No, Not the U2 Best Selling Album

As we make our way through the California Deserts we have since left our last stop, the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

Currently, I type this from a Boondockers Welcome host property where was have set up camp for a week. The host has been generous enough to allow our stay to extend for the duration of our time in the area.

The Joshua Tree National Park sits on the southern border of the town Twenty Nine Palms and to the north is one of the largest Marine Corp bases in the world. The base at which my Marine son Jacob presently resides.

My first trip to this park was with my daughter Elise and my son Levi on our epic California road trip back in 2017. A time I will never forget.

When we were here, in September it was much hotter than it is now for Joelle and I.
The park used to be one of my favorites, but is becoming less so with time.

Honestly, in the past few years, if I can be frank, the park systems, both Federal and State have become seemingly “grouchier” and less public friendly.

There is such a “this land belongs to us and you suck as a human so get the hell out” type attitude. Recent legislation, adding to the no drone rules, have been written and passed outlawing most video, even from phones, without paying money for permits (and good luck even getting one in a timely manner). Further, it’s getting more difficult to even do much in the way of photography without having eyebrows raised; because if it’s “commercial” you must have a permit for that too.

Just one more way our elected officials have taken away our freedom of speech and expression.

While joining a number of groups on Facebook (for information) I’ve noted how much they have a very possessive spirit over the various locations. Extreme concern is expressed for the wildlife, the plants, the “environment”. Both from Federal and State Rangers as well as the online people (citizens) who are more concerned for animals and wildernesses than for humans and their children… and ESPECIALLY if you vote Republican and God help you if you vote for Donald Trump. 🤔

“Tree Huggers” really seem to have mixed up priorities.

Yet, at the same time, as I watch humans tossing trash out of their cars, and caring so little for the public land they use, well, I sort of get it.

And while I feel that the National Park system and the State Park systems are nothing more than land grabs by big governments under the guise of good stewardship, I am coming to change my position on it some recently.

Even me, one of the most ardent small government is better proponents, today admitted while driving through Joshua Tree National Park to Joelle that were most of these parks not owned by the Federal Government they would either be totally destroyed by the citizenry of this country or would have been destroyed by developers looking to build housing and commercial properties. I hate it that this is the case.

At any rate, with all that said, I thought it would be nice to share with you some photos I’ve shot with Joelle’s help over the past few days. Milky Way and sunrise at the Barker Dam inside the Joshua Tree National Park.

More to come.

Until then,

rob out

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