4/30 - Joshua Tree to Angelos National Forest

Thursday, April 30 – Up before 7am, we had camp down and were ready to hike within 20 minutes. Back to the car by 8, most park visitors were just getting into their cars at home and we were onto our second activity.

We stopped at Barker Dam, where 100 years ago, a dam was built to water cattle and crops. Tyne wasn't feeling too hot so she waited in the car with Dazey while I took a jog around the 1.1 mile loop. I had the trail to myself and I saw more wildlife than any other hike yet on this trip. I saw some big lizards, chipmunks, some weasel looking ground squirrels, ducks and some other water birds at the dam. After checking out some petroglyhs and reading some info signs, I got back to the car. Sweaty and hot, I went to the bathroom at the trailhead with a spray bottle and a towel, and got a "shower" in.

We called off the second hike because Lost Horse Mine turned out to be over 7 miles instead of the 3 we were expecting, and there was a sign forbidding dogs on the trail. With several cars in the lot, we decided not to risk it and instead went up to Keyes View, an excellent overlook where you cans see Palm Springs, the Salton Sea at over 100 feet below sea level, the San Andreas fault and the tallest mountain in So Cal, with snow still melting on it's upper peaks.

                Driving out of Joshua tree, we continued west towards Palm Spring. At the last moment we turned north and continued in a mostly unpopulated desert on the northern side of the Angelos Mountains. Just 40 miles to the south was the biggest Metropolitan in the country, and we were safe far from it.

We did want to get to Venice beach the next afternoon, so we eventually turned south into the forest, with the intentions of camping up there for a night, them coming down the south side of them into the city in the morning.

                As luck would have it, the road that we wanted to take up and over was closed. Not really sure why, we turned around and headed to another access point. The road suddenly became dirt and we were suddenly thrown out of civilization. The highway we wanted was 2 miles ahead and the road had too cross it, so we continued. About halfway through the "wilderness" we notices several coyotes and ravens on the road. Something dead, we thought. As we pulled up closer, the scavengers parted and we could see a bloody cardboard box just off to the right of the road. I parked and decided it was probably best if I had a look. Fearing the worst, I pulled over and walked over to the box. Flies swarming, I saw something that looked like a human foot. Intestines. Then I spotted a cow ear. Whew, I thought. Not a murdered Mexican drug smuggler out here in the desert. Dazey and I gave the coyotes the look that said you can keep eating, and we drove on.

                The second access road worked out, or did until we got to the top of the mountain. At the Mile High market, a sign said, road closed 5 miles ahead. "No way," we thought, "They cant just close the road. LA is just over the hill, we are so close."

5 miles later, traveling down a windy road with exposed rock cliffs and a view for miles, the road indeed ended. A construction crew was fixing the snow damage from the winter and the trailhead for the Pacific Crest trail. We started to turn around and I noticed a road sign. Upon closer inspection, a dirt road headed down appeared.

                We were only able to go about 10 MPH down this bumpy rocky and twisty dirt road. I was starting to worry about if we could get back up it, but the road began to get a little flatter and there were some giant pine trees as well as running water. We came into a clearing and we knew we had found camp.

                The Giant Pines we later found out were called Jeffery Pines, and we found a cone from one that was over 1 foot long. I got a few pictures of these trees, but they don't give justice to the majesty that these trees project. No other people around and no where to run, so Dazey got to run free all she wanted.

                It was only snow that made the stream run through the valley, and the temperature of the water reflected it. Tyne did a little reading then fell into a three hour nap. I worked on making a dam down the creek a little ways, then did some more wood burning onto a sign for our "store" when we made it to the beach, then did some reading myself.

By the time Tyne woke up, it was getting late. We relaxed for a little bit then made one of the best and cheapest meals ever! She cooked a package of Spanish rice, while I heated up a can of refried beans in a saucepan, then added to it a can of chopped tomatoes and green chilies. We mixed them together when everything was hot, then ate it on taco shells. Unbelievably good, plus it was dinner for 2 under $3. My mouth is watering now just writing about it.

The sun had gone down behind the mountains some time ago, so sunset wasn't a definite act this night. We were going to have a fire, but decided against it as the wind was still blowing and there was extreme fire risks. We had more rum tonight than the past two, actually enough to get drunk. We played some card games, assorted drinking games. The rum was still pretty rough though, and Tyne threw up hers.

---

Hotmail® has ever-growing storage! Don't worry about storage limits. Check it out.