We are sitting here in Cottonwood Springs Campground and outside our front door a spectacular sunset is playing itself out. We started out this morning in Joshua Tree California. We spent a couple hours in 29 Palms riding our bicycle around town looking at the murals painted on their buildings. When I get this posted on our web blog you will be able to take a look at the Valentine’s Day pet that Judy stopped to pet. We were watching this fellow on a scaffolding painting a mural using “paint by numbers” strategy. He must have gotten tired and was taking a nap in the noon-day sun. Meanwhile a turkey vulture perched on the corner of the building to see if he was really sleeping, and about the same time Judy’s little pet, “Valentine’s Day,” must have wandered up. Of course it is all a trick of the eye called trompe l’oeil. I think it is pronounced like trump loy. If you have any questions just ask my sister, Cher. She is a master of the technique.
We spent the afternoon working our way across Joshua Tree National Monument from the north entrance in 29 Palms to Cottonwood Springs which is just five miles from I-10 bordering the southern edge of the park. This time we learned to parallel park the motor home and trailer in a space that is about 3 ft longer than the rigs 55 foot overall length. We made a total of three passes at it before we got it perfect.
We did miss several of the “exhibits” along side the road. The parking spaces were simply too small. This is the one thing we miss about the Honda and the tent. Riding back on the bicycle is out of the question also. The roads are simply too narrow and there is lots of sand washed across the roadway. This area of California was really hit hard by those rains from last week. Many of their roads were washed out or covered with mud drifts. You can see places where they have plowed mud off the road. On the other hand the desert is a beautiful green, and things are starting to bloom. They already have fifteen inches of rain so far this season where their yearly average is four to six inches.
Our favorite “exhibit” was the Cholla Cactus Garden. (Pronounced choy-ya) I will post one of the pictures from our stroll through the exhibit. This Cholla is called the teddy bear cactus. It looks soft and cuddly, but is anything but soft.
This will get posted on the 19th, since we have neither internet nor cell-phone coverage tonight. The next couple nights will be spent in a real RV park. We will need to stock up on water, fuel and propane just prior to visiting with the Alpine Coach Association gathering in Quartzsite Arizona for a week.
Now we will send our love to all and sign off.
Gary and Judy.
