From the Desert to the Coast

June 18th - 25th, 2021

After an ungodly hot week in Zion, with highs around 118 degrees, we had had about enough of the desert. Earlier in our trip, we debated skipping a visit to San Diego, in an effort to save time in our itinerary, and hitting Joshua Tree National Park for a weekend instead. However, once we saw that temps in Joshua Tree were predicted at upwards of 120 degrees the weekend we were planning to go, we decided we needed to make a beeline to the California coast to cool off. 

The drive from Zion to San Diego would have a been a bit too much for one day, so we decided to stay just outside Joshua Tree National Park for one night to break up the trip. We're finding that we are much happier driving 4 - 6 hours in a day vs. 12! 

Our friend Chris, who we met in Guatemala a couple of years ago, lives and works in Palm Springs now. Ian coordinated with him to come visit us in Destiny for the night. We hadn't seen Chris since February of 2020, just before the world shut down and we all had to evacuate Central America. It was really nice to catch up with him, and swap stories from the last 1.5 years. Temps at Joshua Tree were close to 120 when we arrived at Twentynine Palms RV Resort that afternoon, but had cooled off to about 100 by the time we finished dinner. So, Ian, Chris and I decided to take an evening drive through Joshua Tree, and check out Skull Rock, a large rock formation that looks like....you guessed it....a giant skull. 

The park was really cool, and it was neat to drive through a small section of it with the sun setting in the background. By the time we parked by Skull Rock, dusk had set in. After snapping a few obligatory Joshua Tree photos (did I mention how obsessed I am with these amazing trees!?), we decided to stretch our legs. 

We walked on a short trail that wove through Joshua Trees of all shapes and sizes, and giant boulders that were almost tacky in texture...perfect for climbing. Ian of course did just that! He has no fear when it comes to climbing up rocks, or jumping off cliffs into large bodies of water for that matter. ;) I digress... After walking around for a half hour or so, the near-full moon was shining brightly and the stars were starting to come out. We made our way back to the resort, and settled in for the evening. We definitely want to return to Joshua Tree in the future, likely during the fall or early spring. Summers are just too hot to really enjoy all this unique park has to offer. 

The next morning, we left early for the 3 hour drive to San Diego. Drives always take a bit longer with Destiny in tow, but we arrived at my Aunt Paula's home in Del Mar (just north of San Diego) in the late afternoon. Aunt Paula had generously invited Ian and I to stay with her in San Diego when we told her about our road trip plans months ago. We took her up on it, and were so happy we did! It was so nice to catch up with her, and my cousins Josh and Natalie, who I hadn't seen since our wedding in 2015! Natalie was serendipitously back in San Diego for a friend's wedding the following weekend (she lives in NYC now). It was wonderful to cross paths with her, and get to spend some quality time together around our "co-working station" aka the kitchen. We also explored Torrey Pines Nature Reserve one afternoon, and went to a (much needed) yoga class together. Ian and Aunt Paula also got a round of golf in together, which they really enjoyed! 

Other highlights of our time in San Diego included catching up with dear friends Ben and Jen Garfunkel at the beach and at some local breweries. Ben and Ian also got not one, but two rounds of golf and surfing in together, which made Ian pretty happy. These are two of his favorite activities after all! We also got to spend some quality time with some friends that we've met through the yoga retreat world: Jenna, Michelle, Kelly, Rebecca, and Christina. It's so nice to have friends and community in San Diego, AND to be able to see people freely and not feel stressed out about it, since we are now vaccinated. What a difference from a few months ago! 

I also went to my first indoor and in-person yoga classes since this pandemic started 15 months ago. It was so nice to practice with other humans again, and take from two of my favorite teachers: Kelly and Jenna. Such a treat! Sorry zoom, but the energy of an in-person yoga class can never be replaced. Just like how the feeling you get from traveling, experiencing new places, and connecting with different people also can't be replaced in the virtual space. I have missed all of these things so much during the pandemic, more than I even realized. They are part of what makes my soul happy, and I am just so ecstatic to be back to living in a way that brings me so much joy. 

While it was hard to leave San Diego after a short 4 nights, the "Great American Summer Road Trip" (as Ian has been calling it) must go on! From San Diego, we drove the 2.5 hours (but really 4 with LA traffic!) to Acton, CA where we would stay for the next 2 nights. My good friend of 30 years, Rachel (Holt) Parker, has been residing at The Californian RV Resort with her husband Jared and their two adorable kiddos, Caleb and Liam, since last October. After 8 years in the LA area, Rachel and Jared have decided to move back to Virginia to be closer to family. Ian and I were so happy that we got to cross paths with them, just in the nick of time before they started making their journey back east! 

It was so great to catch up with Rachel and Jared, and to see their kids again. We hadn't seen Caleb since he was about 1.5 years old, and had never met Liam. But as old friends do, we picked up right where we left off, reminisced about the past, and exchanged stories about living RV life. Rachel and Jared also showed us some of their favorite spots around Acton. These included Vasquez Rocks, which were really fun to explore, and a delicious Mexican restaurant, where we learned that Jared was quite proficient in Espanol de la cucina. hehe. 

It's always bittersweet to move on, but Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, and their GIANT trees, were calling our names. Ian and I are both so grateful that we took a week to take a break from the parks, and see so many wonderful friends and family in southern California, though. We know this is a place we will come back to time and time again, and are already looking forward to our next visit. 

For more pictures from San Diego and Acton, click here.