USA: Joshua Tree & Twentynine Palms (Roadtrip)

A journey into the High Desert of Southern California

You never quite know what to expect when travelling through parts of the South West. You have different deserts, different types of cacti, the Colorado River, dust, and the great unknown that can stretch for miles upon miles. Picture an adoring brother and sister jamming to entrancing tracks in a car, hitting the boulevard of the strange yet extremely colourful Palm Springs, attending a live gig at a saloon located within an old western film set in the middle of nowhere, camping and hiking in the infamous Joshua Tree National Park - what do you get? Well, I hope it's an image of an adventure filled with love and happiness...and a bit of dust!

My sister and I left Phoneix early on a brisk Friday morning. Our destination? Joshua Tree National Park, with some enticing stops along the way! We travelled along Interstate 10 for about 4 hours, changing time zones whilst driving, and arrived for an afternoon in Palm Springs. Known for having over 100 golf courses in the area and various luxury estates, Palm Springs was an interesting place to visit. I describe it as a mini-LA, but then again, I haven't even been to LA... It has some incredible architecture that boasts bright colours that pop-out at you as you pass on by. There is a variety of retail by the main strip, accompanied by numerous bars and hotels. Many inhabitants have either retired there, or are there for a bachelor/bachelorette party and a potential wedding. We were glad to have ticked it off the list!

That night, we stayed at High Desert Motel which was situated along Twentynine Palms Highway, near Pioneertown. Pioneertown was a town that was built as a western film set in 1946 (I belive it is still used for filming). California Through My lens offer a brief history: "In 1946, Pioneertown was founded by a group of Hollywood investors with dreams of creating a living movie set — an 1870’s frontier town with facades for filming and interiors open to the public. On the outside were stables, saloons, and jails, and on the inside, were ice cream parlors, bowling alleys, and motels". The significance for us, other than this rad piece of history, was that we were there to watch a Welsh alternative rock band called The Joy Formidable (our grandmother was Welsh!). They played at the local saloon called Pappy and Harriet's. It met all my expectations and more, as my sister and I shared this intimate sibling moment whilst jamming together. Fittingly, it truly was a formidable set.

Another day, another dollar. We awoke and instantaneously found ourselves holding a cup of some notorious Joshua Tree Coffee. Much needed. We venutred around Joshua Tree (JT) for most of the day, doing some boutique shopping, wondering the Saturday farmers market, and catching the Arsenal game and some grub at the Joshua Tree Saloon. Against all odds, we sat next to a couple who were from North London and massive Arsenal supporters. With a crucial win to remain top of the table for the rest of the year, we had a happy James and some happy new friends! Next on the agenda was on route to our stay for the night, the Glass Outhouse Art Gallery. A cute indoor and outdoor, non-profit exhibit run by a lovely old lady. That evening, we turned off Twentynine Palms Highway and made our way along a dirt road into the desert. We finally arrived at Smitty's Hideaway! My sister and I loved our time there as we sat outside this tiny, torquoise house, shooting the breeze, stargazing, and listening to some jazz. It was just what we needed as it was extremely comfortable, and the cheapest stay yet!

We woke up to a dust storm on the day that we would be entering the park. Winds around Joshua Tree and Twentynine Palms were blowing between 30-40mph. Windy was an understatement. Luckily, to some extent, Jumbo Rocks Campground was at about 15-20mph. So, instead of heading into the park early we decided to heed the advice given to us from our friend Joe; to go and eat some ribs at The Rib Co! It was nothing special in terms of setting as it was just like a traditional diner along a freeway that is eventually surrounded by nothing. However, make no mistake, these are the best ribs I have ever eaten. We went for the sharing option, which comprises of 5 different types of ribs. The waitstaff and chef were super friendly and it was a great experience all-round, although our stomachs might have suggested otherwise...

Finally, we reached the last destination of our roadtrip - Joshua Tree National Park. Having already been referenced to in the wind trilogy above, we camped at Jumbo Rocks Campground. Besides the campgrounds that serve as a first come basis, Jumbo Rocks is considered one of the best spots to pitch camp in JT and came highly recommended. With some spectacular colours striking these bouldering rocks, as well as its proximity to other areas of the park; we felt fortunate to have gotten the second-last camping spot for our travel dates. This was the part of the journey that I was most looking forward to. I appreicate being out in nature and exploring various trails that one can be surrounded by. JT was no different; this was the place to do just that. We camped for two nights and went on a couple of hikes, short and long. Skull Rock, Cholla Garden, and Barker Dam were some of our shorter walks, whilst our longer hike - Lost Horse Mine Loop - was done on the Sunday and took us approximately 3 hours (it can be done in 2). My watch had it at about 10km. Relatively gentle most of the way with a steep incline towards the old mine itself, it was beautiful to be able to see the landscapes, especially where the Mojave and the Colorado deserts collide.

We had our final sunset at Keys View, a panoramic viewpoint which overlooks the Coachella Valley, Palm Springs, the Sultan Sea, and a whole bunch of mountains. Pretty awesome. At night, my sister and I would sit by the campfire, stargaze, laugh, and have some whiskey whilst we froze with all the layers we already had on. One night we even joined our neighbours to have a S'more or two! For those who don't know, a s'more is a North American campfire tradition that consists of a toasted marshemllow, a layer of chocolate, squeezed between two crackers/biscuits. I'm not one for having a sweet tooth but can happily say that these are worth it.

And... That was that. We headed back to the Valley of the Sun (Phoenix) with a big grin on our faces as we watched the sun in my rearview mirror set behind us. An adventure into the High Desert that was spent with one of the people I love most in this world, my beautiful sister. For that, I am always grateful.

Caught on film (Pentax K1000):