Oh, boy! Two-fer! to 3/10/25

Saturday, March 8th, was our whale-watching tour, out of Ma`alaea Harbor in central Maui.  Jordan booked 10am tickets for the five of us, but (in retrospect) 8am probably would've been better, with less wind.  We're discovering that March is a windy month on Maui!  White caps were already on the water by the time we left the dock and it wasn't easy to tell if you're seeing a whale spout or spindrift under those conditions.

Hi Jimmy!

Rogues gallery, ready to roll!

Jimmy, Tom, Diane, Jordan

Das boot.

Front seats on the upper deck.

Hold onto your hats!

You can see choppy water here at McGregor Point and Lighthouse.

Further out we spied our first "thar she blows!"

By gum, "whale ho!"  Humpbacks breaching!

I was glad I'd brought my Tilly hat 'cause it protected my face (and it would stay on!).  Everybody else had to remove their visors and caps or lose them to the wind, and they came home red-faced.  I guess I was videoing something here.

When not looking for whales, many people on the top deck were mesmerized by swirling mists and clouds over the West Maui Mountains.  I can tell you that returning to the pier was a trip in itself with the boat bouncing in the waves, spray reaching the upper deck!  Woohoo!  We didn't get up close or personal with whales, no matter, but the two-hour tour/boat ride was fun.  The two of us are happy campers anytime on, in, or near water!

Next to the pier is the Maui Aquarium.  It seemed like a good idea ... and it was.

I could've spent hours and hours in this amazing aquarium, watching the fishies of the sea in their reef habitats.  Their exhibits are unique, highlighting marine life around Maui, including sea turtles and humpback whales and live Pacific coral.

That strange-looking orange blob, lower left, is called a frogfish.  The aquarium had five Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles (Honu), a protected species and the largest sea turtle in the world, in a lagoon exhibit.

But my absolute favorite was the octopus, who was attached to the side of its exhibit, till lunch time and then it was all arms and legs!  That light-colored "stick" is someone's arm!  Feeding or petting or what, I don't know, but his hand stayed inside the octopus for quite a while.  Again, I would've stayed till dark watching this octopus -- I name each one I see "amigo."

* * * * *

On Monday morning, the 10th, Jimmy and Tom announced that "the mountain looked clear," and we should drive up to the summit of Haleakala National Park, approximately 35 miles away and straight up from sea level to 10,000'.  It's over an hour to get there on a very winding road through various microclimates as diverse as rainforest and alpine desert.  But, these mountains attract clouds like ants to honey.

Twist and turn!  Haleakala's peak (or close to it) is to the left in this picture.  Yup, clouds.

It was VERY WINDY up here and we were all cold.  But we did it!

Swirling mists clouded the crater.

The usual "it-doesn't-belong-here" non-native Chukar birds were hanging around.  It's a wonder they can survive in these harsh conditions.

Up to the tippety-top.

Wishing I had my Nevada City parka!

Jimmy wondered if Haleakala Silverswords were soft or stiff.  They're soft with silvery hairs and fleshy leaves, and can only be found on Maui.  We didn't see any blooming.

You can actually hike down in the crater.

We didn't last long at the summit, t'was just too unpleasant!  Remembering our delicious lunch two years ago at Kula Lodge, we returned for lunch this day.  These round "pavilions?" are a fun place to eat, surrounded by gorgeous, exotic flowers ... and cute li'l hungry birds.  Good food, too.

This tall shrub was intriguing.  I thought it might be some kind of pine tree.  I asked several people, finally learning it's a Pincushion Protea from the manager.  Never saw anything like this!  Their seeds look like upright pine cones!

So, that's two days' worth of adventures.  When all is said and done, we end up in the infinity pool, loving every minute.

Over and out, Friday 2/21/25

 

Our month at Catalina Spa and RV Resort in Desert Hot Springs is over, and it's time to go home, some 560 miles away and a two-day drive with an overnight stop at Minter Field Air Museum (Harvest Host).  We have so enjoyed this time in the desert, happily avoiding those atmospheric rivers of rain pummeling our lonely home in the foothills of Nevada City ... and the cold, and the damp, and the gray.  Jimmy and I packed a lot into this month, going and doing, living life to the fullest we could.  Out and About -- hiking and biking and playing, and swimming -- oh, the pools!  I will miss swimming the most.  (I swam every day but one.)

