An outing with friends, wind, and a critter...

Our Location: Joshua Tree National Park BLM, West entrance, California


I slept well last night even though the wind was still pretty strong, and I even slept through sunrise. I can tell you it didn’t bother me too much as I’m tired of listening  to the wind howl and I could hear it so I knew it would be cold outside anyway. It was after 7 when I got up, Miss Riley was already heating the water for our drinks. It’s very rare that Riley’s up before I am. 

Walking the slot canyon again, Sonya, Riley and Joshua..

We enjoyed our drinks, chatting, reading and just kind of getting ready to start the day. It doesn’t take us long to get up and moving when we decide to do it. So heading toward 9 am we started collecting ourselves and getting ready to head out with Sonya, Joshua and Jack (the dog) for a repeat of the slot canyon we found. The wind was blowing hard enough to make it difficult to keep the door in hand while exiting the Igloo and one had to be most careful with the Dogsled doors as they are pretty heavy and could easily hurt you if they were caught by the wind.

I love the high walls here....

 

 We were a bit early and I had a few things to check anyway. We have a rodent in the cubbie and I set two traps, he or she cleaned them both without getting caught. One is an old type with the bar you put in the slot, and one is a new type that allows the bar to snap down quickly when they move the little door to the food tray. I also have some pellets out as well. I reset the traps and if that doesn’t work tomorrow I’ll put out a glue trap and try that. I’m sure it’s due to the storage of our garbage in there over night a few nights ago. I didn’t want to keep it inside and should have put in the box of the truck but well, it doesn’t matter now. 

The canyon is a bit wider here....

We packed our hiking bag and Riley put her brand new very nice walking sticks together and tried them out. Thanks again Aunt Janet and Uncle Dennis. They work great and Riley loves them. I can see many more hikes in her future now that she has such fancy sticks.

Heading back to the Dogsled...

Pretty soon Sonya, Joshua, and Jack appeared, since we hadn’t met Joshua before we took care of that little chore, then we climbed into the Dogsled and headed out to Box Canyon Road to our slot canyon trail. They hadn’t been through Box Canyon Road yet so we opted to take a drive out and have a peek at the Salton Sea. A very nice drive indeed. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of that drive. Turning around we headed back to our walking area. We found it again without too much difficulty and we were the only one there again.  We took turns leading and bringing up the rear. It was a nice leisurely walk but we were very aware of the glass shards every where and Jack’s unprotected feet. He however was very adept at picking his way around them. Although he did from time to time come up with a sticker of some kind in his paw. He would pull it out pretty quickly and be happy to continue onward. Jack is pushing 9 years old but did very well on this little excursion.

L to R: Deb, Riley, Joshua, Sonya.

It was the perfect temperature for walking in the canyon, and we had very little wind once inside. We chattered and walked getting to know each other a bit better and the talk flowed easily. A couple of rests along the way allowed us all the opportunity to take in the amazing sights.  The slot canyon was just as fun for us this time as it was the last time. Near the end of the skinny slot there is a tight spot that caught Sonya a bit off guard, stopped everything for a minute or two however once through the narrow tunnel she was fine. Jack reacted when Sonya reacted but it all worked out fine. We walked a little further than Riley & I walked the other day but not much. 

See the dust or haze in the air?

The walls of the slot canyon fascinate me as lower down they are as smooth and hard as can be,  but further up are a bit crumbly to the touch. They tower majestically over head and almost demand attention but yet silently applaud us for passing by without disturbing them. They wind and twist further into the area and while I would love follow the path to it’s end, I doubt I will do so. The slot canyon area is not very long, it widens out a bit but as far as we journeyed it didn’t widen out like the other canyon path. It was still single file walking with sloped sides and gravel bottom, no large boulders that I could see at least. No evidence of people other than their footsteps in the sandy bottom. The wider area allowed more sun and heat, with just the hint of a breeze but not the wild winds of the open areas.

I love the way the sun is shining through the cactus spines...

We eventually turned around and headed back toward the Dogsled once again taking our time and enjoying the adventure. This time passing through the skinny spot was no issue, Joshua lead the way out with Riley a close second bringing Jack along with her, Sonya next and yours truly bringing up the rear. We had to ensure that Joshua didn’t get too far ahead of us so that when we came out of the slot canyon he didn’t turn the wrong way. Joshua travels with his mother, for much the same kind of reasons that Riley travels with me. 

Desert weeds in the setting sun's rays...

