I hope this is the last of the summer!! High pressure over southwest, so near record heat. In just a few weeks it will be great weather here for about 7-8 months. But this week, hot as he!!. High of about 108, but dry like your microwave. So, I headed up in mountains. 30 miles down I-10 without much traffic and then off and up into Joshua Tree National Park. About 50 - 60 miles of two lane road going from near sea level desert up into high desert about 4000' as you go up to and through park.
It is about 25 miles up through desert with hardly any traffic as you drive up to the park.
It is all desert and rock formations. Speed is about 50 mph with slower curves as you get up in elevation.
There is a slow, subtle change in the desert plant life as you go up in elevation. At about 2500' the road goes through a cholla cactus oasis. Many, many cholla cactus. Sometimes called the "jumping cactus" because the barbed spines will stick in the poor victim and then pulls off the arm of the cactus and the victim "gets it" with quite a few more barbed spines. I have had the fun of running into them while hiking. Here are some of the cacti.
I looked all around for the liver here but never could find it. Must have washed away.
There are some great rock formations and people come from all over for rock climbing.
All sorts of different rocks.
Seems like the skull is checking out the Valk.
Up above 4000' are the namesake of the park, the Joshua Tree. There are thousands of them and they look great.
After about 25-30 miles through the park and leave at the east exit up high in the mountains.
By then I am really starting to get hungry, so I head over to one of my favorites and park outside.
Head on into the bar/restaurant for some grub. Pappy and Harriets in Pioneertown, built in the 1940's as a cowboy movie set. Roy Rodgers, Gene Autry etc. Restaurant around for about 30 years with lots of eclectic groups. Eric Burdon here a few times.
I'm really dehydrated so need a couple of brews and decide on the catfish and cheese fries. No heart issues so I chow down without any worries.
The sheriff keeps an eye on things at the bar to make sure no one causes any problems.
I'm heading home to watch some football, but if you have a few too many beers, you can just go out back to the motel and leave the bike.
And head over to crash at the motel.
So, made it back home after about 150 miles, with a full belly and ready for some football. Nice day.
