Day 37- 41:San Diego, Cal to Las Vegas, Nevada

wow a lot has happening in this week - havent really been up to writing what has been going on, a little busy. I am having so much fun out here in the desert! Theres so much more to it than heat and sand and rocks! I have seen more types of vegetation, plants and animals in Joshua tree than in Washington or California! -Antelope squirrel, Yucca night lizard, Desert Iguana, Kangaroo rat, Tarantula, a snake... and one of those hawks (red tail?) that makes that loud high pitch squeel that you see in the movies when something is about to get eaten... and all the types of shrubs and trees is awesome, still havent seen one of those big cacti with the arms yet... maybe in Arizona.



So since i last wrote, I went south from laguna, to San Diego - 1.3 million people but way nicer than LA! would def go back there, said goodbye to the Pacific and set off East to the Desert. Drove down highway 10 east until I got to the Salton Sea! drove allong the western shore through a large citrus grove of Lemons and large Date Palms! the scenary there is beatiful - I really did feel like I was in a different world - no green grass lawns, rocky sand earth, dry and hot, no large trees for shade... i love it.

Stayed in Mecca, then north to Indio, and then East to the Joshua Tree National Park! I stayed in cottonwood camp, and went on the "Lost Oasis Palms" trail 8 miles into the desert sun (super burnt!) climbed down into a 200ft canyon and was amongst the parks largest family of California Fan Palms - there was a fissure in the desert crust where the water seeps up to support large trees this size - then hiked back up to the Mastadon Mine at the top of one large rock pile - old mine shaft and 10X10 posts supporting the enterence! old rail cart tracks. Not sure what they mined there though...

Then Tuesday I drove north through the park (2 hours) and then west from "29 palms" and north to historic route 66  -then arrive late in Boulder City, Nevada. Just outside Las Vegas - last night went up to Henderson (6 miles from Las Vegas Boulevard) and visited Whole foods for supplies, and the Green Valley Ranch Casino - HUGE lol today im heading to the gym in Las Vegas, then the the Boulevard to see the strip and visit Belagio or MGM grande.

Last night i slept on a perch over Las Vegas (in Henderson) with a lookout over the big city, the lights were amazing! so pretty and yet so much electricity... the weather here is a crisp 28-30 degrees, had to put on a long sleeve shirt and shorts last night! haha just kidding  - i know its getting cold in canada ...

Adam