as eli just posted, we're coming down from kind of an intense day of the worst of texas -- militantly aggressive border patrol and prolific oil rigs. so, in ways it feels trite and faraway to share lighter moments of the past week, but it's truly been a blast so here are some highlights:
joshua tree was wildly beautiful. so different than the lush coastal landscapes i'm spoiled with in the bay area, but far from barren. we hiked for 6 or 7 miles into the desert and only saw two other hikers, close to the end where we started. that night, we were abruptly awoken by a pack of yipping and howling coyotes. it was so dramatic and high-pitched, eli and i both sat up straight and basically woke up laughing.
we also got our first "junior ranger" badge at the joshua tree visitors center! previously unknown to us, there is a program (mostly designed for children, but open to "kids of all ages") at all national parks where you can fill out activities/puzzles about the designated park and be sworn in a "junior ranger." you recite an oath, sign a certificate, and get a badge. we even got a bonus children's book written by one of the J-Tree rangers!
next came zion national park in utah, and our ventures here were brief but magnificent. the park is relatively small, only seven miles long, but the canyons are breathtaking. i've really never seen, let alone been in, anything like it. we also observed many mormons in formalwear and did our best not to stare, and i can only assume in good faith they were doing their best to not stare at us, either.
from zion we headed to taos, new mexico, where we spent several nights relaxing thanks to a friend of a friend letting us stay in her folks' unoccupied apartment. without a doubt the most magical thing we experienced in taos was an undeveloped hot spring on the rio grande. it was just a 15-20 minute hike down the gorge until we came to several steaming pools where people have built little rock walls around. we had the good fortune of having the place totally to ourselves both times we went, with the exception of a small herd of desert bighorn sheep (!!!) grazing on the other side of the river.
as eli mentioned in their last post, we spent last night in truth or consequences, new mexico, with fellow traveling queers julia and pete, and it was a sweet time! i've so been appreciating opportunities to do little interviews for my "home" project, and so appreciating peoples' vulnerability and willingness to really get into the subject matter when the moment arises.
after the intense border patrol experience today, which i won't further get into for now... we BEASTED our way through the carlsbad caverns. it's supposed to take 3-4 hours to get through and its about a thousand foot descent into darkness and intense smells of guano. but we had a lot of energy to get out and powered through in under two hours. it was a magical and a totally unique place and i was worried eli was going to stay there and i'd have to do the rest of the roadtrip on my own.
next, onward to austin, then new orleans, then tennessee! looking forward to being with and making more friends along the way.
xoxo freddie
joshua tree was wildly beautiful. so different than the lush coastal landscapes i'm spoiled with in the bay area, but far from barren. we hiked for 6 or 7 miles into the desert and only saw two other hikers, close to the end where we started. that night, we were abruptly awoken by a pack of yipping and howling coyotes. it was so dramatic and high-pitched, eli and i both sat up straight and basically woke up laughing.
we also got our first "junior ranger" badge at the joshua tree visitors center! previously unknown to us, there is a program (mostly designed for children, but open to "kids of all ages") at all national parks where you can fill out activities/puzzles about the designated park and be sworn in a "junior ranger." you recite an oath, sign a certificate, and get a badge. we even got a bonus children's book written by one of the J-Tree rangers!
next came zion national park in utah, and our ventures here were brief but magnificent. the park is relatively small, only seven miles long, but the canyons are breathtaking. i've really never seen, let alone been in, anything like it. we also observed many mormons in formalwear and did our best not to stare, and i can only assume in good faith they were doing their best to not stare at us, either.
from zion we headed to taos, new mexico, where we spent several nights relaxing thanks to a friend of a friend letting us stay in her folks' unoccupied apartment. without a doubt the most magical thing we experienced in taos was an undeveloped hot spring on the rio grande. it was just a 15-20 minute hike down the gorge until we came to several steaming pools where people have built little rock walls around. we had the good fortune of having the place totally to ourselves both times we went, with the exception of a small herd of desert bighorn sheep (!!!) grazing on the other side of the river.
as eli mentioned in their last post, we spent last night in truth or consequences, new mexico, with fellow traveling queers julia and pete, and it was a sweet time! i've so been appreciating opportunities to do little interviews for my "home" project, and so appreciating peoples' vulnerability and willingness to really get into the subject matter when the moment arises.
after the intense border patrol experience today, which i won't further get into for now... we BEASTED our way through the carlsbad caverns. it's supposed to take 3-4 hours to get through and its about a thousand foot descent into darkness and intense smells of guano. but we had a lot of energy to get out and powered through in under two hours. it was a magical and a totally unique place and i was worried eli was going to stay there and i'd have to do the rest of the roadtrip on my own.
next, onward to austin, then new orleans, then tennessee! looking forward to being with and making more friends along the way.
xoxo freddie
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