Desert, Stars, and the TSA

We had big plans last weekend of taking a group of our friends out to Joshua Tree. Having spent so much time out there the last two years rock climbing and camping, I figured our friends would enjoy the quiet solitude, campfire, and starry nights. I guess I was wrong.

Although we locked down the date over 4 months ago, our small circle of friends all lead very busy lives. Like clockwork, we got our first call Tuesday night — the wife was sick and they were staying home. We got our second call soon afterwards — there was some volunteer work that randomly planned some training this weekend. And with 4 of the 10 people cancelling, the others decided it would be no fun as a partial group.

Frankly? I couldn’t care less! I’ve spent more than my fair share of nights alone in Joshua Tree, staring into a fire and enjoying the alone time… of course, I was very excited to share the beauty of this place with our friends, but getting to spend the weekend alone with my wife was a perfectly acceptable replacement.

Friday was spent simply walking around the park, enjoying the “nature loops” setup by the park service. Every 20ft or so, a new sign would point out plants and animals and give you some background on the area you’re in. I always hated History class, but there’s something different about actually seeing history. Seeing relics of the past (including a handful of pictographs), reminded me of my time growing up in Northern Virginia — a place littered with hands-on American History. We finished the day doing a 90ft climb to the top of a rock to watch the sunset. Afterwards, we drove into town to find the best in small-town dining: Applebee’s.

Saturday was full of bouldering. My good friend (and very good climber) Aron joined us for the day. My wife is a great encourager and she enjoys watching us climb. (I’ll spare you the rest of the details as I can see my blog starting to become dreadfully unbalanced with climbing posts). The day was capped off with a big campfire, some roasted chicken breasts, a big bottle of Fat Tire, and a great chat with my lady-friend.

We climbed a bit more Sunday morning before heading back to LA. Once home, my wife left for her mother’s as I prepared for a week-long work trip to San Francisco. Although my trip was a productive one, there’s something jarring to the soul when you experience such a drastic change in mindsets. One day you’re sitting beside a fire, bundled up in a big poofy coat and beanie, staring at a sky lit up like a Christmas tree … the next, you’re dealing with cab lines, TSA, and expense reports. I guess that’s why we take pictures.