Today was a busy day. Yesterday we met for dinner with a friend of mine, Jake, who moved from Minnesota and has been living in Palm Springs for a couple of years now. It was Dan’s first time meeting him and we had a lively, yummy dinner at the Tropicale. It’s fun to talk with someone who loves where they’re at and what they’re doing. Jake also volunteered to dog-sit Duncan while we went to Joshua Tree National Park.
We started at the Joshua Tree National Park visitor center to get our stamp and some memorabilia. From there we went to Cottonwood Spring to hike the Mastodon Peak trail. Just a short distance from the parking lot is Second Oasis at a dry falls. This is a beautiful, lush (but dry??) setting with huge old palm trees and vegetation. For perspective, the drooping leaves would make great kids hideaways with spaces maybe three yards in diameter. These are huge old trees.
After second oasis we continued on the Mastodon Peak trail. It is a great trail that is about a three-mile loop ending with an option to take the unmaintained trail up to the peak. Dan gave it a shot, I did not. The trail has some great views and a variety of walking surfaces and difficulties, although in general it’s considered an easy hike. There is a lot of loose sand trail, along with solid rock and some more rocky climbs, but with a jug of water and a keen eye for trail markers it’s very doable. It was a beautiful day, but we only met one hiker that went as far as the peak and he ate his lunch there with a panoramic view of the land.
At the end of the hike, we met my friend, Laurie, at The Saloon in Joshua Tree. She and her husband have lived there for quite a while, but are natives of South Dakota and Minnesota as well. It was great to catch up with her and all her artistic endeavors. She also has a great Facebook page showcasing her designs (a couple of which I’m happy to own) and showings.
At the end of the day we picked up Duncan. He still had a bit of energy and despite being told he was a ‘good boy’, I’m sure he did his best to wear everyone else out. Our sincere thanks to Jake and his fur baby Willow for giving Duncan a special day and for taking the time to meet for dinner and catch up. These are the pics that Jake shared with us of Duncan’s day.
Have fun, stay safe, y’all! Thanks for reading and shoot me any comments you might have.
