The Backeaster Days 3 and 4: In the 'Zona

Joshua Tree National Park was exhilarating, mostly because I took a 1.5 mile hike that climbed 1,000 feet in less than 40 minutes. Whew! It was strangely pretty, too. I definitely didn't expect to be so awed by a desert.

By design, I swung southward on this trip. Ya know, to avoid snow. No such luck, however, as I found out it snows quite regularly in the Grand Canyon. Despite the cold, it was beautiful.

I even impressed some passersby when I pulled out my little stove and French press (thanks Tom) to make coffee and soup for lunch. Simple things...New Mexico tomorrow!