Travels from Phoenix Part 1: Joshua Tree

Most of our trip to Phoenix was spent outside of Phoenix. And...happily...outside.









Katherine, ahead of me on the rocks (as usual) was the reason for this trip. She planned our first desert camping trip, in Joshua Tree National Park.





Our kitchen.

Katherine should camp professionally. Dinner menu: Steak, mushroom, and onion hobo packs; pesto pasta; corn on the cob, s'mores.




And for dessert, wine on the rocks!



During the day we scrambled and climbed.

Here we are, atop a rock mound at the summit of Mount Ryan.

In the background, notice the mistake.  Katherine insisted it wasn't her fault.

It was San Andreas's.


Scrambling made Andrew very happy.

Sometimes it made the rest of us a little concerned.

 On our last day, we hiked to Lost Palms Oasis (highly recommended!)

As we walked towards the oasis, Katherine spotted this hedgehog cactus blooming - she's become quite the desert botanist - and we scrambled up for a closer look. 

The Joshua Trees waved goodbye as we left.  Whimsically.  They do everything whimsically.