The places we've gone, the fantastic sights we've seen, most of it new to us this year, and seeing San Jacinto in all its glory every morning when opening the front window curtains, ah, what a way to begin a day!

Being with friends made the time extra-special.  When we first arrived at Catalina, we were greeted by our friends, Betty and Wayne, from Newfoundland.  After they left, we met a pair of Oregonians named Nancy and Doug and formed a fast friendship.  Then our dear friends, Sue and Mo, arrived from Oregon, accompanied by their friends, Joanne and Phil in their RV, also from Oregon.  We were surrounded by Beavers and Ducks!  Wonderful seeing and being with y'all.

Last Monday, Jimmy and I finally met our goal to hike in the Whitewater Preserve, choosing the amazing Canyon Loop Trail, five miles for us, and a 600' elevation gain switchback to where you see us, above, part of it on the PCT.  We started way down below at the V/C, on the other side of the white riverbed (wash).  Quite the hike.  I have many more pics, but I'll keep it down today. 

On Tuesday, we hopped in Smartie and circumnavigated Joshua Tree NP, beginning at the southern entry in Cottonwood Spring and V/C, driving all the way through the park, out the northern end, and back to Desert Hot Springs.  This wasn't our initial intention, but that's the way the day rocked!  Above, Jimmy is being swallowed by Very Sharp Cholla in the cactus garden!  Thousands of cholla line both sides of the road, right up to the mountains.

After that, we parked Smartie and set out to find arch rock.  We saw every other kind of rock, but we couldn't find arch rock.  I added what I considered appropriate captions. 😃

Lucky us, of course, to find heart rock!  We put 141 miles on Smartie and were tired when we returned to Tergel.  This year we've certainly explored much of Joshua Tree NP and enjoyed every minute.

Wednesday was a change of pace and a visit to Living Desert and Zoo.  Though we lost sight of our four friends, we had a delightful time.  The zoo is planning a Glow at the Park function, hence the dragon.  You know I've been hankering to see a Desert Big Horn sheep, and -- yeehaw! -- I saw four here at the zoo!

Thursday afternoon the six of us (in three cars) made it to downtown Palm Springs.  We wanted to share dinner at Tommy Bahama's and then cruise the Thursday night street fair, featuring arts, crafts, food, and entertainment!  Something for everybody, and it's fun.  The restaurant is a block away from iconic Marilyn Monroe -- and it was my turn for a photo op.

Here are the six of us in a selfie, taken just before we pulled out.  Clockwise from me, you see Joanne, Jimmy, Phil, Mo, and Sue.  Impromptu and everyone is smiling!

Last, but not least by any yardstick, here I am on a rare day by myself in the pool on Thursday and loving it.  All the pools (there are four) feature odorless hot mineral springs water.  You can't believe how therapeutic it is to take a step into the nice warm water and simply let yourself melt into it, like a hand inside a warm mitten.  Jimmy favored the hot spa, feeling rejuvenated by every dip.

That's our month away from home.  Maybe to you, the desert is a barren, even desolate place.  To us, it's an opportunity and, if you've read our posts, you'll see what we mean.  Joyous opportunities abound in a landscape that is rich with surreal geologic features and critters and plants.  It's great.  We'll be back ....

One more trip, Sunday 2/9/25

While we're still in the desert, we wanted to do one more hike at another location in Joshua Tree Nat'l Park.  One we've never been to before.  Sunday seemed like a good day, clear and no wind.  It's a fairly long trek (42 miles) from Desert Hot Springs up to the City of 29 Palms, which is where the 49 Palms trail is.  You're probably wondering if I counted the palms and the answer is no, not in the city or at the oasis. 😊

Surprise!  A) the trailhead parking lot was almost full, and B) the trail was rated "hard." (see below) We chose this trail because the length was only 3 miles R/T (plus: Oasis!).  Judging from the number of cars, this trail appeared to be popular (also, Sunday).  What the hey, we figured there'd be room for a couple of 80-year-old farts, too.  So, we gathered our hiking poles and waters and with a high-ho, away-we-go, we took off.

