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Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Joshua Tree - December 2010

I wanted to get outside one last time before 2010 ends, and settled on Joshua Tree for it's proximity to my parent's house, lack of snow, and absolutely stunning scenery.  My best plans were nearly compromised when Southern California got dumped on with several weeks of pouring rain.  What was originally going to be 3 days in the high desert was downgraded to a single day.  My brother joined me overnight, and our folks came out during the day and early evening for a hike up Ryan Mountain and beers around the campfire.

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Bryan and I got to camp early and found a nice spot that was backed by a massive boulder pile, ensuring that were there an earthquake, we would be completely squashed under the weight of a million tons of stone.  We did a little bouldering and scrambling around the rock piles, which consisted of Bryan smoothly scaling sheer stone faces while I kept falling off. 

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When our parents got there, we headed to the Ryan Mountain trail-head for a sunset hike.  The temperature dropped quickly on the shaded side of the mountain, but the scenery was more than worth it.  The Ryan Mountain trail is a pretty easy 1.5 miles, going from around 4K feet elevation to around 5.5K.  As you crest over the spine, you have views in every direction.  I love high desert.  It looks like you are on some foreign planet, completely devoid of life.

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After getting back to camp, we shared a few beers, and then Mom and Dad headed home.  Bryan and I stayed up, discussing plans and New Year's Resolutions (or their lack), the benefits of the Falcon Punch * and appropriate recipients of it, and we drank more beer.  Or I did, rather.  Bryan was drinking like a pansy.  This is why his Falcon Punch will always suck.

Eventually we stumbled off to bed.  I don't think it froze that night, but it was cold enough, surely in the mid 30's, but three layers of clothing proved sufficient for comfort.  Upon waking the next morning, a fire was surely in order, followed by coffee/hot chocolate, and some more boulder hopping.  It was Christmas Eve day, and we headed back to Palm Desert early.  A brief but very enjoyable trip.

* Falcon Punch, N.
 The act of jumping off from your f-zero vehicle, charging and engulfing your arm with flames so that punching an unexpecting person to his/her mortal doom would cause the breaking of a hole in the space-time continuum and creating a beam of light so great the goddamn galaxy doesnt have the balls to show anyone....

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9 comments:

Martin said...

I noticed that right after I talked about High Desert having no visible signs of life, I show pictures with tons of trees and greenery. Failure, thy name is Martin

Unknown said...

i love joshua tree, i really wanna go there when it's cooler because i've only been in the summer and it was wayyyy hot. i also wanna make it out to death valley some day ;__; this trip looked fun~ and damn yeah, the rain has been crazy all over california eh?

Les Champs Elysees said...

Good stuff man! I really want to go to Joshua Tree - Seems like a good place to explore.

Riley Carson said...

As always, the photos are beautiful.

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous place!

Venom said...

I'm more of a rabbit puncher myself.

A well placed rabbit punch right in the back of the f'ing head will knock a bitch down, yo.

Seriously, don't mess with me.

Martin said...

KK - Yep, I'm all about high desert in the winter and early spring. Funny you should mention Death Valley, as my Brother, myself and some friends are looking into a trip in February.

Les Champ - Go, dude. You'd love it.

Riley - Cheers

IcedJasmineTea - Thanks for coming by

Venom - Rabbit punches are effective, but they will cost you a point. Falcon punches are far too fast and dangerous to even be seen. They basically obliterate everything within 10 square miles, except the falcon puncher of course.

Anonymous said...

Man. I realize, I'm reading this a bit late, but I thought the same thing as you commented on. "Devoid of life = trees?" And I was going to send you a falcon-punch, which I am a big fan of.

Also nice to put a face to Mr. and Mrs. Schatz.

Anonymous said...

Who's the fat guy with your mother