Practically Perfect: Full Moon Hike

I saw an invitation to a full moon hike in Joshua Tree about a month ago on Facebook. It was scheduled to begin at 9pm and last about an hour and a half. I got so excited that I quickly conjured up the crazies that would humor me on this adventure: Jackie and Michael, of course. Without asking them, I called the number on the post and made reservations for three.

A couple of weeks later, I started considering camping the night of the hike. I knew it was hot as hell in the desert but we would survive one sleepover in the wilderness. When I assured myself that it was more sensible to stay at the park overnight than make the 1.5 drive home at 10:30pm, I suggested it to the crazies who ate it all up.

I hadn't camped since I was a kid. My family and I spent many summer weekends in Lake Perris with aunts, uncles, and cousins and the essentials were still sitting in my parent's garage. All we really needed was an overnight pack anyway: chips, beer, a light sweater, and a change of clothes. I wasn't the least bit concerned about the trip until I came across an instant tent being sold at a swap meet. I didn't even know there was such a thing-- preattached legs that you unfolded and extended-- but I wanted it, needed it. It was the only thing that made sense, a tent that practically set itself up in five minutes. It was essential for our late and dark encampment. But I couldn't buy it without researching it first, reading reviews, and watching videos to see if it was worth the excitement. After I was convinced that this tent was exactly what we needed, my mom and I spent two hours looking for my sleeping bag before my dad drove me to Wal-Mart. I paid $80 more for the camping gear there than I would have at the swap meet but at least I knew I could return it if need be.

Beautiful view on our way to Joshua Tree.

Upon our arrival at Boy Scout Trail, we were invited to take a peek of Saturn through their fancy telescope. Jackie thought they had stuck a sticker on the lens because the image was so clear and perfect, rings and all. I wanted to ask if I could take a picture with my camera but since I wasn't sure it would work (would my lens actually capture a photo through their viewfinder?), I kept quiet. The park rangers then explained the rules for our hike which included no flashlights or flash photography during the one mile trek. The only luminescence available to us that night would be the moon. I accidentally left my camera on the Aperture Priority function as I rotated through them trying to find the best one for the occasion and surprisingly, I captured some awesome shots that would have otherwise been black images.

Adventurers.

Joshua Trees.

The moon, not the sun, I swear.

One of my favorite shots that night.

The trail.

Group gazing at the moon.

Paparazzi.

The park ranger opened up with this poem: Robert Frost

No flash, all moonlight.

No long-horned sheep here.

Ant mound, about a foot in diameter.

Friends warned us about spiders and rattle snakes on the trail before heading to Joshua Tree. But I knew what to expect. That's why I wore yoga pants, so they could serve as an extra (thin) layer of protection in case they attacked me. But we encountered the real danger on our way to the campsite.

We saw our share of jack rabbits and kangaroo rats on the road. The bunnies didn't appear the least bit fazed by my headlights or enormity of my vehicle (in comparison to their size) coming towards them. Since they blended with the sand on the edge of the path, they probably thought they were safely camouflaged and continued about standing on their hind legs with their long ears shot straight up. The tiny rats, on the other hand, crossed the lanes as if being chased by cats.

I think it was Michael who read that bees were attracted to air conditioners so we drove with the windows down. The cooling weather invited my arm to play outside where the breeze helped keep my body temperature down. That was until one of those bugs constantly splattering onto my windshield landed on my hand. So I recruited my limb back inside after giving my arm a good shake. It was a fine thing too because a few moments later, a flying object hit my mirror. The thud was loud and hard. Michael immediately confirmed it had been a bat. Jackie and I only accepted his theory after we caught a handful of animals flapping drunkenly in the beam of my headlights. We had just identified that stretch of land as Bat Country when we heard another thump on the frame of my Jeep by my windshield.

"Roll up the windows," Michael cried. And without hesitation, I followed through, not wanting a fourth companion on our way to camp. I turned on the AC and said, "I hope you guys like bees."

It happened to be the appropriate moment to compare our experience with that of Rory's from Gilmore Girls. There's an episode in season one when she's driving in a rush to her new prep school, cutting through a forest or whatever lies near New Haven, Connecticut, and a deer hits her car and imprints his antlers on the side of her Jeep. The difference was that we had Michael warning us against touching my vehicle's body for fear of contracting rabies instead of searching for the injured critter like Rory and her mother eventually did.

The conversation carried on when we spotted something on the road up ahead. I thought it was going to be another dead rabbit but Jackie and Michael thought it was some kind of bird. How they came to that conclusion I don't know because it looked like a white piece of paper in the shape of a triangle to me. It wasn't flinching so I didn't slow down. But right before I went over it, the thing rose and spread its wings, wide gray ones with white stripes or edges, right in front of my headlights. We screamed in unison and I ducked my head between my arms holding on to the wheel at 10 and 2. On the verge of hyperventilating, I opened my eyes after I was sure I hadn't struck anything else. We couldn't believe why this thing on the ground, an owl, according to Jackie and Michael, had come alive before us instead of flying away sooner. My poor little heart couldn't take it. I was giving myself a panic attack thinking about how I had taken my eyes off the road. I was lucky to have been driving through a deserted popular desert due to the 100 degree weather. I hadn't expected much of a thrill on this trip but I guess I should have. Nature has no plans but I sure did. I needed a drink!

At last, we settled down at the site of our choice being that we had the entire park to ourselves. We set up camp in five minutes, thanks to my handy instant tent, and quickly took in the serenity that was Joshua Tree at midnight. Coyotes howled at the moon and we sat quietly with bottles of Orange Wheat and a bag of chips under the starry sky.

Instant tent: unfold legs, extend legs, done.

Camping promotional model.

Caught in the moonlight.

Michael's camera captured the sky beautifully.

Sunrise.

Roughing it.

Can you spot him?

It seemed wrong to pack up and leave the park by 9:30am the next day so we attempted a hike. We walked for an hour before we made the sound decision to turn back since the temperature had already risen to the three digit mark. We saw some pretty neat creatures on the way, though.