We are so close to our final destination but happy to spend our last detour in Joshua Tree National Park. First I should say the drive was spectacular. It’s almost too much to take in the desert views when you’re normal days are spent near the shores of the Mississippi River. Props to Heather for the amazing drive – every last stinking inch and some of it was rough and the radio got even rougher the more remote we got!
Then we landed. We did two short hikes today. The Joshua Trees are unusual to see but their story makes them special. They only grow in this area and they are the ultimate Giving Tree; many wildlife eat from the tree and will live off the tree long after its gone. The trees and the areas are also known to be spiritual with many vortices in the park. They get their name from Mormon immigrants from the 19th century who thought the limbs of the trees looked like Biblical figure Joshua with his arms outstretched and/or it called to the Mormon conquest of the desert. I might have called them Seussical Trees. But they are amazing and it felt great to be out hiking in the sunshine.
We also stopped into the town to take a look at the fun shops and the World’s Crochet Museum. It’s a very artsy hippy dippy area – and I mean that in the best way!
We had a super nice meal in Flagstaff. It’s a very cute town but no one wears masks and it feels like a resort town. We went to see some music and then it felt like it was a town full of adult kids on resort vacations with their parents – unhindered by masking or costs. It is a pretty area.
Then we had a lovely drive from Flagstaff to Las Vegas.
We spent the afternoon walking through the casinos. I always enjoy walking somewhere new and I haven’t been to Vegas in years.
We stayed with friends of Heather. They were amazing hosts with absinthe and a really nice home. Heather got a chance to catch up with old friends.
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