Part III: Those Stars are Ours (Joshua Tree)

After living in Southern California for almost FIVE years I still had not been to the desert. So when i found out that the Orionides meteor shower, (the leavings of Halley’s Comet) would be peaking this month during a New Moon (when the sky is the darkest), I made a plan to camp there midweek with my family. I opened the invitation to our MudPies & Butterflies and about nine families joined us at the utterly picturesque Jumbo Rocks campsite in the Joshua Tree National Park. LA’s light pollution is just too great to hinder seeing one of nature’s magical firework displays!

Entering-Park

……..It took us just under 3 hours driving time to go from west of LA to Joshua tree. The giant Roadrunner was a landmark in the town of Joshua Tree itself (a clue to the letterbox we found in that town).

The scenery had already changed vastly from our home area of grass covered lawns to dry tan and brown hills. A fun surprise for us all was seeing the fields of giant windmills harnessing windpower. And once we veered on to Highway 62, the Joshua trees began to appear.

Enetering-Park-2 Another family had started their adventure two days before we arrived and had already staked out a great group of sites for us to pitch our tents. Two families camped in their vehicles while the rest of us did it in tents.

With tinfoild, a cardboard box and some briquettes, our MacGuyver Dad baked brownies

Since we can't take home the rocks from a National park, I brought hammers and kid-sized safety goggles to smash up as many rocks as the kids desired.

rocks

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..Aran gave a tutorial on whittling sticks with a pocket knife. First cut away from your body. Stay clear of other people and if it’s stuck, don’t force it – just start your cut over.