Well, I made it back from Palm Springs. I landed a few hours ago, and now I'm getting my life in order before I zip off to work. I'm not sure I'll be very productive today, but I'll give it the old college try.
I'll write more about Palm Springs tomorrow, but suffice to say I had a great time! The highlight was driving out to Joshua Tree National Park, which is full of amazing vistas and rock formations, as well as the ubiquitous spiny trees that give it its name. It was really stunning, with lots of spring wildflowers.
This is the panorama from Keys View, a lookout point over the Coachella Valley. On clear days, Mexico is allegedly visible.
This is a Joshua Tree - I'm pretty sure it is, anyway. (The yucca looks very similar, apparently.)
This is me being an intrepid rock climber. Nothing fancy - no harnesses or anything like that. Just me scrambling up on top of a big rock!
You look magnificent up on the rock!
ReplyDeleteThe wet winter in the desert SW has made it a great wildflower season.
ReplyDeleteJoshua Tree is one of hundreds of variety of yucca.
Thanks, Merle. I didn't realize Joshua Tree is a yucca, though that certainly makes sense. The booklet I picked up at the park entrance told how to distinguish it from another common yucca, but I didn't put a lot of energy into trying -- that's why I didn't want to state with 100 percent certainty what's in this photo! :)
ReplyDeleteStephen, my brother, scrambling up a rock! Wow! So much for chocolate milk in happy-face tumblers!
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures, I say with a touch of envy...ok, a big honkin' touch of envy!
Hey, that chocolate milk is what gave me the energy to scramble up a rock! (Years and years and years later...)
ReplyDeleteGreat pics, Steve. Joshua Tree looks wonderful. You look suitably impressive in your King of the Castle pose :-)
ReplyDeleteYou're looking pretty buff, Steve!
ReplyDeleteyeah stevo!
ReplyDeleteAwww, shucks. :)
ReplyDelete