We reached the Dogsled with no issues, resting a bit and posing for a group photo. Sonya was interested in the holes/footsteps in the huge rocks she had noticed upon our arrival and I offered to take her just around the corner to the beginning of the dead end canyon we had tried first when we walked here before. Sonya, Joshua and I headed the few yards around the corner only to be brought up short by a car parked sideways at the mouth of the canyon. In the center of the opening a tent, a chair and some people effectively cut off the entrance. I explained that we just wanted to look around the corner at the big rock and the fella waved us on saying it was fine. Joshua turned back and returned to the Dogsled. This gent in the canyon mouth had a long gun across his lap. Two little girls with their heads sticking out of the tent giggled and he spoke to someone around behind the rock. At first I was hesitant but he assured us it was fine. We stepped around the corner, disturbing a young boy and his mother as nature called them. We quickly took our pictures and headed out, again apologizing for interrupting and thanking them for letting us have a look. The fellow was very gracious in saying it had been no issue, not a problem, etc. He was very non threatening and neither Sonya nor I at any time felt unsafe. Once back at the Dogsled I heard the gun going off, and I think he was target practicing. 

This well lighted dune buggy was heading down the roadway tonight...

Now that I think about what I actually seen, they weren’t set up for camping.  They weren’t there when we left the Dogsled on the way in. There was no evidence of ‘settling’ or setting up camp such as bbq, toys, tables, lawn chairs and such stuff. As I passed by the tent I remember just the little girls, no bedding or other things, just the empty floor. No coolers, or evidence of anything except a quick place to allow the children to get out of the sun, wind and have a place to play. I’m certain now that he blocked the canyon so no one could get hurt while he was target practicing.

Gamble Quails feeding...

We arrived home within 15 minutes, parting company with Sonya, Joshua and Jack for the day but we will meet up again in the morning for another little outing. We’re looking forward to it! Sonya and son Joshua will be leaving this area shortly heading off to met up with friends again from the Quartzsite area at a destination further south and at a lower elevation.

As you can see the rigs are plentiful here tonight...

Back home it was noon and an early hour for us to eat but we were both hungry. Riley cleaned up the left over stir fry and I made myself a large salad and finished off with a fresh grapefruit. So now the fridge is empty of left overs, yeah. After that we both kind of just fell down on to our beds and the afternoon rushed by while we relaxed with deep breathing exercises. Okay we may have checked out the inside of the eyelids as well but I’m happy to report that no holes were found in any eyelids and the deep breathing exercise was a success. We feel more rested now!!

Allen's orange Jeep no longer has the flu and appears to be roadworthy once again...

It was shortly after 4 pm before we finished all of that checking. I immediately took the camera and headed out for a walk, determined to catch the sunset and get a bit of exercise as well. I managed to put in around a mile in each direction before dark. I snapped pictures here and there along the route and enjoyed my time alone. I didn’t enjoy the wind though but it seems to have died down a bit and hopefully will do so for a while. 

The desert looking southeast.....

Back home I edited pictures, and worked on this post. Riley is off doing whatever she does in her end of the Igloo. It’s pretty quiet, only the click, click of the keys on her computer. Of course now that the wind has died down there is only the tick tock of the clock and the click, click of my computer keys as well. It’s truly quiet for a little while. How wonderful is that?(As I get ready to post this the wind has again picked up, the Igloo is rocking, the wind is whistling once again)

Looks like something has taken a few bites out of this cactus....

So there you have it, nothing exciting but a fun, entertaining day for us. Spending time with some new friends and once again visiting a place that we enjoy. It was a great day for us and we hope tomorrow will be as well.  Thanks for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed your time here. Please feel free to leave a comment, I enjoy reading them.

 

The moon made an appearance this evening...

Until next time… take care, be safe, 

Good night from Joshua Tree National Park BLM.

Deb

 

Hiking a slot canyon trail in Box Canyon Road....

             

   Our Location: Joshua Tree National Park BLM, West entrance, California


   Awake this morning around 4, then 5, then 6 and I finally decided I’d had enough napping and getting out of bed by 6:15 am and out the door. Nothing major in the sunrise department but it was nice. I managed to get in about a 3/4 mile walk before heading back inside. Not many pictures as it was a pretty straight up sun rise, no colour show to speak of. 

Can you see the sun as it popped over the mountains this morning?

Riley still wasn’t up and so I did a few quiet things before starting to make my hot drink. Wasn’t long until I heard this voice that wasn’t the least bit sleepy say, “You don’t have to be quiet Mom, I’m awake.” I’m guessing she’d been foxing for a while hoping I’d have every thing ready for the morning drink. Smart chickie!

I think this was taken through the branches of a Palo Verde tree, but I forget....

We discussed a number of things about today, including that I just didn’t feel like doing a lot of work for lunch. We decided we’d have pancakes. I decided I was going back to Box Canyon and taking a walk. Riley didn’t want to go, so I pointed out that we hadn’t walked yesterday and that I didn’t know what tomorrow would bring, but the choice was hers, and I was going anyway. So I started getting myself ready to head out the door when I heard this voice rattling,” Fine I’m coming.” I never said a thing. 

