Joshua Tree Dust & Half-Finished Songs
okay, let’s just… breathe. i’m sitting on the hood of my beat-up Corolla, staring at this ridiculous expanse of Joshua Trees. it’s 25.18 and feels like 24.46, which is basically perfect desert weather, i guess? temp min is 24.09, temp max is 25.29. pressure is 1017, humidity is 27 - it’s…there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. honestly, i’m pretty sure i’m starting to blend in with the landscape. i’ve been here for three days, mostly just wandering and trying to wrestle some actual songwriting out of my brain. it’s proving…difficult.
my phone’s battery is clinging on for dear life, which is a constant source of low-level anxiety. i’m trying to capture some decent photos for my Instagram, but the light is brutal. it’s either blindingly bright or completely swallowed by shadow. i’m attempting to use a filter, but it just makes everything look aggressively orange. check out the reviews on TripAdvisor for some decent hiking trails if you’re planning a visit - someone told me the Hidden Valley Nature Trail is gorgeous, but also crowded. i’m aiming for solitude, obviously.
last night was…rough. i set up camp in Black Rock Canyon, which is stunning, but also completely devoid of cell service. i ended up eating cold beans out of a can and staring at the stars until my eyes burned. i heard that the campground hosts are super friendly, but i didn’t actually meet any of them. i’m a bit of a hermit, you know? i just…need space. and silence. and maybe a decent cup of coffee. which, predictably, is proving elusive.
i’m trying to be productive, i really am. i’ve been sketching in my notebook, collecting interesting rocks, and generally just absorbing the weirdness of this place. i’m attempting to write a song about the feeling of being utterly lost and slightly terrified, but it’s coming out sounding like a sad, rambling ballad about a broken toaster. it’s not great. i’m seriously considering just recording an album of ambient desert noises. that might be more authentic.
if you get bored, Palm Springs is just a short drive away - apparently, they have a thriving mid-century modern scene and a surprisingly good taco truck situation. i’m not planning on going, but i’m aware it exists. i’m mostly just hoping to find a decent signal to upload these photos. my data plan is screaming. i’m seriously considering investing in a satellite internet booster. or just moving to Joshua Tree permanently. it’s starting to feel…right, in a chaotic, slightly sunburned kind of way.
seriously though, the light is fading. i need to pack up and find a slightly less exposed spot to sleep. wish me luck. and maybe send coffee. lots of coffee.
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