Monday, Jan. 3

We’re meeting up with Brett and Nadia at Jumbo Rocks Campground in Joshua Tree N.P. We haven’t seen Brett in two years, so Carol and I are very excited. As we were getting back in the RV to feed the dogs, Brett and Nadia pulled up behind the Ham. The grand plan to greet and hug them was quickly changed by Lucy. Lucy loves Brett! At first, she started barking like a crazy dog. Then, when she realized that Brett had a strange new dog, she took the barking to a whole new level. Lucy is not fond of strange dogs. Joshua Tree N.P. covers 900 square miles and I know everyone in the park heard her. After Lucy settled down, she greeted Brett by himself and then accepted Arrow and Pogi after a good dog sniffing. Eventually, Carol and I got around to the greeting and hugs. 

Joshua Tree is one of my favorite places. It’s like entering a different world. Small mountains of jumbo boulders stacked on top of each other. Rocks of every shape with many of them just balanced on the edge. And you get to walk, jump and climb on them. 

After a quick, late lunch, Brett, Nadia, their two dogs, Christy and I took off to the rocky playground. Arrow and Pogi are fast, natural climbers and Christy felt she had to keep up with them. Unfortunately, I was at the other end of the leash and did some climbing and jumping that I didn’t know I could still do. 

We sat around a campfire after dark and started getting caught up. Brett went inside the Ham and had a nice visit with his Grandma Lois. Because of a next-day appointment, they had to drive back to L.A. and the day was cut short. We made plans to meet up again later in the week. 

Tuesday, Jan. 4

We took a walk around the campground with the girls this morning, then had lunch before driving around the park. We were in search of scenery and a lucky spot. The mountain scenery constantly changes. As we got to the top of a mountain, both our phones came alive. Joshua Tree has no phone service unless you find a lucky spot. Brett had left us a message, our credit card had been fraudulently used and canceled, and Carol’s Facebook had been hacked. I guess it wasn’t really a lucky spot, but the scenery sure was beautiful!

We moved to another site when we got back to the campground, then took a hike out into the desert. We hit another lucky spot, so Carol texted a friend to report the hack to Facebook. 

In the late afternoon, I decided to play in the jumbo rock maze by myself. The longer you move through the rocks, the more exciting it becomes. You don’t want it to end, but darkness, hunger and fatigue eventually make you return to camp. 

Sitting in the Ham after supper, we all check our phones for messages, emails, weather, Google, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube – nothing. Still no service. Fifteen minutes later, we check again. We’re going to look into a phone anonymous program when we get back home.

Wednesday, Jan. 5

Our last day at Jumbo Rocks was going to be a big day of climbing, except I was too tired and sore. We did a walk around the campground looking for more rock formations….. After lunch, we had to move to another site. We’ve not been in this section of the campground, so we had another jumbo rock mountain to explore. With the girls worn out, I biked to the back of the campground to find a phone signal where we found one the day before. Brett and Nadia were meeting with us at another park the next day and I needed to send him a text. I wandered out into the desert and was unsuccessful. About half of a mile out was a jumbo rock mountain and I figured there had to be a signal at the top. There was no signal, but the views and rock formations were great. Over to the right was another rock mountain, so off I went.

Up at the top there was no signal, but the views and rock formations were great. Conceding to the phone signal gods, I started walking back to my bike. Over to my left, another big mountain started calling out to me. I again found no signal, but the views and formations were great. As I descended from the top, my phone came alive. Plans were made with Brett and I returned to the Ham. 

Click on this link to view more jumbo rocks: https://photos.app.goo.gl/oMu1AWuX7dyGwfiZ6

Carol had everything out to start making chili for supper. She wasn’t going to start for another half an hour, so I crashed on the bed. As I lay there, I started thinking about our long drive the next day. If we left immediately, we could be at another campground within Joshua Tree in about an hour before it got too dark. Carol agreed to the plan, so we were on our way in about five minutes. As we descended down the mountain, it got darker and we got hungrier. By the time we got to the other campground, it was completely dark. The total darkness made it difficult to see the campsites. After two trips around the campground, we finally pulled into a site. It was too small, so we moved to another. This one was not level, so I started the trial and error process of stacking levelers under the tires. The darkness made it challenging, but I eventually got it “close enough”. Not wanting to make chili, Carol cooked an omelette, we ate and went to bed.

Thursday, Jan. 6

We took the alternate Google Map route to Anza Borrego State Park this morning and were treated to a spectacular drive. Soon after we left Joshua Tree, we drove over the well-traveled Rt. 10 and took Box Canyon Rd. to Mecca. Box Canyon Rd. was a dry riverbed of a wide ancient river. Carol took picture after picture while I slowly drove down the winding road. All of us were in awe of the tall walls on both sides. The road entered the valley of Mecca. It was like a huge oasis – green everywhere. Mecca is a farming area of dates, citrus fruits and salad.

Brett and Nadia brought food to prepare supper for us over a campfire. It was a great meal of rice and lentils with cornbread. A longer visit gave us a better opportunity to get caught up. As the sun was setting, Brett and Nadia drove back to L.A.

Friday, Jan. 7

Our Harvest Host membership took us 3000 feet up a mountain to a farm/KOA. They had full hookups, green live oak trees, ostriches, a koi pond, hiking trails and it was free. Beside our site was a tree that woodpeckers used to embed acorns into the tree – thousands of them. It was fun to watch them work so hard. Christy got to meet some new friends.

Saturday, Jan. 8

We awoke to a woodpecker trying to embed an acorn into the roof of our RV. We guessed that  all that hammering has caused brain damage. Back down the mountain to a Harvest Host desert museum for the night. There was an outside trail with markers that identified the desert plant life and told the desert stories. Inside were exhibits of historical Native American artifacts. Carol loves this kind of thing. We drove down the street and carried out one the best pizzas we had ever eaten.

The host allowed us to spend another night, so we just sat around in the 70-degree sunshine and got bored. It was very relaxing. 

Take a fly around the property. https://photos.app.goo.gl/zi5mizKxMtwTsDtZ8