I mentioned earlier that I had forgotten several items when I left for this trip, but I also intentionally left several regular items in my car, the Silver Bullet (SB). My game plan was to online order replacements for those items I really wanted to have on hand for pickup from a local Walmart. This included a charger I could plug into the rental, a 40-ounce thermos to hold water (never, NEVER, NEVER enter parks without an independent water source), and food that did not require preparation to eat. I also made sure the gas tank of the rental was filled. While this was normal procedure for me, I was especially concerned for that day because I had reserved a campground space in Joshua Tree National Park for the night. Joshua Tree was one of several parks designated as a Dark Sky site, and I wanted to be ready to spend the night as well prepared as I could be, so I could focus on getting pictures.
This was technically my second visit to Joshua Tree NP. I say that because the first was really more of a drive-by. I wanted to do the park justice this time and devote the entire day to the visit. I started the day, as usual, at the visitors center to talk with the park rangers about current conditions and their recommendations for my time in the park. I also got park date stamps for my NPS passport and my usual medallion and magnet. I had started using Shaka Guide, an audio guide that provided historical, cultural, and other information about several sites based on GPS positions the app picks up from your phone. I have been impressed by its ability to track positions even when Wifi is not available (the caution being that you have to load the specific tour before entering the site).
The route took me southeast through the park, where I got to see the Joshua trees and other flora as well as amazing rock formations. As I drove from the Mojave Desert to the adjacent Colorado Desert, I could see the changing topography. I was also directed to the point where the San Andreas Fault crosses the park. My understanding is that the fault follows the dark line of shrubs running along in a “V” shape in the middle of the picture.
I had some time before I wanted to enter the campground area, so I drove to the nearest food and gas place (about 20 miles away) to use the restroom, get something hot to eat, and fill my gas tank. Being this far from civilization wasn’t terribly surprising since parks are usually in remote locations.
My reservation for the night was at Joshua Tree’s Cottonwood Campground. I was lucky to get a space within a short walk of the restroom. When I arrived, it was still light outside, which was a good thing because the battery-operated lantern I’d purchased earlier from Walmart hadn’t come with batteries. I’m not a camping type, so no tent setup nor campfires for me. I assembled and placed my telescope near the car, then I checked the stargazing apps on my phone. The sky was nearly cloudless, and as my vision adjusted to the approaching night, I could see more and more stars in the sky. It became so dark that I could discern the dim lights from the nearest town that I had visited earlier that evening. The folks who shared the campground kept the noise to a minimum, as if they respected the silence of the scene.
I took several pictures with my camera, but I wished that I had brought my camera tripod from home. It’s not expensive, but it would have provided more steadiness to the camera than I could have provided by holding it in my hands. While a more experienced photographer with more expensive equipment could have captured better pictures, I was not displeased with the results of my efforts. My goal was not to get professional images, but to capture a manifestation of the moment.
What a way to end the day! I really must do that again!
Anyway, selected pictures from the day are below, with the rest available at https://singin1.click/piwigo/index.php?/category/11. The map there will also indicate the route I took through the park.
As always, I thank the Lord for granting me the stamina to make the trip, the damn good reflexes to steer the Silver Bullet (SB)–or whatever I am driving–as she needed to be guided, and the ability to enjoy His handiwork as it whizzes by my windshield.
The drive from Joshua Tree to my next destination, Death Valley National Park, was approximately four hours long, mostly north on Kelbaker Rd. There were no major towns on the route, but I also had no reason to expect much in the way of road assistance if I needed it. I wanted to get an early start, however, so I could spend as much of the day at Death Valley as I could.
