On the way we spot a date palm tree just loaded with dates.
We go by this grape plantation and it is so tempting to grab a bunch.
Crossing the dry desert.
Entering Joshua National Park.
This long dry plain was once covered by water.
Cholla Cactus
This prickly pear grabs Prilly's heart.
Ok, they insisted that I get into at least one picture.
Cool rocks !
Some are really big.
These flowers are all over the place.
This is a Joshua tree. The cool thing about this tree is it does not have rings
like other trees so it is hard to tell its age.
This is the prettiest desert flower yet .
It is almost 100 out here, but look at the snow capped mountain in the background.
Prickly Pear in bloom.
Joshua Trees (and most other yuccas) rely on the female Pronuba Moth (Tegeticula) for pollination. No other animal visiting the blooms transfers the pollen from one flower to another. In fact, the female Yucca Moth has evolved special organs to collect and distribute the pollen onto the surface of the flower. She lays her eggs in the flowers' ovaries, and when the larvae hatch, they feed on the yucca seeds. Without the moth's pollination, the Joshua Tree could not reproduce, nor could the moth, whose larvae would have no seeds to eat. Although an old Joshua Trees can sprout new plants from its roots, only the seeds produced in pollinated flowers can scatter far enough to establish a new stand.
Mormon pioneers are said to have named this species "Joshua" Tree because it mimicked the Old Testament prophet Joshua waving them, with upraised arms, on toward the promised land. This unique species grows abundantly at Joshua Tree National Park.
Can you find Sue in this picture?
The rock piles are huge, the remains of high mountains long ago.
We hike up to Hidden Valley, where some of the only water in the park is found.
This duck looks disappointed to see me.
You can tell there is water here and the wildlife love it.
The ducks are quacking.
The birds are singing.
The runoff from this oasis sparks life to anything near.
Even dragonflies are enjoying the water.
This guy had a long tail to tell.
These are real petroglyphs, they have just been colored in to make them more readable.
About 5pm we leave the park and head to Phoenix.
Looks like Arizona.
That concludes another great trip. Hope you enjoyed tagging along with us.
God has surely blessed us with memories that will last a lifetime.
If all goes well we will fly in about 10pm Wednesday.
See you next time !
Ralph, Prilly & Sue