Joshua Tree National Park

 [2nd of 2 'catch-up' posts, covering Tue 8/31 thru Thu am 9/2]

Tuesday morning we helped Donna with a few things around the ranch, then packed up, reloaded the van, said our goodbyes and were on the road shortly after 2pm for the ~4hr drive to Joshua Tree National Park. 

Surrogate mom saying goodbye to Toby

The drive was fairly easy and we arrived at Ryan Campground around 6:30pm under overcast and threatening skies. We were shocked to find we were the only ones in the 40+ site campground - and briefly wondered if there had been an evacuation due to the thunderstorm we could see coming in from the south. Not to be deterred, we set up the awning on the van, grabbed a couple beers, and sat to watch the storm - ready to jump in the van if things got bad. There was a little bit of nearby lightening and a few drops of rain but, as our weather app predicted, the storm passed over us by 9pm and the skies started to clear.

Sun setting as the thunderstorm passed over

We decided against getting our cooking gear out and so made a meal from some of the salmon I had smoked before we left Seattle, plus some crackers and cheese. Mmmm. We cleaned up and climbed into bed around 9:30, with weather reports suggesting we might get another storm overnight (never did).

We both slept longer than expected - got up around 7 under partly cloudy skies and warming temperatures. We made coffee and oatmeal plus sandwiches for our hike, and were on the trail by 8:30. We had selected the 'Big Trees' and 'Lost Horse Mine' trails (some of which Victoria and I hiked 3 years earlier), with the trailhead 40 yards from our campsite.

Cactus growing in the middle of the trail

The hike was perfect, giving us a great taste of the desert landscape, including lots of Joshua trees, with a spectacular view of the valley as our endpoint before heading back. It was definitely warm, with temperatures in the low-90's, but the passing clouds helped keep us from overheating.

Joshua trees, cactus, wildflowers and more

Overlook near Lost Horse Loop mine - Mojave Desert in the foreground, Colorado Desert in the distance

We got back to camp around 1pm and decided to explore more of the park in the van, since we'd be on the road early the next morning. We drove all the way to the southern Cottonwood entrance - stopped outside the park for gas, ice and a couple treats - before heading back with a handful of stops along the way.

Cactus Garden

Aptly named Skull Rock

Keys View - looking southwest toward Palm Springs, LA and the Pacific (not visible due to smog)

We got back to camp around 6pm to find 2 additional sites occupied(!). We were both ready for happy hour before enjoying a delicious steak and rice dinner as the sun set. After sundown, we got treated to a spectacular light show as stars and planets came out.

Happy Hour

Delicious meal in a gorgeous setting with my amazing wife

Last rays

Venus in the early night sky

We went to bed around 11 and slept reasonably well (until the noisy neighbors decided to climb the rocks behind our site at 4:30am to watch the sunrise). Up at 7:30, coffee and oatmeal before packing up and hitting the road around 8:30 for a 9hr drive to the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, outside of Salt Lake City.

Hiking: ~10mi

Biking: 0mi

Back on the Road!

 [1st of 2 'catch-up' posts, covering Wed 8/25 thru Mon 8/30]

We started a 3 1/2 week roadtrip on Wed 8/25. The first leg took us to San Diego to help our daughter, Victoria, move into her sophomore dorm at the University of San Diego. And to deliver a new companion to Karri's mom!

About to hit the road with Karri, Victoria and Toby - Karri's mom's new puppy!

We had two long, 10+ hour days of driving with an overnight stop in Red Bluff, CA. Karri and Victoria took turns alternating between driving Victoria's car and entertaining Toby while I drove the van. From southern Oregon to Southern California we experienced varying levels of wildfire smoke - a sad reminder of all the fires burning.

Barely discernable Mt. Shasta through forest fire smoke

We arrived safely at Karri's mom's - Hillside Ranch Vineyard (aka 'the ranch') - on Thursday evening. Donna was thrilled to meet Toby. He seemed pretty excited too! 

First meeting!

We relaxed on Friday and most of Saturday. Saturday night we got to help pick Donna's crop of Viognier grapes - waiting to start until 8pm to avoid the heat and bees. It was a successful harvest although a smaller crop than previous years. Her winemaker says the quality is excellent - can't wait to find out!

