Joshua Tree National Park

Doug stayed home to rest (he has a busy busy week coming up) so it was just Monica and I at Joshua Tree National Park. It was awesome!! For someone from a wet climate who hates the dry and the brown and everything I apparently love the desert. Or, at least, love Joshua Tree NP (and all the National Park Service) (Monica Too!!). It's a huge park, so lots of driving about.

Versa (Vers for short) says HI too!

A personal message from one of the Joshua Tree's himself (who would like it to be pointed out he is NOT a actual tree but a member of the yucca family)

At the Cholla Garden: Monica loves cacti and always wanted one to pet when she was little. This was a dream come true. However, we did have to have a serous talk with the Park Ranger about these jumping cholla are very prickly and dangerous and should NOT be petted. At all. Ever. No matter how soft and fuzzy they look.

We did manage to carefully convince one to say HI AMY! (well we propped rocks infront of him so we wouldn't have to touch it, OW)

At the Oasis of Mara - it's just like the movies! There's this little cluster of palm trees that rise above the desert. There are only 158 desert fan palm oases in North America. Five are located in Joshua Tree National Park.