The straight skinny about this trail.

They ain't just whistlin' Dixie, either!

We took our time, stopping to breathe and look and take pictures.  Jimmy said, "We have all day!"  True.  Little Smartie is parked at the red checkmark.

Apparently the oasis is only a mile-and-a-half from the trailhead, but it seemed much longer.  We had some steep sections that climbed up to the ridge, both coming and going, where others are (below the red x); the views were incredible.

The City of 29 Palms is seen way down there.  We wondered when Joshua Tree was accorded national park status. In 1936 Franklin Roosevelt set aside 825,000 acres of California desert as Joshua Tree Nat'l Monument, later reduced to 560,000 acres.  Congress passed the California Desert Protection Act of 1994 that expanded the park to 794,000 acres and raised its level of protection to National Park status, and Bill Clinton signed it into law.  And we are grateful.  This park is a wonderful place, full of staggering scenery.

Our first view of the oasis!

(look closely, dead center)

I asked Jimmy to "go stand behind that gorgeous barrel cactus," for a photo op, and he obliged, but, of course, you can hardly see the cactus.  The true beauty of this picture is its all-encompassing vision.  It's my favorite.

Oh buddy, I was in barrel cactus heaven!  If they weren't so darned sharp, I think I would've hugged each one.  Hundreds of barrels grew on the rocky hillsides.  Along with cholla, hedgehog, pincushion, and a prickly pear, but the barrels drew center stage.

How a trail can be carved out of wilderness is a marvel.

Look how rugged!

Getting closer!

Here I am posing, not too many more steps to the oasis.  Yes, we encountered a lot of hikers, and we stepped aside any number of times to let people pass us.  We were enthralled by everything around us and saw no need to hurry.  And believe me, we saw people rush past, neither looking left nor right, and others talking-talking-talking, but I guess each has their own way.

Exciting to be so close!

Eureka!  Again we wondered ... how'd the native Fan Palms get their start here?  Birds?  Humans?  The story is miners planted the palms in the early 1900's to mark the location of a natural spring.  Now it's an oasis.  Desert bighorn sheep frequent the spring, coming down from the peaks to drink.  Coyotes and Quail and other critters, too.  Nope, I didn't see any big dudes.

Life-sustaining water!  And the gift of shade.  Tucked into the bottom of a canyon, this oasis is different than the ones we've seen previously.  Hilly and rocky, not flat and sandy.  Getting into the lower palms was impossible.  I was standing on a boulder high above the water to take the picture. 

Aiiiiieeeee, jump back!

That cholla will bite you!

I've read that much of the park lies in the desert overlap between the Colorado and Mojave deserts.  There isn't any line in the sand, though.  This prickly pear cactus is the only one we saw while hiking the 49 Palms trail.  After a good look'round, we moved on.

The view above us was just as heavenly as that surrounding us!  We were so fortunate to have a perfect day for our outing!

If rocks could talk.

(I want a divorce?)

Thus, we began the uphill slog toward the ridgeline and back to Smartie.  It only took 1:15 hours to finish the trail (longer going in).  We had to be careful where we placed our feet, but, overall, since we took our time, we weren't in distress.  I guess our trusty legs are kinda used to these hikes!

I turned around at the vista point to capture a last look at the oasis, far down that trail at the junction of the mountains.  You see it, that dark green patch.  What a wonder!

UFO's and more! To Feb 3rd, 2025

 

I'm not sure if UFO's are related in any way to California fault lines, but Jimmy and I managed to come up on both in one day!  Is it an omen?  How about a smoking palm tree?  Sounds daffy.  

This lenticular cloud looks just like a Hollywood movie UFO!