Sauvignon Blanc vines that were harvested a week earlier

Sunday we prepared to host 7 of Victoria's friends and their parents for a dinner party. During their freshman year, the ranch was a frequent weekend getaway for the girls, with most on-campus activities limited or canceled due to Covid. The girls' parents were excited to meet 'Mimi' (Donna) - who always pampers the girls when they visit. We had a lovely evening. It was really great to meet the girls and their parents.

Mimi and the girls!

Monday morning we moved Victoria into her dorm at USD. After lunch, Karri and I left Victoria to nest a bit while we walked around the San Diego waterfront. Late-afternoon we returned to campus for a sophomore parents 'Welcome back!' session, followed by a dinner for families on the main lawn of the beautiful USD campus. It was a very nice event, one we especially appreciated since these type of events had all been canceled freshman year.

We returned to the ranch Monday night, gave Donna a quick update on the day's events, then headed to bed - exhausted from a hectic couple of days and with the hope of resting up for the next leg of our trip - Joshua Tree National Park.

13 Days in 17 Photos

Time to catch up!

We've been (mostly) on the road since leaving Maryland Oct 11. Here are some of the highlights since the post-ride celebration...

Sat Oct 10 - Bethesda; Great walk with Bob, Carol and nephew Jackson, followed by happy hour and amazing clambake in Bob & Carol's backyard.

Cheers to family!

Carol's clambake is the real deal!

Sun Oct 11 - Bethesda, MD to Sharon, CT; Lovely drive through colorful New England foliage. Stopped for a short hike on the Appalachian Trail in Kent, CT.

Appalachian Trail

Mon Oct 12 - Sharon, CT to Greenfield, MA; More fall colors in Western Connecticut and the Massachusetts Berkshires. Stopped for a hike in Monument Mountain Reservation and drove to the top of Greylock Mountain. 

Monument Mountain Reservation which, in 1850, inspired some of Melville's ideas for Moby Dick

Tue Oct 13 - Greenfield, MA to Watertown, MA; Rain, rain, rain. Toured the Dr. Seuss Museum in Springfield. Outdoor (covered) happy hour and dinner with dear friends Tom and Lynn Fabian.

“The sun did not shine. It was too wet to play. So we sat in the house. All that cold, cold, wet day.”

Great company and delicious meal at Branch Line in Watertown; with Fabes & Lynn

Wed Oct 14 - Watertown, MA to Chatham, MA; Delightful backyard lunch visit in Wellesley with our sister-in-law Jackie, niece Rachel and nephew Ian before driving to the Cape.

With our ever-gracious and lovely sister-in-law Jackie

Thu Oct 15 - Sat Oct 17 - Chatham, MA; Delightful, relaxing stay at Blair & Jackie's place on the Cape. Great to spend time with Karri's brother Blair.  Our son, Thomas, and his roommates, Gigi and Jeremy, drove up from Brooklyn to join us for a couple days.

View of the Cape from the deck!

Biked 20 beautiful miles on the Cape Cod Rail Trail

With Thomas before hitting the road again

Sun Oct 18 - Chatham, MA to Niagara Falls, NY; Caught the Falls lit up at night, then walked through the State Park on Monday morning.

Bridal Veil Falls from Goat Island

Mon Oct 19 - Niagara Falls to West Lafayette, IN; Stopped in Willoughby, OH for a great visit with my dad. Continued on to West Lafayette for a quick visit with our son Matthew (amazingly, we don't have any photo evidence!).

So great to see dad (despite the necessary restrictions)

Tue Oct 20 - West Lafayette, IN to Springfield, MO; We had planned a northern route back to Seattle, but the weather looked dicey, so started heading south and west. Thoroughly enjoyed a tour of the Abraham Lincoln Museum in Springfield, IL. Quick stop at the Gateway Arch in St. Louis.

Checked another National Park off our list!

Wed Oct 21 - Springfield, MO to Lake McClellan, TX; Another windy drive through rural flatlands. Spent the night at McDowell campground - just east of Amarillo, TX.

