Palm Springs

Decided to visit with our friends, the Wheatleys at their Palm Springs house.  Set off down the I10 at 75MPH, stopping at Quartzsite to visit the gem and stone fair.  After admiring the geodes, crystals and purdy stones, we pressed on to Palm Springs, arriving in time for dinner and several refreshing beverages at the foot of the San Jacinto Mountains.  On Olympic-class chinwag ensued until we were all caught up and crashed for the night.

The next day, Mike drove us to the University Market for a browse, then on to the Living Desert Zoological gardens for a tour of the world’s deserts and their denizens and plants.

Fish and chips with some interesting Mexican beers and more chinwags.

The next day, we motored up into the mountains to see the Joshua Tree Forest National Park.  Furnished by weird  volcanic upwellings of monzogranite into what appear to be heaps of shattered, wind-sculpted boulders, dumped by aliens.  And of course, miles of Joshua Trees, Ocotillo and Pallo Verde exotica.  From the lookout, we could see snow on Mount San Jacinto and the great rift of the San Andreas Fault.

Quartzsite

College of the Desert Market

Living Desert Gardens

Joshua Tree National Park

Monzogranite outcrop