Going to take a few days off from this until I'm back on balance.

Posted by Khiori at 11:32 AM | Permalink

We decided to return to Joshua Tree NP the following day. Got up early, once again filled our mini cooler with goodies, grabbed camera and such and headed out the door.

Instead of approaching the park from the south like the day before, we decided to approach from the north side. It was to be a shorter drive but more interesting. No freeways, just highways. And the biggest part was just getting off our mountain.

We took SR 173. The only SR in California that is not paved. Nor really maintained. Dirt, harrowing, one car wide for two way passage. YIKES. Also, it's prone to slides.

We passed a few others and no one was pushed off the edge :) We were rewarded with a nice view at the end. Whew.

Our first stop once in the park was Barker Dam. We had driven past the trailhead the day before. Today we would walk it. According to the signs it was a mile walk. We somehow ended up walking a good three miles, missing a turn in the trail and ending up on a new one entirely lol.

Barker Dam was created by the ranchers in the area to catch rainfall for their livestock. I was surprised to see some water still in it from the last rainfall - months before. It was such a pretty place that I'm not surprised there's a nature to it. We also saw a bit of the Desert Queen Ranch although we didn't know it until hours and hours later.

Barker Dam "Pond" for wildlife watering now.

Barker Dam wall

Desert Queen Ranch Watering trough

Closeup of the trough showing year it was made

Posted by Khiori at 08:47 AM | Permalink

I'm filling out job applications today. Say a prayer. I really really need to find work ASAP.

Posted by Khiori at 03:13 PM | Permalink

Doing maintenance today to the site. Updating links and such. Also, I'm going to be doing a presentation page on the Joshua Tree Geology Tour. It will take a while to finish though. Ta!

Posted by Khiori at 04:46 PM | Permalink

Here are some pictures of the control burn that took place over at Tunnel Two on Saturday, October 31st.

They were very careful!

This is how they would burn a pile of branches and things. I think it's called "Slash"

Later it would burn down to just about nothing.

The end result is to be a "parklike" setting. This area was not far from where they were working. It was finished and the birds were already there singing away.

Here is a picture of some of the trucks we saw. Most were not this kind but the fire engine type.

Posted by Khiori at 01:06 PM | Permalink

Don't forget to vote! I voted last week via absentee ballot. I find absentee ballot much more suitable for me. I know some folks prefer to cast their ballot "at the box". Whatever works for you!

Posted by Khiori at 08:47 AM | Permalink

Saturday we got to watch the Forestry dept. guys do a control burn near our house. It was very interesting to see how they do it and how it would look when done. Tomorrow I will post some pictures of the control burn and what the land looks like once it's completed.

Posted by Khiori at 08:51 AM | Permalink