Joshua Tree

January 10, 2004

Story line - Ansel

Pictures by Bob, Ansel, Ernie

(click on the small pictures to enlarge)

The morning of our first adventure of 2004 looked to be a promising day.  The weather man had promised a spring like day for this wintry month of January.  The adventure begins to unfold at eight in the morning when this writer stops at a local gas station to fill'er up prior to meeting up with all the PVCA gang.  As the fuel is entering the tank I notice a pool of what looks like water coming from under the Corvette.  Hmm, I didn't notice any water when I drove up, yikes it's gas!!!  A quick look under the car and I find fuel pouring from somewhere near where the fuel tanks are located.  A hasty retreat and the Corvette is returned home.  Now what...  The wife (Joan) says what are you going to do, cancel the run?  No, we can't do that, we'll just take a different car.  Which one she asks?  We'll take the MINI.  This became our honorary Vette of the day.

We arrived late at the meeting place and to make matters worse a convention was in progress and the parking lot was full.  Brian was waving franticly to go across the street to a different parking lot.  On entering the lot there are Corvettes everywhere and PVCA folks standing, chatting, waiting for the leader of this fine day.  Finally, we have arrived and as promised by Mr. Weatherman, the day is spectacular.  Blue skies, a warm sun and not a trace of clouds.  We have a hasty drivers meeting and it's on to the highway with MINI "Vette" leading nineteen Corvettes.

As we approach Palm Springs we are greeted by the wind sentinels of the desert.  A quick pit stop and we enter an area where a few members are able to have a somewhat spirited run.  This particular stretch of road was twenty-two miles long with no stops and many undulations.   Four Corvettes went ahead to enjoy themselves while the rest of us had to contend with a cement truck and other desert nuts.  Some miles later we all regrouped and some enjoyed a brief snack at the TA truck stop.

Already there were stories to be told and bellies to be scratched.  Dave has had a new DVD installed in the dash of his C5 and we all had to have a look.

It was now time to continue on our adventure, Next stop is the where the ladies will have a chance to do some shopping, buy dates and perhaps enjoy a date shake.  Brent and Marilyn had a surprise in store for us.  Out on one of the picnic tables they had set up a wonderful spread of cheese and crackers.

The time had come for us to leave this little oasis just east of Indio and continue on our journey.  We would now be heading for a colorful ravine through the Mecca Hills locally known as Box Canyon.  The sides of the canyon are formed by upturned strata - twisted, buckled and eroded, they stretch for about 8 miles along the canyon, which is part of a metamorphic zone associated with the nearby San Andreas Fault.

Plant life is limited to scattered bushes and Palo Verde trees along the sandy floor - the jagged rock walls are completely bare. The surrounding hills contain other narrow ravines, some of which become authentic slot canyons, plus springs, oases and a large area of vividly colored badlands.

After driving through the Box Canyon we head towards Joshua Tree National Park.  A quick stop at the visitors center for Park passes, shopping, plus the usual facilities and we're once again on our way.

Joshua Tree, formerly a National Monument, was promoted to a National Park in 1994 and was extended by 230,000 acres, mainly remote mountainous regions at the south and east edges. The land lies at the transition between the Sonoran and Mojave deserts, and has vegetation and scenery representative of both.

We leave Joshua Tree and head towards Twenty-Nine Palms.  If you were in the US Marines Corps then you probably are very familiar with this little town.  If not, don't worry about it as you have not missed a thing.  Our journey now takes us towards a little place called Pioneertown where we will be having an early dinner, well at least I thought we would be having dinner.  As it turns out we were too early to have dinner so we had to order from the lunch menu.  All during our late lunch we could smell the B-B-Q outside getting ready for the evening dinners.

Other than some slow service the food seemed OK.  We had a good time and Dave Armas was surprised with some birthday presents.

To see more pictures of dinner "click here"

After our late lunch it was time to head for home.  Duane and Elora led a few of the remaining Corvettes to a great ice cream place in Redlands.  By the time we left there it was early evening and home was still some ways off.  All in all a good day and a great way to start the year!

To see all the great pictures taken and there are quite a few "click here"