December 15th, 2016: Oh Joshua Tree…

Writing from: A Starbucks in Joshua Tree. Not very interesting, but nice to have an internet day as I’m feeling a bit under the weather.

Mood: Feeling great. Last night was spent up in the mountains above Rim Rock at this hippie enclave that I’ll discuss later. I’m feeling at ease after a solid day of relaxing with some good people and enjoying a beautiful view. Also, I receive some good news regarding my mechanical woes. This was a pleasant surprise as the news is typically the opposite. If anyone cares for more detail, I was about to have to warranty the motor because I thought there was a crack in the steel that was leaking coolant where it wasn’t supposed to be leaking (out of one of my exhaust manifold bolt things). Found out that it’s how the rebuilt motor was made, so no problems.

Last nights dinner: We made dinner for a friend of ours so we went with spaghetti + sauce with our added signature ground beef, onions, and broccoli. Served with one of the 4 bottles of wine we bought (awesome being back in CA, haha). Pasta is always a solid dinner choice.

#Vanlife Tidbit: I’m ending the debate on fridge vs. cooler. Although one of the quality fridges (ARB, Engel, etc) may be a steep upfront investment, the benefits are just too overwhelming. 1) Never have to worry about getting ice. Welcome to having cold food for longer than 48 hours 2) Food is never soggy 3) No more leaks 4) Did I mention never having to pay for or chase ice? Happy to elaborate more on my setup. Send me a DM.

Thinking about: One thing that I noticed but never appreciated about Joshua Tree was the interesting mix of people that it brings to it’s town. During this time of year, Joshua Tree is the mecca for van people. However, the part I never noticed was the different type of van people. Rock climbers mingle with foreign backpackers who mingle with hippies and so on. Although everyone’s got different interest, I got a kick out of seeing the van as the common denominator.

So it’s Thursday morning here in Joshua Tree and we arrived Monday night. Being a happy camper from LA, I’ve already been to Joshua Tree a few times. But also, being a fan of alternative experiences (ie. fun and weird shit), I’m aware that Joshua Tree also has a different, experimental side to it. In my opinion, the mix of people — climbers, backpackers, hippies, and travelers — is one of the things that makes Joshua Tree so great. You get a very unique mix of people who have different interests but are apply the same diligence to their pursuit of personal growth, exploration, and happiness. I elaborated more on this in my Thinking About section.

After finishing up at the laundromat Monday night, this guy, Scott, approached the Gator to say how much he liked it and ask some questions. He mentioned that he was a van guy himself and he really liked the rig so we chatted for a few moments. He mentioned that he was from the area, so we delved into a conversation about what else to do aside from the park. Being a dirty traveling hippie like ourselves, he suggested something more on the experimental side called Garth’s Place. We made plans to meet up later and head over there on Tuesday or Wednesday and exchanged numbers. After figuring out that this was not the beginning of a scary movie and was indeed an actual place, we were quite excited as what we read on the web were right up our alley (in other words, weird). After this interaction, we headed into the park to look for a spot to sleep.

I knew December was popular, but I have no idea it was this popular. It took us 3 campgrounds to find a spot to park on a Monday. At any rate, we made it to Jumbo Rocks, passed out, and woke up for sunrise so we could move and get our day going. We headed over to Geology Tour Road and did that loop, which was a good start to the day as we got to see different examples of different terrain. Throughout the rest of the day, we would drive down a dirt road, find a parking circle, and go for a short walk. It was a true vagabond type of day: 72 degrees, sunny, with absolutely nothing to do except take in my beautiful surroundings.

While on this little adventure, I was taking some photos and I finally found a way to articulate with detail what I personally love about Joshua Tree and the surrounding areas (Mojave Natl Preserve, Amboy, etc). The entire Mojave desert can be summed up in about 5 colors: light brown, dark brown, light grey, dark grey, and the occasional green. That’s it…for miles and miles. The rocks are dark and light gray and the sand dark and light brown, while the green, for the most part, takes a back seat throughout the Southern California desert. However, as you explore the Joshua Tree Natl Park, the green pops out at you. The amount of browns and grays stay consistent with the other parts of the desert, but as the elevation increases as it does in the park, the effects of precipitation also increases the amount of vegetation on the ground, and the landscape becomes flooded with a shit-ton of vivid greens. Throughout the park, we get two vivid shades of green: light green, from the cholla cacti, and dark green, from the Joshua trees. Adding to the madness, these granite rock formations rise out of the ground, which looks like God reached into a bag of Jeep-sized boulders and just started drizzling them around the park where he saw fit. The gray reminds me of Yosemite as they too feature huge sheer walls of granite. I love the contrasting colors and the combinations that you find in different frames as you drive around. It creates such a picturesque desert that is such a joy to drive around. Although it lacks the grandeur and sweeping views of the Colorado plateau, the high deserts of Southern California are an absolute pleasure to spend time with.

Lexie was struggling with some heartburn, so after our afternoon strolls we headed out to town to get her some medication and find a spot to lay low for the night. We fell asleep outside the visitor center excited for the adventure (or crime scene) that lay ahead with our new friend, Scott.

I’m just going to be as frank as possible and say that our time with Scott was some bizarre stuff. Getting a good start on the day, we headed up to Garth’s 650 acre plot of land high up in the mountains above Rimrock — maybe 12 miles north of Joshua Tree. As we slowly crept through the property, I knew this was going to be a weird place when I saw a couple colorful camp setups and an outdoor communal kitchen that lay between a couple of 1960s school busses. We continued up the road to where we parked our car, which was sandwiched between the hand built, sand/cement Amphitheater and the acoustic platform that was shaped like a 3d asterisk (definitely something off the Burning Man playa). Scott explained to us that all of the shit around us was built by someone who had stayed at the property in the past and decided to contribute something. No one really knows Garth’s background (sketch), but he claimed to have been there for over 30 years and with all the crazy stuff around, I could see how the stuff could just accumulate. We wandered around taking a look what people had made: multiple homes built into the boulders, the chicken coup, the peacock pen, the sauna (built into a boulder, obviously), the green house, and the many other oddities spread around. It was just the most bizarre thing to walk around the middle of no where and see all of these incredible builds. We approached the center of the property, which features Garth’s tipi (he obviously lives in a tipi), the spring that he discovered and dammed, and a second outdoor kitchen. Around the table were the regulars who seem to stay at the property full time (people just show up and never leave), helping Garth with whatever he needed done. In exchange, they received a place to stay and food. In the middle of a city, the people around the city would have resembled homeless people, but out here, they fit right in with the vibe. After hanging out and exchanging some stories, Scott, myself, and Lexie continued to explore the property before making our way back to camp where we enjoyed the talked, laughed, and enjoyed the beautiful scenery and solitude. It was a bit weird, but definitely something I’m happy I got to experience during my time in Joshua Tree.

The next few days should be great. I get to see my crew from LA up here for the weekend before getting to do some rock climbing early next week. The travels continue.