Desert Dwelling

Spent a few days earlier this week in the desert this week. The desert is definitely home to all sorts of misfits, crazies, extreme personalities, and your basic loners. Oh, and then there is the retirement community to add to the mix. I always seem to spend half my time in the desert just tripping on the people who call the place home. For sure, I always feel like an outsider. There is a solid line of demarcation between those who are in the desert temporarily and those who are dwelling there on a permanent basis.

But with scenery and geography like this, any human oddities and awkward interactions are easy enough to deal with.

Along the trail up Mt Ryan in Joshua Tree National Park.

Top of Mt Ryan and views out into the endless landscape.

Looking down while heading up Mt San Jacinto via the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway.

Sunset on top of Mt San Jacinto.

Speaking of deserts...I tweeted yesterday that every man, woman and child should be checking out Jimmy Chin when cruising on the interwebs. Just to whet your tastes a bit more - check out this short movie set in the Ennedi Desert by Jimmy & the Camp 4 Collective.

Towers of the Ennedi from Camp 4 Collective on Vimeo.

Towers of the Ennedi features Alex Honnold, who readers may recall being featured on 60 minutes as that guy who climbs mountains without ropes or safety lines. When I watch him do his thing I get hot and begin to sweat in a not so pleasant way. Still, I'm fascinated and can't turn away. For Alex it's all "chill". Weird. Like big wave surfers, these types of climbers are definitely born and not made.

Cheers!