We have circled our three Winnebago RVs like covered wagons around the campfire on a freezing, brilliantly clear December night in the desert just outside Joshua Tree National Park in the Yucca Valley.
Named for the region’s twisted, bristled trees, this vast southern California wilderness is where the two distinct desert ecosystems of the Mojave and the cactus dotted Colorado, meet in a surreal high desert landscape of unearthly rock formations.
It’s an area that’s steeped in rock’n’ roll myth and legend, starting with the bizarre death and partial ‘burial’ of Gram Parsons in 1973 at Cap Rock in Twentynine Palms, through U2’s ‘Joshua Tree’ album and the community of musicians from Paul McCartney, Robert Plant and the Arctic Monkeys that have played warm up gigs and secret shows at Pappy and Harriet’s, a restaurant, bar and music venue in Pioneertown. Meanwhile, Iggy Pop, PJ Harvey and the Foo Fighters are among those who have recorded albums at Catching’s studio in nearby Rancho de la Luna.
Our travel companions might not be music business royalty but they’re interesting nonetheless, as we’re making this trip with a couple of full-bore English eccentrics we’ve never met before who answer to the nicknames of ‘Bugs’- a distinguished Entomologist specializing in the study of the African Fruit Fly and ‘Pots’- a redoubtable Egyptologist. Two dear friends from London complete our party. Despite the freezing temperatures Bugs has resolutely kept his safari style shorts on all evening, whilst our woefully underdressed family has vowed to make a stop at the Yucca Valley Walmart to buy fleeces and extra blankets the first order of business in the morning. All that’s missing for our daughter are s’mores and marshmallows to toast, but otherwise she could not be more excited, as the family that ‘does not do camping’, finally sleeps under the stars in the desert.
Keeping the heating on all night in our RV would have flattened the battery, so reluctantly we retired to our freezing ‘overhead cab’ double bed wearing every item of clothing we’ve packed and spent a fitful night. As the heavy morning dew leaked through the rotting window seals onto our sleeping bag, I did the right thing and volunteered to clamber down the ladder to turn the heating back on full blast. We are the lucky ones, as the other RVs have neither heat nor hot water this morning, and to make matters worse our London friends have blocked the kitchen sink drain in their vehicle with their breakfast coffee grounds, which are now backing up their shower too.
From this inauspicious start has emerged a memorable day in which we took the panoramic six and a half mile ‘Black Rock’ hike up to a ridge past ghostly Joshua trees and ate our picnic surrounded by mountain peaks, some of them snow covered. Back at the RV Park it’s time to empty the sewage tanks on our vehicles- a disturbingly aromatic experience, which had me washing and re-washing my hands afterwards more often than Lady Macbeth. We then drove in beautiful afternoon light through otherworldly piles of boulders to Cottonwood Spring in the far south of Joshua Tree National Park for another convivial evening around the campfire. Sabrina barbecued some of the finest Korean short ribs we’ve had before or since, after the sun set gloriously behind our Joshua tree encircled encampment and we toasted our feet and the s’mores and marshmallows we also picked up at Walmart, on the flames.
Barbecued Korean Short Ribs: Serves 4
I foolishly agreed to this trip thinking that at least I would have something warmer than canvas above my head, and a ‘proper’ bed to sleep in. Nevertheless, there are few things more satisfying than a campfire barbecue, and these Korean short ribs turned out remarkably well.
12 crosscut beef short ribs
2 tbsp Korean chili paste
6-8 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 tbsp soy sauce
Mix the chili paste with the garlic and soy sauce and rub the mixture all over the short ribs- leave to marinate overnight. Heat the grill and barbecue the ribs over an indirect heat until cooked.
The next morning over breakfast, after a second sleep-challenged night, the resolve of even the toughest members of the party is beginning to crack. Pots, of all people has spoken up first, demanding that Bugs immediately take her to the nearest motel, adamant she can’t stand another moment without a hot shower.
Levels of desperation for hot running water and clean sheets are not quite that elevated for the rest of us. So before breaking camp we scramble up nearby Mastodon Peak under cloudless skies, then take a (more than slight) detour through the Mecca Valley and the bizarre, flyblown Salton Sea, which will make that hot shower we’re all looking forward to so much, even more irresistible!
Love you capturing the beauty of that area and the desert. Yes, the desert does get very very cold at night....especially in the winter. We are full-timing it in a toyhauler and have found a nice quiet spot over here in Quartzite AZ. The hikes and bike rides are amazing. Some mornings have been brisk to say the least. Blessed to have a new propane furnace to flick on. Thanks for the recipe on the ribs. Sound amazing and we love meats.
An Entomologist and an Egyptologist. I'm sure some fascinating conversations would ensue. I always wanted to pursue a career in Entomology.
Maybe you will make it over to the Quartzite area sometime.
The RTR starts January 13th.
Great pictures and post. Safe travels to all of you and a Happy New Year one and all~
Joshua Tree looks other-worldly but what an incredible place to visit. You certainly seemed to embrace that rock n roll lifestyle on your visit! When I went, I didn’t realize how cold the desert got at night, lovely to warm up with a campfire and some cooking. Again, another delicious sounding recipe!