Day 14 - Joshua Tree part 2

I plugged in my headphones, turned on U2s Joshua Tree album and went rock climbing this morning! Not the climbing up straight cliff stuff but more the climbing up down and around big boulders kind. I felt like Chris Pratt from Guardians of the Galaxy. After exploring one group of rocks I would drive to another group and climb up. I felt very strong and free.

After this tidbit of climbing, I drove out the northeast side of the part and hiked to Fortynine Palms, a 3 mile round trip to a group of Palm trees set in the mountains. I was blessed with my fourteenth perfectly clear day and wide rocky vistas up the trail. And then the palm oasis were tranquil, like a good oasis should be! I felt a step faster today after a great night's rest and two weeks of hiking, and I flew up and down the mountain to and from the oasis.

Aunt Susu and Bill had prepared and sent an Easter care package and I needed to drive back to Joshu Tree town west of the 49 Palm oasis to pick it up. Luckily there were two northern park spots to check out along the route there. One was Indian Cove, a rock climbing area and campground. Easy climbing up the boulders.

After picking up the eater package (thank you Susan and Bill for the candy and chocolate!!! You're the best) I drove to Black Rock Campground for my internet-researched sunset hike up to Warren Peak, a six mile round trip up hiller to the northwest most peak of Joshua tree. I brought my cap-brim-flashlight, packed my down parka(chilly), and cruised up in one hour. The sunset vista was unreal and the full moon behind me remarkable. I signed the trail register INCREDIBLE and ate my newly-acquired candy and hiked back while the moon light replaced the sun light. The second pic below is of the moon not the sun.

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Day 57 - Rocky Mountain National Park

Ever since I decided to go west for my big trip, I had dreamed of high mountain lakes with snowy peaks arching in every direction, with chilly air making every moment crisp, and with clear skies bringing all into perfect focus-- pure bliss. Today was the first of many great mountain lake days to come. Hiking here was far easier here than in the San Juans because the snow was packed down on the trail, but I brought my mini crampons for the downhill. I made it safely past a narrow ridge with narly black peaks across the gorge (pic 1), then up to Mills Lake (pic 2) then Jewel Lake then the Loch (pic 3) then down before the afternoon rain started falling. I hiked around some lower, more accessible lakes but the sky was now overcast and pictures no good. I drove up the open portion of the Ridge road amid a very light dusting of snow before heading back to camp for dinner and bedtime. I did manage to capture some fine Elk grazing in a meadows on the return trip and a g...

Day 54 - Great Sand Dunes

I awoke to clear skies, a dry mattress and pillows, a second hot shower and a waffle-filled motel breakfast. I decided to head east to Great Sand Dunes National Park in order to climb 700 foot sand dunes surrounded by snow-covered alpine mountains--a rare site. Just about every road in Colorado goes over a pretty high mountain pass eventually, and this three and a half hour journey didn't disappoint. And Great Sand Dunes didn't disappoint either. After securing a dune-side campsite and waiting out a rainstorm, I set out to climb the dunes for a sunset view. Great Sand Dunes is also famous for its Medano Creek wave-like flow and ankle-deep water, making it popular with young kids. I hiked through it and started climbing the dunes, first to a high dune on the east side and over to the next highest dune and then the next highest et until I got to the highest one-/ properly called High Dune. I sat down, setup my phone to capture a time-lapse of the beautiful sunset my eyes were ...

Day 51 - Canyonlands Needles Pt 3

A deep connection to the nature surrounding you comes from the solitude of solo travel, but sometimes it is nice to have a companion! I ran into David, a retired telecom exec from Canada a few days ago on the Syncline Loop trail at Canyonlands Island in the Sky. Then I ran into him again halfway through my Chesler Park hike two days ago, then again later in the hike, finishing the last two miles together. David hiked his favorite trail, the Peekaboo trail yesterday, and said I could join him, but my heart was set on confluence trail, so we hiked separately. We did share a campsite though and exchanged travel stories. David was 55 and had retired at 50 from a high-level international job with Nortel and was now traveling full-time. We instantly bonded over our solo travel style. He outclassed me by leagues. He had trekked one month in Nepal, then another month in India, then some months in Asia. He had hiked and skied and adventured all over the western U.S. and Canada....

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