Joshua Tree National Park

It was a long drive into the desert. Hungover from the night before and forever in a rush, we hit the freeway with only music and conversation to distract us from the unbearably straight roads to the desert. After a few hours containing only the occasional pit stops to stretch our legs we arrived in the National Park and drove straight towards the cliff that held view of the Coachella Valley and San Andreas fault. In one direction we could see the journey we had just made and the mountain range we had driven though; in the other it was a clear view to the US/Mexico border 96 miles away. So, we just stood there; taking it all in. Every direction you looked you saw something new or notable.

Getting comfortable on the rocks we all found a spot to just gaze out at the view.

The Sun was on the way down and we were loosing light. We left the view we had, in order to see and the famous Joshua Trees, as well as the rest of the terrain and wildlife, in full daylight.

We made sure to be back upon that cliff for sunset less than an hour after we'd left it. The sun dipped below the mountains casting us into the dark before it has passed below the horizon; leaving this wonderful array of colour shooting though the valley below us.

The last part of that day was spent gathering final supplies for the night and grabbing something to eat in a local saloon bar. We all enjoyed the music they played as much as the food they served. Best of all was the atmosphere of the place; it felt that we were getting a look at what the people of the country were truly like with no veil or thought for how strangers perceived them.

As much as we had all enjoyed the sight of the sunset, we were about to finally do what we came all the way out into the desert for. We had just picked our spot and the sky was still getting darker but I'd never seen a sky like it. Without pollution from so much as a street light in any direction for countless miles around I was looking at more stars than I'd ever seen before.

Some combination of pollution and remaining sunlight from the previous day meat the lowest stars in the sky, those kissing the horizon, sparkled through the night in the Californian haze. From that point onward it was a slow burn to the main show. From what I remember to be a south-eastern position the Milky Way slowly, over the course of several hours, rose above our heads becoming clearer and more spectacular at each passing moment until we were all sat with our necks back and our eyes wide; gazing at our galaxy, Jupiter, Venus and the millions of stars that all shared the sky. The occasional ominous sounds of unknown animals skulking around and the prickling from the surrounding cacti were all that created mere moments of distraction from the most wonderful view I have ever seen. Picking out familiar constellations amongst the sea of stars all night was delightfully difficult.

Several hours into this night of musing below the stars, the east began to light up with the light of the day ahead. The spectacle, we thought, was coming to its end. As much as we could have sat there for several hours more we were all content in having been able to view such an astounding sight.

Walking back to the car we could faintly pick out what we were about to see; something I don't think any of us had given any thought to. The sun was rising over the mountains that we had unknowingly surrounded ourself with in the darkness of the night before and was rising over the valley we didn't realise we were standing in. Venus shone for as long as she could until the burst of sunlight over the mountains eclipsed it's light.

You know, writing the above account was a little self-serving. There seemed to be no point. However if anyone is to read this, then I guess a worthwhile conclusion might be that we all ought to try and gaze upon what all those before us saw each night. It's worth the drive away from the city.