The sky was dark, the sun having set hours ago. It was a new moon phase, leading to even more darkness. I drove down the desert roads lost in thought. I had just set off from the Indio Cabazon Powwow and couldn’t stop thinking about my experience. So I just drove, further and further until it seemed like all civilization had faded away. Finally I saw the entrance for Joshua Tree and cut in. The new moon made it a perfect night to dabble in some astrophotography and my excitement was quickly growing. The night sky seemed to sparkle as far as the mind could comprehend. Its effulgence seemed so much more intense than usual, the stars offering a sense of depth that the city lights usually drown out. I pulled off onto a small dirt road and set up and for hours, trying to take it all in. Orion shone high in the southern sky, but the stars were so bright, even he was drowned out by his neighbors. After hanging out in the bliss of the heavens, I decided it was time to get some sleep.
A few hours later, the sun was just starting to rise and I woke up excited to see it. The entire horizon was engulfed in blankets of pink and blue, making the sky seem like it was being churned out of a cotton candy machine. I felt like I could wisp up the clouds and collect them on a stick, ready to eat. They may not be quite as sweet though. I couldn’t help but feel at peace as the Joshua Trees started to glow underneath the rising sun. I had been here the previous year, but it was only for a drive through in the middle of the day, in the more popular areas of the park. Today I was trying to experience some of the further wonders, entering on the northern side and determined to push into the depths of the park and into its oasis’. The day was already starting off incredibly and I couldn’t have been more excited.
Later that morning, I set off on my bigger hike. I wanted to make it to the Lost Palms Oasis which was located near the southern end of the park and took crossing through miles of canyons to get the the palm trees. I set off, pushing my way through large crowds of people, yet slowly, as I got closer to crossing the first ridge, the people dropped off one by one until I was alone with my thoughts and the desert. Every once In a while I would see another human in the distance, centering me and reminding that I was still on the earth. Without that I truly would have felt like I had been zoomed away to another planet. The canyon went up hundreds of feet and then dropped off, leading to views where you could see tens of miles into the distance. Eventually, I got to the oasis, about four miles in. Palm trees jutted out of the dry sand making me feel like I was in the Sahara. It was so interesting. I had always read about oasis’ in stories but seeing one in real life was so unique. To see this much life surrounding me really blew my mind. I still had to hike back though, so I turned around feeling both content yet melancholic that I was leaving.
Later that afternoon, I exited the park on the southern end and headed towards Indio to charge. All of the sudden it started to snow and the desert was covered in white. I couldn’t believe my eyes as this blanket started covering everything. Before I knew it, the street was covered and the mountain passes were being shut down as most local vehicles would not be prepared for this. As suddenly as it started, it was over, and the blanket started to disappear. Next thing I knew, a rainbow exploded out from behind the clouds. What a perfect day.
Closest Supercharger Twentynine Palms
73829 Baseline Rd, Twentynine Palms, CA 92277
Joshua Tree National Park
6554 Park Blvd, Joshua Tree, CA 92252
