We are packed up and leave at 11:30am for our first destination, Joshua Tree National Park (Indian Cove campground). We are trying to limit our driving to 4 hours or less each day. It took about 3 hours to get here. Joshua Tree NP is named for the ubiquitous trees in this part of the Mojave Desert. These trees are actually a member of the Agave family of plants and can reach up to 40 feet tall and live over 100 years. Apparently this year there is an unusually large bloom of all the trees. Although we did see a lot of trees in bloom, I think the big bloom is over.
Our campground is nestled midst huge, amazing boulder formations.
The weather is not as hot as we had expected but the wind is incredible. We set up the doggies’ “playpen” (a 6×8 foot metal enclosure) to keep them corralled while we get settled into our campsite. We are “dry camping” which means we have our own water on board, a generator for electricity, and holding tanks for grey water (used dish, sink and shower water) and black water (toilet sewage). For the record I have nothing to do with the so-called black water; I look the other way (and hold my nose) while the man of the house deals with such unpleasantries! Although for equality’s sake, I clean the bathroom! Our refrigerator is powered by the car battery while we are underway (on the road); it’s on propane when we’re dry-camping; and it’s on electricity when we’re at a camp with hook-ups (electricity, water and sometimes sewer). The propane does not cool the refrigerator as well as the other methods so we have to be careful about keeping the food adequately cold or frozen.
When we arrive at a campsite we must hook up to the electricity, water and sewage (if we have hookups); set up the large plastic “rug” with the dog’s playpen on it; get out our camp chairs and camp table; and get a bottle of wine opened (I think that’s the first thing we do); and we also have to level Diana. If she’s not level several things happen: if the refrigerator is on propane, it will not cool as efficiently; while we’re sleeping, we will slowly slip downhill and we will wake up against the down-hill wall (a rude awakening); and if we shower in our little bathroom, the water will flood in the lower corner and run out the door. We use thick plastic blocks stacked on each other to lift Diana level. Believe it or not, there is an iPhone app for leveling! We have the “iHandy Level”! But aren’t there apps for everything these days?
The wind is really hard on the eyeballs! Both Lucky and I need “doggles” so we fight over who gets to wear them. He has sensitive eyes so we bought him “doggles”–goggles for dogs. They only had pink & purple ones and every time I put them on him we laugh till we drool. He’s not so amused. His little “staple-pull teeth” are scary so I quit fighting over who should wear them and let him have them.
We have a great BBQ that runs off the propane. We frequently BBQ for dinner but our nice little kitchen serves us well when we cook in it. We have 2 burners and purchased some really nice nesting pots and pans (they all fit together in a compact configuration) that take up a small amount of our already limited storage space. Most campsites have a fire pit with a grill cover so we also have the option of cooking over the fires. A nice amenity if you want “s’mores.”
Each campsite here is nestled in the great huge rocks/boulders. It is really beautiful and the campsite is quiet. There are great stars to be seen. We don’t get to see many stars in Oceanside.
Lucien has cabin fever already! As I take the dogs out for a walk, Lucien is jumping 3 feet in the air over and over. This behavior reminds us that we have to find a dog park every few days. We have this other dog problem: Once the dogs are settled into the playpen, Lucky becomes bored. We believe he says to himself “I need something to do! I think I’ll hump Toby!” Toby just sits there and takes it. It happens every time we set up camp.
As we settle in, sipping our wine, a small bird hops over to the playpen.
It appears that it cannot fly. That little bird teases the dogs until they are crazy! It hops on the wire enclosure just out of their reach. It hops around the perimeter of the pen as they bark and tremble in anticipation. If the doggies weren’t so loud it would be funny but they’re driving us crazy. Finally it hops away to later be eaten by a predator, I assume.
We cook inside because the wind is so fierce. We have delicious meal of chicken thighs and thus ends our first day on the road.