This was the beginning of the dead end route

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We hiked up here to a dead end...

Within 10 minutes we were out the door heading for Box Canyon Road. We drove the length of the canyon road until we came to the Salton Sea, turning around we decided we’d pick a spot and have a look. The first one had about a half dozen cars in the lot and I truly didn’t want to walk there so I opted to veto that one. Riley agreed. We discussed Little Box Canyon which is a couple of miles but it’s also accessible by motorized vehicles which means the roads will be all chewed up and difficult walking. We both decided that wasn’t the kind of walk we wanted either. We’d noticed a silver truck/SUV at another spot along the way and I wanted to go there. We met the truck along the road and I wasn’t sure we could find the spot but we did. The Big Dog nosed into the mostly smooth parking area with no trouble.

The beginning of the second trail...

We loaded up our hiking bag with numerous things today. Bottled water, obviously, some Mole Skin and medical tape, tissues, granola bars, and some hand sanitizer. Of course we had walking sticks, and hats as well. I even tucked my wallet into the hiking bag. (Riley has issues with her feet, plus she has developed a small blister from stones rubbing on her toe, so we added the mole skin and tape).

Love these walls ....

We took a path that looked like the start of a slot canyon but alas before 1/3 of a mile it ended and we had to turn around. Coming back to the parking lot  we tackled the other trail. It was pretty easy going for the most part, but lots of broken glass, garbage of various sorts, and of course gravelly sand found on the bottom of all washes. 

A water course down the side of the trail....

Perhaps a little off topic here but well, I can because it’s my blog. I do not understand the need for people to leave their damn garbage behind. There was even a small child’s potty chair at a location near a fire pit. Broken glass, clay pigeon parts, empty shot gun shells, brass casings from other firearms, dirty toilet paper, paper towels, as well as empty beer/pop cans, a blanket, even metal and wood set up for target practice.  There were numerous scattered part bales and even one still fully intact bale of hay/straw scattered here and there. Truly if these folks can carry this stuff in can’t they carry it back out? Don’t they realize what a mess it makes for everyone? Broken and unbroken bottles littered the place. Some large pieces on the trail with the ugly side facing up. People can be such self centered, rude, thoughtful, uncaring pigs. Sorry, now back to our regularly scheduled post.

Looking off to the left of the trail we walked..

The second trail wound it’s way back into the rocks for a long way, narrowing here and there but always with lots of wide passage ways. We found various names carved in the rocks here and there, even a little graffiti near the beginning of the trail. The further back we went the nicer it became due to less and less of the above issues. At one point off to the left we noticed a slight opening between two large pieces of rocks jutting out. I was hoping but wasn’t sure until I went to take a peek. Sure enough we’d found a slot canyon trail. So I asked Riley if she was up to a bit of an adventure and explained that the path would be very narrow as it wound among the rocks and could possible require us to squeeze  past tight areas and perhaps even have rocks over head so that we would be in a tunnel sort of area. She seemed to think about for a minute, came over to take a look at the beginning of the path and finally after about 30 seconds said,” Okay, lets try it.”

Looking at Mother Nature's force where she has cut away the underside of the rocks in the canyon...

We had a great deal of fun and entertaining few minutes here and there on the way. We followed it for probably  a bit over a half mile. It twisted and turned, dipped and climbed a bit as well. We had to ‘suck it in and squeeze by’, we had to head under some very large well wedged rocks, even at times having to step over pieces of stone that were washed out under neath forming an almost barrier like step at knee height. The path was very narrow with very smooth rock surfaces lower down to about mid thigh and then much more crumbly almost stacked gravel like walls. It would have taken a great deal of effort to cause any issues with the trail but small bits of gravel would fall if they were touched often even just by fingertips, or brushed with the hiking bag, or walking sticks (which we had attached to the hiking bag as it was too narrow to use them). At times we couldn’t see more than a few feet ahead and it would be shaded and semi dark but then we’d step around the corner and it would be full sunlight and warm, a few more steps would plunge us back into shade and coolness again. 

This is the at a point where the wall turns and the debris has caught in the corner from the rains rushing down this route...

At one point Riley had to sit down in a conveniently located  small seat shaped area in the wall used I’m certain for resting or fixing a shoe by many others ahead of us, to remove her sock and shoe to give some attention to this small blister. We had purchased a toe cushion but it wouldn’t stay on, even with tape around the toe or the foot. I pulled the mole skin and surgical tape from the hiking bag and put the soft side (not the sticky side) of the Mole Skin against the blister, taped the whole thing with medical tape around her foot, replaced sock and shoe, it seemed to do the trick. We have placed Mole Skin in both of her shoes under the ball of her foot to help with less stress and more comfort. So after this little bit of foot surgery we once again off along this narrow trail.