As you can see by the map, Thousand Palms Oasis site (red x) sits atop one or two fault lines from the San Andreas Fault -- Banning and Mission Creek.  These faults allow underground water to rise to the surface, voilà, an oasis!  Amid desert aridity, flowing water can only be considered nature's generous gift.  Northwest of Thousand Palms is DHS or Desert Hot Springs, where we're staying, right on top of Mission Creek Fault.

On Ground Hog Day, I joined 12 other early risers for an 8am guided bird walk at 1000 Palms.  We saw a number of birds, most of which I'd seen before, no problem.  I had to zoom in to take the photo above of a Sage Thrasher (left) and a Phainopepla sitting on bare branches.  The Little San Bernardino Mountains look unreal.  Or menacing! 

I learned other interesting info along the way:  The dead-looking native plant, top left, is Dye Plant.  Bottom left, the potential flowers are tinged purple, so the group assumed the flower would be the same color.  Frank, our guide, picked a sprig (he was allowed), and had Sandy crush the soon-to-be-bloom, which became, instead, Cheetos yellow!  A good nickname for the plant!

We didn't just see birds:  Look -- more wildlife!

A Whiptail Lizard.

Simone Pond has been closed to everyone for several years.  Why?  Tourists kept dumping their pet fishies into water that contained native Pupfish, and, of course, the non-natives ate up all the genuine article. (sigh) But, Elise, also a guide, unlocked the gate for the birders.  Hooray!  And the first bird seen was a Great Horned Owl, which I really wanted to see.  At that moment, too bad it was flying one way and I was looking the other. (sigh) A mated pair nest there.  We looked and looked, but didn't see it or its mate again.

Part of our group is encircled by these towering Desert Fan Palms!

(left of white x)

Reflections in the pond were mesmerizing.

I didn't see the endangered Pupfish.

Holy catfish, is this smokin' palm on fire?  We saw this in Palm Springs after leaving Sherman's Deli (wonderful lunch!).  No fire, no smoke, just a day of Very Creative Clouds.  I was in the right place at the right time!

* * * * *

I decided to combine Sunday's and Monday's.  Hence:

We drove up to Indian Cove in Joshua Tree National Park on Monday, an area in the Park I don't think we've ever been to.  The ranger station at this site was closed, but we already knew we wanted to hike a bit on the Boy Scout Trail.  But first, we followed a nature trail.  BTW, the camper, above, snagged a great spot. 

I can't begin to describe how astounding this Park is.

I could come back year after year

and always be inspired to return.

Just don't touch anything.

It'll stab or bite or spear you

Or stick you in the eye.

Spied this Black Phoebe parked on a twig.

When I got close to the Desert Mistletoe, it's fragrance nearly knocked me over -- a lovely combo of Plumeria and Honeysuckle.  The bees were humming!  Inset is its tiny flowers.  We saw many clumps of Desert Mistletoe.

Talk about stuck (haha) between a rock and a hard place!  To his right is a giant Pencil Cactus, a Yucca to his left and a humongous Silver Cholla in the foreground! 

Love the "do" on the Phainopepla.

Mind-boggling.

The only bright color in the desert this year,

the lethal, but beautiful, Barrel Cactus.

The Boy Scout Trail is 7+ miles long, but we would only do 4 miles R/T.  The day was fine, not hot, but the sun was blazing.  We were aiming for the big rock pile behind me ... and so on.  We had so much fun hiking around this boulder-strewn Park.

Backcountry camping is allowed on this trail within designated sites.  We were near Site 3 when I found a ball in the shrub, above.  I got it out (not with my hands, uh-uh) and gave it to Jimmy.  No, not a ball as I initially thought.  It felt hollow and Jimmy cracked it, at which point, the shell opened to reveal a ton o' seeds.  It's a coyote gourd or coyote melon.  We closed it and put it back.

Windows to the sky.

We were amazed to find water in this catch basin!

Not very pretty.  From rain about two weeks ago.

The End.

I was hoping to see a Chuckwalla or a Rattlesnake or a Big-Horned Sheep.  Nope.  I saw a bunny wabbit (a big ol' Jack Rabbit) galloping away from me.

That's it from us for now.  I know this post is long, but I hope you enjoyed it.  It was a pleasure putting it together.  Till next time!