Joshua Tree National Park

After visiting Death Valley we headed further south to Joshua Tree National Park.  Since we no longer camp I looked on the internet to find a place that might still give us a comfortable outdoor space.  What I chose was Spin and Margies, about halfway between the two northern entrances to the park.

There were five units, four of which have kitchens, just what we wanted.  Retro?, funky?, I don't quite know how to describe this place but we enjoyed our stay.

Driving into the park we soon encountered some "Joshua Trees".  A variety of Yucca said to get its name because it reminded some of Joshua lifting his arms in prayer.  I'm not sure if the blossoms are of young Joshua Trees or the Mojave Yucca, also found in the park.  Probably the latter.

Next down the road we came to a turnout for an exhibit of the cholla, also called "teddy bear cactus", you wouldn't want to hug these teddys, though.  Also at the turnout is a nice stand of ocotillo and some beaver tail cactus.  The ocotillo, greener than I had ever seen them, due I imagine, to this years heavy rains.

 We continued on down to Cottonwood Spring, lots of wildflowers along the way.  We didn't spend as much time as we might have as Jules was not feeling well.  I now realize that he was beginning to feel the effects of gallbladder trouble that would hit him hard after we got home.

I like the rock formations of Joshua tree almost as much as I do the spring flowers.

At the end of the day we were treated to a beautiful sunset.

Heading home we took the somewhat longer route that brought us by the road to our summer cabin.  The county had not yet begun to plow the 5 1/2 miles.  It looks like summer is still a ways off at Virginia Lakes.

Find more view of our Wonderful World at Our World, Tuesday