Nice to be camping again!

Amarillo sunrise (sounds like a Glenn Campbell song)

Thu Oct 22 - Amarillo, TX to Albuquerque, NM; More wind! First time in New Mexico for both of us. Rode 12mi on the beautiful Paseo del Bosque Trail, then walked through lovely-but-deserted Old Town.

Paseo del Bosque Trail

San Felipe de Neri Church in Old Town Albuquerque; built in 1793 

Today we head to Santa Fe, then on to the Santa Fe National Forest - hoping to find an available campsite and get in some hiking/biking.

WE MADE IT! Brunswick to DC; Post-Trip Celebration

[Thursday morning to Friday night]

After breakfast, we stopped for more caffeine at Beans in the Belfry - a cool coffee shop in a former church - before hitting the trail around 10am. We were once again blessed with blue skies and comfortably cool temperatures - could not have asked for or imagined better weather for this trip.

Beans in the Belfry - in a Reformist Church dating to 1910

Worshipping at the caffeine altar

Monacacy Aqueduct over the Monacacy River, where it joins the Potamac

We picked up sandwiches and rested for a while in White's Ferry, then continued on to meet up with Karri near mile marker 26 (Georgetown is mile 0). Carol had dropped Karri at Great Falls (mile 14) and she rode out to meet us, then turned around and joined us for the last 26 miles.

Lock house along the canal; these are available for rental - sounds fun!

Rat snake 10 feet from where we met Karri

Stopping to check out a blue heron in the canal

About a mile after joining us, Karri let out a scream, swerved, and narrowly missed running over a coiled rat snake in the middle of the trail (all while riding ~15mph on a rocky trail!). Another 100 yards down the trail, we stopped and watched Richard fearlessly use a stick to nudge another snake off the trail. Fortunately, that was the last snake we saw.

Our next stop was Great Falls, where we locked the bikes and walked about 300 yards out to Olmsted Island, in the middle of a series of rapids and waterfalls. We ate a quick lunch, realizing we needed to hustle - on likely the bumpiest stretch of the entire trail - for our scheduled meet-up with the wives in DC. 

Arriving at Great Falls

Great Falls; Scott had a video from a prior visit when water covered all of these rocks

The last mile or two into Georgetown was on paved trail and then surface streets. Richard led us through his neighborhood to the 'Mile 0' marker, about 57 miles from where we had started, in a nondescript location behind a boathouse, where we cheered and mugged for photos. 

We did it!

Scott at Mile 0 marker

Rick - perhaps signaling we still have one mile to go?!

Rick had suggested we mark the official end to our ride at the Washington Monument - and I'm so thankful he did. Richard led us past the Watergate Hotel, Kennedy Center and the new REACH, the Lincoln Memorial, the Reflecting Pool, WWII Memorial, and, finally up to the base of the Washington Monument. Carol (Bob), Victoria (Rick), Elizabeth (Scott) and Ellen (Richard) were waiting with signs and balloons, and cheered as we pedaled up - a few other folks out enjoying the day joined in too. I have to admit I felt a little emotional.

(Final) finish line in sight

Balloon wrangling

What a great feeling!

With my amazing wife

Heading to the car

Victoria and Rick had generously offered to host a celebratory gathering in their backyard in Bethesda. We hustled home, showered, changed and headed over for a lovely evening, and a wonderful cap to our adventure. Scott introduced us to a tasty new cocktail - the Maple-Bourbon Smash, and we enjoyed an amazing feast, including homemade guacamole, 3 types of chili, salad, and 3 types of pie/crisp, that Victoria, Carol, Ellen and Elizabeth had prepared - spectacular. We finished with an outdoor slideshow of photos from the trip, some story-telling, and lots of laughs. 

A magical (socially distanced) setting for our celebration in Rick & Victoria's backyard

Rollicking Riders indeed

I'm so thankful that my brother cajoled me into joining the ride (I take back everything I, allegedly, said about him). What an amazing adventure with a great group of guys. And having Karri join us for the start and finish was just icing on the cake.

We're already talking about planning another ride...