Seeing More by Riding Less at Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree plant was named by the Mormons because it reminded them of the outstretched hands of Joshua when he entered the promised land.
I made a plan and created a route on Strava to ride 52 miles and climb 4000 feet riding through Joshua Tree National Park, which sits on the edge of the Mohave Desert in southern California. I started a slow climb from the north entrance. Before riding three miles, I had to slow down, get off my bike and just look. The Joshua Trees were doing Tai Chi.
Monzogranite is a particular composition of feldspar, quartz, and biotite Mica. The band in the middle of this rock is a sill that intruded a crack created by erosion. Block faulting created the tilt.
Within another couple miles my rock nerd engaged. Stopping at the exhibits, I learned there are two basic types of rock in the park: Pinto Gneiss, a metamorphic rocked formed 1600 million years ago; and Monzogranite, an igneous rock that intruded on the gneiss 85 million years ago. Most of the gneiss has eroded, leaving a cornucopia of contacts that create a backdrop for the Joshua Trees.
So rode a mere 40, miles but touched the soul of the the place I was visiting. That’s bike touring.
Joshua Tree Tai Chi
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Karl
Born in Harrisburg, PA. Undergrad at Drexel University. Learned to ride a bike when six years old, riding ever since. Started cooking when I was in college, stopped when I got married, started again in 2006 when my wife was out of town for a few months. Jobs: worked at post office while in college to earn money to buy a stereo. After grad school, worked at a small software company in Redmond, WA for twelve years. Afterwards, went back to school to get a certificate, then started teaching high school. Still doing that off and on, part time as the need arises.
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