Killing time in the NAL warehouse –
Ventura, CA

Surrounded by stacks of coolers and endless Rubbermaids, I finally have a chance to get some computer work done and catch up on the business end of life. I'm sure many naturalists would agree the NAL office and warehouse, located in a strip mall right off the 101 in Ventura, is the closest thing to a black hole in California. I pulled my truck out of Joshua Tree this morning and navigated a familiar stretch of I-10 through Hollywood and up into Ventura. The saving grace of leaving the rugged desert and entering the metropolitan mess around LA: wireless internet, a cool sea breeze, and a paycheck in my mailbox.

The weather is what people dream about when they decide to move the whole family to California. Blue sky, perfect days – the fall temps keeping the smog down and making people reasonably friendly. This morning in the desert was unmatched, and the crowds of climbers haven't made the migration from the more Northern venues yet. So, Hidden Valley campground these last few days felt like our private reserve. Supported by NAL road kill, fueled by jam sessions, climbing, and a few beers the team of waiting for work educators fell into the relaxed, family vibe so often emanating from the Joshua Tree campsites.

We made music, food, told stories of old, talked about climbing routes, teased, roamed the sand, stretched to meet the sun, put our hands in cracks, reunited with old friends, made new connections and were reminded of how these years, in jobs like these, have awakened in us a sense of what is truly important. We laugh about how people might think we are missing out, living a fringe, cubical-less life .... when we are truly living it up.

Photos: (1) J. Rose and myself sporting the new NAL hats.
(2) Sunshine - I wanna climb like her!