e_juliana | Back from Joshua Tree

I have now put ~1500 miles on

truejavachik's loverly Forester. Bless her for lending it to me. Still need to find a detailing place to clean it up before I return it tomorrow.

I was planning to stay through tonight, but the desert did what I needed it to do, and I needed to get the hell back to the Pacific. I actually wanted to stay in Santa Cruz tonight (wish me vampires!), but the rain made it too yucky to do anything and the boardwalk was closed, so I decided to just drive the extra 90+ miles home. Good thing I have people to find me parking.

What to say about JT? I actually made a lot of notes, but I'm too tired to translate them now. In summary:

JT Nat. Park very pretty.

JT township kind of depressing, in the "I grew up in a town much like this" way.

JT Nat. Park? Still pretty.

Tourists? Still annoying.

Did a lot of reading and crying and thinking.

Went on a trail ride out into the desert. The vasty expanse reminded me a lot of home, while the saddle reminded me I don't have a lot of padding on my backside.

Last night, I went to the only full bar in Joshua Tree. I ended up doing the Electric Slide on the bar with the bartender and waitress.

My cat is so very cranky with me.