark, and Kirk is whining again.  More squirts.  Nancy says, oh yeah, some of the people at the dog park were giving their dogs bottled water, said the local water gave their dogs the runs. Nancy and I were both half a bubble off plum stomach-wise, as well.  Hmm.  Decision is to drink bottled water till we can drop the fresh water tank, likely alkaline, not amoeba, so we shouldn’t have to chlorinate all over again.   

We headed west of Parker on Highway #62 and the rain tapered off soon after we entered California.  The Mojave Desert sure has a big lot of nothing.  Makes a lightly vegetated gravel pit look attractive in comparison.  We turned south on Highway 177 and joined the I-10 freeway at Desert Centre.  A climb up Chiriaco Summit and turned north into Joshua Tree National Park.  The south entrance winds up a steep canyon 7 miles before you climb up onto the plateau, where the Cottonwood Visitor Centre welcomes you to the park.  We pulled into the Cottonwood Spring Campground, very tight for the 29 foot Bigfoot, but somehow people had shoe-horned the odd 40 class A into campsites.  The extended slides protruded into the traffic lane, and it took some care to get by.  

The hit of the day was the Cottonwood Spring themselves. The park explains them as rock fractures where the ground water finds its way to the surface.  In an arid land, when you see an oasis, you realize just how important it can be to flora and fauna (including humans).

Nancy walked the one mile trail back to the campsite, and took some shots of what the vegetation looks like when not at the spring.

Teddy Bear (or Jumping) Cholla

March 1st

We decided to drop the grey/black tanks and fill the water this morning, just in case we feel a hankering’ (way out west talk) to hit the road tomorrow, when our campsite runs out here at La Paz County Park.  Because, once again here in the desert, rain is on the way; the Runner went back into the Accord, and the chairs and side table stowed into the Bigfoot bays.

Nancy, Kirk & I took the Accord into Lake Havasu City, to check out Lake Havasu City State Park (inventive naming scheme), in case we happened to go north tomorrow.  The $20 overflow sites were mildly attractive, being pretty much right down on the beach.  The $35 serviced sites, other than water and electric, didn’t seem to offer much for the extra $15.  The rain had begun, so we stopped in at the Golden Corral (Gary B.’s favourite) for buffet lunch.  I was OK with it, but Nancy was muttering (OK, it was clearly audible) her dissatisfaction.

We came back to the Bigfoot for a lazy afternoon, with the rain pattering on the roof; 10mm forecast. Nancy did her usual exhaustive research, and so far, we are determined to head for Joshua Tree National Park, CA, in the morning, probably to Cottonwood or Indian Cove campgrounds.  They’re first come, first serve, and can be busy, so we’re hoping that the combination of Monday morning and the second day of rain combine to get us a spot.  Everything is ready to rock, so it’s just a quick Accord hook-up in the morning, and away we go.