Naturalists-At-Large Program – Joshua Tree National Park

My second week of program with NAL has brought me to Indian Cove Campground. Nestled at the edge of the park and low in the desert below the forests of the namesake Joshua Trees, Indian Cove sees a lot less visitation than some other area of the park. This is undoubtedly a good thing, since our impact on other users is limited and the remote feel of the site adds to the experience. These 75 students, the school's faculty, and the NAL staff are camped in group sites that overlook an empty desert (across a distant wash one can pick the buildings of the expansive Twentynine Palms Marine Base) – a far cry from the scattered family campsites we were occupying in Yosemite last week.

The best part of this week – NAL friends. There is no question the staff working out here this program is the A team; experienced, long-term, committed, and hysterically funny educators that have all been with the company for at least a few season. Most of folks out here are also Program Coordinators (my role this week) and it is by chance that I am coordinating them and not visa versa. For me that means lots of worry free time in the day while the program hums along like a fine oiled machine.

Temperatures in Joshua Tree these last few days have been a bit cooler than what I remember to be the mid October norm. Winds have kept things on the chilly side morning and evening. The nights have been crystal clear, brisk, and starry. A half moon rises above the the granite buttresses to the south early and makes a late night stroll manageable without a headlamp. Coyotes have been infrequent visitors to camp, the desert tortoise (often spotted by groups this same time last year) has remained elusive.

I am settling easily into my cube truck home. At the same time I am constantly reminded that I don't have a car and to live this lifestyle it sooner or later becomes necessary. For folks working here their car is obviously there home, complete with modifications, decorations, and idiosyncrasies that all homeowner must be used to. It's just out here, the Velcro custom bin of pens and pencils on the dashboard of your Subaru is what makes you feel like your 'coming home' – makes you feel like this is where you live.