22/11:
Category: General
Posted by: The Agnew Family
Joshua Tree National Park is today’s destination. As Joshua Tree is a large park that you drive through to see the sights with an exit at both ends we did a circular route --- only 227km or 141 miles. The route took us east on hwy 10 to the park road, north (winding through the park) on the park road to hwy 62, west and south to hwy 10 and east again to the park --- Beautiful drive. Joshua Tree is a very diverse park; the southern portion is the Colorado Desert, at a lower elevation with a lot of mesquite; the northern portion is the Mojave Desert, at a higher elevation with lots of Joshua Trees.
The California Fan Palm at Cottonwood Spring, one of several Oasis in the park. The spring was used for centuries by the Cahuilla Indians and more recently prospectors and minors. There were a couple of gold mines in the area.
Looking across the desert to the hills.
Cholla Cactus Garden. This area in the park has perfect conditions for the Cholla Cactus so they thrive here. This cactus is also known as the "jumping" cactus. Barbs, found on the ends of the spines, attach easily to animals, clothing, etc. and the segments break off easily from the main plant --- thus "jumping". We saw several people with a "segment" on their pant leg or shoe. The plant reproduces not by seed (the plant produces seeds but they tend to be sterile) but by the segments rooting when they land on the ground.
Monzogranite rocks --- I'm in the photo to show just how large these rocks are.
More rocks.
The "arch"
There is a sign along the drive that indicates you are at the joining point of the Colorado Desert and the Mojave desert. It is not long after this that you start to see the Joshua Trees. A Joshua tree is part of the agave family and is related to the Yucca. Young Joshua tree sprouts may grow several inches in the first five years, and then average a half inch of growth per year. This tree has got to be a lot older than me.
Skull rock.
"Help!!!!! the rock is sucking me in"
High in the hills looking down on Palm Springs --- too bad the smog is hampering the view.
I had commented to Ed that I hadn't seen any rock climbers --- spoke too soon. We saw a lot of climbers in this area.
On the drive back to the park, we watched the sun set --- it was 4:37pm. Being at the front of a time zone really affects the daylight hours.
As we drove down into the Palm Springs area we were amazed to see thousands of wind turbines. This spot is apparently the windiest spot in Southern California thus becoming the perfect spot for a wind farm. This is one bank of turbines.
The California Fan Palm at Cottonwood Spring, one of several Oasis in the park. The spring was used for centuries by the Cahuilla Indians and more recently prospectors and minors. There were a couple of gold mines in the area.
Looking across the desert to the hills.
Cholla Cactus Garden. This area in the park has perfect conditions for the Cholla Cactus so they thrive here. This cactus is also known as the "jumping" cactus. Barbs, found on the ends of the spines, attach easily to animals, clothing, etc. and the segments break off easily from the main plant --- thus "jumping". We saw several people with a "segment" on their pant leg or shoe. The plant reproduces not by seed (the plant produces seeds but they tend to be sterile) but by the segments rooting when they land on the ground.
Monzogranite rocks --- I'm in the photo to show just how large these rocks are.
More rocks.
The "arch"
There is a sign along the drive that indicates you are at the joining point of the Colorado Desert and the Mojave desert. It is not long after this that you start to see the Joshua Trees. A Joshua tree is part of the agave family and is related to the Yucca. Young Joshua tree sprouts may grow several inches in the first five years, and then average a half inch of growth per year. This tree has got to be a lot older than me.
Skull rock.
"Help!!!!! the rock is sucking me in"
High in the hills looking down on Palm Springs --- too bad the smog is hampering the view.
I had commented to Ed that I hadn't seen any rock climbers --- spoke too soon. We saw a lot of climbers in this area.
On the drive back to the park, we watched the sun set --- it was 4:37pm. Being at the front of a time zone really affects the daylight hours.
As we drove down into the Palm Springs area we were amazed to see thousands of wind turbines. This spot is apparently the windiest spot in Southern California thus becoming the perfect spot for a wind farm. This is one bank of turbines.