Grand Canyon to Joshua Tree

Our last morning at the Grand Canyon South Rim we were a little disappointed, but mostly relieved, to wake to barely a hint of the predicted snow.  Of course we would have loved to see the canyon dusted in snow and get some photos.  But we didn't want any snow on the road to complicate our driving, so that would have been a difficult balance to achieve.  We started off on snow-free roads and we were happy.  We both assumed that we would be dropping in elevation as soon as we left the park and the possibility of snow would therefore end. ---WRONG!  We were surprised to be GAINING elevation, while watching the outside temperature gauge drop to 33 degrees.  Bits of snow began spitting not far outside the park... and continued... and gained strength... and by the time we reached the Interstate at Williams.....

Ed did a great job of negotiating the driving challenge and, though the conditions slowed us down considerably, we made it safely through to clear, dry weather. But at 6 hours, it was one of the longest days drives we have had.

'Nuff said

We drove down a section of the old Route 66, through the once-bustling town of Amboy, which is now mostly a ghost town collection of abandoned shacks. Further down the road, we were quite intrigued by this sight...a vast valley with thousands of these shapes. What was going on here?... Remnants of ancient civilizations?...Aliens at work? ...Large desert moles?

Once we were able to get online and do some research, we found that this is actually the results of a massive surface mining operation for salt. This is a dry lake bed with immense deposits of sodium chloride.

Our little place in Joshua Tree is pretty funky but quite comfy. From what we gather, this area attracts a lot of folks who don't want to deal with pesky things like building permits. Our place features some creative wiring, with many extension cords and signs asking to not plug in too many things at once. Someone has done some beautiful tile work here, but old doors are set into the walls and ceiling for windows and a skylight.  There is a mirror conveniently placed on one wall. However, it is placed so low that it only gives you a reflection of your feet. But we find this kind of quirkiness to be charmingly individualistic. We have our own little private outdoor area with a bbq, outdoor table, a large hammock and a fire pit surrounded by chairs. Across the road and down a trail we are told we can find petroglyphs on the rocks. We are right outside of the National Park, which we will explore tomorrow.