Saturday, April 30, 2016

Desert Dreaming

The hubby and I are going on a cross-country road trip in a few days so the blog posting of recent has been a little dismal. We're driving from Southern Ontario - so let's just call it Detroit - to Morongo Valley, California. We'll hang out in California for a bit and then head back via New Mexico.

Joshua Tree

Creosote bush drying rack

Joshua Tree sunset

A few years ago I did a Southwest roadtrip solo and I put zero planning into the trip. I left California without an itinerary, phone, GPS, or even a map. As a lone woman, it was liberating and exciting, and the prospect of adventure was my priority. I stayed in crappy motels, slept in my car, picked up a hitchhiker, lived off Lay's chips and Walmart pastries, met some really nice people, and got terribly lost more times than I can count.

Now that I'm doing this with another human being and the distance has been multiplied, a lot more forethought and planning has gone into it. Some personal requirements need to be met, expenses are split so we have a bigger budget for hotel rooms, and wasting time circling back on freeways will be more frustrating when we have destinations we need to get to.

Pioneertown

My friend's trailer in Pioneertown

Desert cat

But there are numerous advantages to having a companion as well, especially someone as loquacious as my boyfriend. He's a constant joke and storyteller, a calm and decisive navigator, and my best friend (he's also pretty to look at). It'll be nice to have someone to talk to along those really tedious 8 hour stretches of driving through flatlands; it'll be nice to have someone to curl up to at night when you're in a shitty motel bed and the temperature drops; and it'll also be nice to have someone to share those breath-taking moments when you're at the top of a mountain overlooking a desert valley.

Met this cool guy at the Yucca Valley swapmeet


Peace

Super excited!

- J

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