Yucca Valley, CA -- We are having an amazing time relaxing on our first trip to Joshua Tree National Park. We're staying just a few miles away in a little cabin on the edge of wild desert country. Right now Alicia is making a fire as the sun is setting.

Our first day we hiked Ryan Mt. and saw a beautiful view of the park spreading out on the valley below. On one side is the higher Mojave Desert and the other the Calif. Sonora Desert with more open plains. After hiking the quick peak we visited the Hall of Horrors bouldering area where climbers use the big rock formations. They are very fun to explore with twists and turns. We found a little crack between two massive boulders that create a long hallway.

The next day, after cheese scrambled eggs and cinnamon buns we headed out to Boy Scout trail. It was an awesome 10 mile hike. It began on the plains with a forest of Joshua Trees with crazy jutting rock formations that look like stacked, rounded multi-shaped rectangles forming little mountains. Then we descended into more dense rocks, with more plants, cactus, and fewer Joshua Trees. Eventually the trail found a large dry river bed that constantly wound toward larger rocking hills in the distance. The river was fantastic with such a diversity of tiny plants among the rocks and boulders. Then we found the beautiful view of the plain desert below. Ate lunch and started back. Near the car we climbed up a fun hill of rocks and saw a large group of German tourists.

Now we are relaxing and will eat bbq chicken soon!