Sunday, May 31, 2015

Cap Rock. An Icon in Joshua Tree National Park

Every time I slowly bicycle past Cap Rock I am in awe. When you enter in to Hidden Valley in the early morning, you can see it glowing white, lit up, like some chalky, ancient city on the distant plain. As you approach, the rock itself appears to be some sort of mythical, Griffin-like creature resting atop the boulders that form it's base, or nest. It looks carved out of the rock like some sort of statue, so perfect and grand. Needless to say, I find this rock and it's environs fascinating. It continually changes through the day and all year long. As you move up close and then away, it becomes more abstract amongst the various shapes and textures of the surrounding rocks. It's our little Acropolis in Joshua Tree National Park.




Sunday, May 24, 2015

Intriguing Rocks at Sheep's Pass

Sheep's Pass is an area I love to re-visit at various times of the year. I like to head off in a different direction each time to see what I find. The rocks here are particularly interesting in color and shape. They feel so prehistoric, like they've just surfaced and are still cooling off, with their jagged edges and deep, rich coloration. This time, I found a small cluster of such rocks in one single area and spent some 'quality time' with them. It's always worth it to get off the 'beaten track' and just wander about, you never know what you'll find.







Sunday, May 17, 2015

The Noble Pinyon Pine

This morning I went in early to wander about and focus on Pinyon Pines, one of my favorite trees in Joshua Tree National Park. You start seeing them in quantity when you enter Hidden Valley, tucked high up in the rocks, a lone Pine at a point, or in clusters lower down near the trail. Each one seems to have it's own unique character. When I see one delineated against the sky amongst the shapely rocks, I'm reminded of Asian scroll paintings. Due to our changing climate, they are struggling more than ever to survive in our harsh but beautiful desert.






Sunday, May 10, 2015

A Walk Amongst the Joshua Trees

I realized recently, I don't take many pictures of Joshua Trees, mostly rock formations. So, I decided to take an early morning walk in Lost Horse Valley near Juniper Flats, where there's a good concentration of Joshua Trees. What a treat it was to just meander amongst these fascinating shapes. I did a kind of horse shoe loop around the valley, staying close to the base of the hills to catch the morning light. There was such a wonderful mix of fragrant and sage-like scents in the air as I walked along and still quite a few flowers in bloom. All in all, a nice way to start the day.







Sunday, May 3, 2015

Unearthly Rock Forms

After we head off from Quail Springs on our morning bike ride, we always pass this group of rocks which intrigues me from afar, so the other morning, I went in early and explored the terrain and the shifting light. It's amazing, how sometimes you don't have to do the 'big' hike or take the same trail every time. Sometimes, it's fun to just pull of the road when something interests you and 'wander about'. I always find it pleasurable and rewarding. This particular morning, there were not only the fascinating shapes of the rocks, but as I was walking along, I could smell these wonderful, sage-like and flowery scents in the cool morning air. I thought to myself, 'What a treat... How lucky am I to live so close to Joshua Tree National Park and be able to enjoy it's many charms.'