Milton
Beryle says, “If opportunity doesn't knock ~ build a door!”
Bobby
Unser states, “Success is when preparation meets opportunity.”
Henry
Ford advises: “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again ~
this
time with more intelligence.”
My love of Canada is immense!
Having viewed a few times from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean,
the Territories, I yet have to travel although been briefly to Carcross
Having viewed a few times from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean,
the Territories, I yet have to travel although been briefly to Carcross
named by the Aborigines as 'Cariboo Crossing' in Yukon.
On occasion, I'd crossed the U.S. border with a couple friends
enroute to Florida ~ several times to America's eastern states. As
a teenager, with my family, we drove firstly to Vancouver and
returned stateside to Chicago and home. During the summer, following
two years of teaching, with a Sudbury friend, we toured 13 European
countries ~ always with the yen and desire to return again.
My son, working several years in U.S. gave me opportunity to 'go
visit him.' My greatest memorable journey was in 2001 when driving
my son's van from California's Silicon Valley across the western and
mid-states to Detroit and crossing into Canada ~ my homeland.
Colorado's Rocky Mountains absolutely impressed me (especially the
ski areas)...even the Prairie states had unique travel appeal. But,
whenever on travel-mode, I was always thrilled to return to my Land
of the Maple Leaf.
In California 3 times, on weekends, we drove the scenic Highway 1...
discovered 3 tall cedars, driving through the trunk of one...
touring National Parks and the mighty Sierras.
A highlight on a Labour Day weekend was to meet with my nephew, Jimmy
and his wife, Marcela, who lived in Oakland; we toured Yosemite
National Park (what a sensation!) and toured the wine valleys,
enjoying a luncheon on a refurbished old Victorian-type steam engine
train as it trundled through the numerous luscious vineyards. We
rode the Squaw Valley chair lift to the top, enjoying the patio lunch
with a glass of Napa Valley wine as we dined amid this skyline
panorama!
Joshua Tree National
Park
Featured
in the Hamilton's Spectator this past weekend in the travel section,
a couple photos grabbed my curiosity. One stark photo captioned the
view: Twisted
trees and jumbled boulders compete for attention in Joshua Tree
National Park. Located
south of the Mojavi Desert and easterly Palm Springs is about an hour
away. Following are excerpts from an article by Alex Pulaski for the
Washington Post.
A century ago, Palm Springs remained an unincorporated village of
a few thousand residents. The automobile's advent helped establish it
as a 'way station' between Los Angeles and points east from Phoenix
to El Paso and beyond. The Hollywood crowd discovered the city in
the 1920's and 1930's, seeking a getaway near enough to 'film lots'
to meet studio demands. Golf courses sprouted, as did palm-lined
boulevards. The surrounding communities expanded as well, with
soothing names such as Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City and Indian
Wells. By 1947, as the post-Second World War economy sizzled, The
'Rat Pack' made Palm Springs party central! “It was more about fun
than function,” said guide Michael Stern, “Palm Spring's whole
goal is to provide pleasure ~ there is nothing here other than
tourism.”
The desert never seems far away, even amid the battalions of palm
trees
standing sentinel over the urban area. Even after a walk through
the oasis of palm trees,
it was hard to imagine how the 'Cahuilla Indians' coaxed an
existence from this rugged terrain.
The
Joshua Tree is the largest of the 'yucca' species. So rare, it only
grows in the Mojavi Desert
Extremely slow-growing, the tree only grows about 2-3 inches a year.
It can take up to 60 years for a Joshua Tree to mature ~ and can
live up to 150 years. Tall, with a slim trunk, its branches wave like
'arms' toward the sky. Joshua Tree was given its name by a group of
Mormon settlers who crossed the Mojavi Desert in the mid 19th
century. The tree's unique shape reminded them of a Biblical story
in which Joshua reaches his hands up to the sky in prayer.
The Joshua Tree likes dry soils on plains, slopes and mesas,
often growing in groves.
The Mojavi Desert when in bloom is a paradym of luschious colours ~
jewel toned fuschias, emerald greens, topaz pinks, fire-opal oranges,
sapphire
blues and royal purples.
Another photo submitted with this publication was of palm trees
in a harsh landscape which abound along the San Andreas Fault near
Palm Springs.
Point
of Interest ~ Palm Springs, California
On another occasion, visiting a local friend who frequents Palm
Springs once yearly,
we spent a week in this unusual and rare green landscape of golf
courses,
which to my understanding ~ the water comes from tapped underground
springs.
From Los Angeles airport, we drove through the San Bernardino
Mountains ~ witnessed a large valley filled with wind turbines...saw
signs indicating the location of the San Andreas Fault. Unknown to
me, this mountainous area around Palm Springs is a great ski center,
both for cross-country skiing and downhill. Being a skier, I was
impressed until I noticed the cable-car running steeply up the
mountain side to the top. WOW! How dangerous that could be, while
enclosed in this 'lift' supported by high steel towers, should the
Andreas Fault decide to activate!!! It was summer ~ therefore, No
Problem!
The first day there, we rode that cable car to the top to survey the
awe-inspiring view, spanning 360 degrees. Fabulous! We enjoyed a
delicious lunch, mountaintop...and were saturated with the
geographic beauty all around! Although I'd ridden many ski-lifts and
cable cars, this was the only one that created a sensation that could
possibly be dangerous. What if??? the Fault fulfilled its mission?
What if??? the high construction towers lost their stability? What
if??? the cable car stops high above the valley below? What if
we're stranded? I'm certain that the ski lift operators have rescue
plans!!!
It was a glorious week!
We drove northbound (seeing signage for Joshua Tree National Park)
and travelled beside the Mojavi Desert, noticing a military base
located within the desert...passed the entry to Yosemite Park, but
with insufficient time to explore it, we went on to Reno, Nevada
entering an olden bar (which was historic ~ (the oldest working bar
in U.S.) Then crossing country to Sacramento and the coast, we
thrilled to the awe of #1 Highway and the everso-blue waters of the
Pacific Ocean. The mighty redwoods along the road were just that:
MIGHTY!
Back in Los Angeles, we picked up 'lunches to go' and enjoyed them
with a bottle of wine on Venice Beach before leaving on a plane for
home.
Wrtten by Merle Baird-Kerr...March 3, 2018
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