Looking down the wider part of the second trail...

It was truly an amazing hike. It wasn’t difficult in that there were no obstacles such as boulders, loose stones, debris, etc it was just very skinny with very little breeze and a few glimpses of blue sky. We reached a point where Riley wanted to sit down for a rest, which was an excellent idea as I was thinking the same thing myself. We decided this was far enough for one trip and turned back after our rest. The trip back was much faster as we knew what to expect and we weren’t quite as awe struck. 

Another corner of the route where the water force is starting to work it's way into that end rock wall...

We reached the Dogsled at 11 am.  We first left the Dogsled at 9:05 am, for the short dead end trip and I know we turned around in the slot canyon trail to come back at 10:26 am. We had been walking pretty much the entire 2 hours  except for one foot repair and one rest. I can tell you Riley is extremely proud of herself and as well she should be, she did amazing today. I’m so proud of her for first of all changing her mind about coming, secondly for trying something new, and thirdly for being so enthusiastic about things once we got started. Good for you Riley!!!!

You can see how the trails wind around through the rocks

In the Dogsled heading back to the Igloo we discussed perhaps staying a bit longer in this area than we’d originally thought and doing a bit more of that slot canyon walk. We reached home by 11:15 am, I was preparing salads by 11:30 am but we changed our mind from pancakes to left overs. Riley was in charge of the heating up of the left overs.  I managed to have a little nap on Riley’s bed (I wanted to check out her foam mattress, I want to purchase one for my bed) for about a half hour.  We had lunch and after doing the dishes I noticed that the oven needed some attention so for the next half hour I scoured the oven making it all shiny and new looking. I also had to sweep  the floor as well. 

Riley coming through the beginning of the slot canyon trail...

 I have to say that being in the desert is very much like our summer location, there are always small stones coming in on our shoes and littering the floor. I know some of you will say that we should leave our shoes outside the door and  now with the carpet on the steps we may actually start to do that. Due to Riley’s foot issues and my arthritis the metal stairs are not good for either us with just socks on our feet. Slippers I think would make us more prone to tripping up the steps. However now with the carpet perhaps we’ll try it. 

Yes we walked in there....

I edited pictures late this afternoon and started this post. We have a number of good pictures from our walk and I don’t know if I’ll have enough room for sunset pictures too. Oh it’s a hard life making all these tough decisions. Isn’t it?

That rock above is wedge in really tight..see how skinny it is down there where we walk?

Outside to take some sunset pictures but again, nothing too spectacular but the entertainment value in the area is priceless. I was sitting on the berm in my little chair, reading my book, taking pictures when I kept hearing this beep, beep, beep. The folks across the middle road from me were having issues with landing gear. So after about 15 minutes I folded up my chair and headed down to offer assistance not that I could do much but sometimes fuses, sprays, etc might be needed and those I could help with.  A simple no thank you would have sufficed but the fella was extremely rude. So I walked away.

Riley picking her away along the slot canyon trail....a bit of a tunnel here...

I continued to take pictures of the sunset, noticing a pickup with a pretty big Airstream behind him. He was coming in pretty fast, and whipped into a spot pretty quickly and managed to bury the thing until the front of the Airstream was digging into the sand. I truly couldn’t believe he was that stuck that quickly. I noticed some neighbours outside watching the fun and so walked over to chat. Lori and Allan have been here as long as we’ve been here, in fact I spoke to him the day we arrived. Their Jeep is down with the flu and needs a couple of days rest. Their friend Jim with the half jeep as I call it, (the fella that pulled the Ford out a few days ago) came out to offer assistance. It was quite entertaining to watch them trying to get this thing out. Lori and I stood watching and chatting as they first pulled him backwards to get the Airstream out of the sand, then moved around and hooked to the front, eventually getting him out. Allan explained to us when he came back that the fella had at first had the parking brake on and then had the truck in N not D. Eventually though they had the brake off, the truck in D, the Jeep pulling, the truck pulling and the sand flying, and soon Jeep, truck and Airstream were back on the road way. A quick unhook, the truck and Airstream disappeared. Saying goodnight to these very nice folks I headed home. 

Riley just turned this corner from the picture above...

So there you have it, our extremely good day here in Joshua Tree National Park BLM area. Some new sights, some new folks, and some entertainment. You can’t beat that for a good day, now can you? 

The slot follows those breaks in the rocks...

Thanks for stopping by, feel free to leave a comment. I read them all. 

It's getting wider again..almost back to the regular canyon trail...

Until next time… take care, be safe, 

Tight going, huh?

Yea, we walked down there...

 

 

 

 

 

Squeezing through that tight spot we really did have to turn sideways and sneak through but look at that smile!!!!!!

 

Deb