Wednesday, January 27, 2016

A few days in the desert

If you've met Daily you know she likes to move. She's an adventurer, like her dad!
She likes to climb. She likes to explore. She likes to see what people around her are doing. She likes to check things out.

Daily had no idea how much she'd love Joshua Tree National Park and neither did we! All in all, it was a blast to show her the joys of hiking, stopping for snacks, staying on course (some of the time), exploring, observing and enjoying the nature all around. 

Upon our arrival in Joshua Tree (about a 2.5-hour drive from L.A.) we climbed out of the car to hike around Hidden Valley (not where ranch dressing comes from) -- there were plenty of kids and regular people around. Daily loved watching the amateur rock climbers practice on the rocks while we ate lunch. She loved finding rocks she could climb too!

We took a 1-mile hike through rocks and hills and many terrains. Daily walked almost all of it! What a champ! Despite the hills, a few falls, the rocky terrain, many stops along the way to write in the sand, many calls to "keep going!" -- Daily kept up with her jumpy, happy, jog-ish walk. She delighted people all along the way (somehow) with her smile, her excitement and her interest in everything!

We retired to our beautiful vintage desert farmhouse -- an Air BNB we rented that was terrific. Hammocks, sand to draw in with sticks, treats, amazing bath stuff, a retro-but-usable kitchen so Aunt Jules could cook and a retro fridge that kept drinks just the right temp. We ate some amazing fried chicken (reheated) from Jules' friend/Daily fan Tenny, salad and cake from Tenny too. (Tenny is amazing. Obviously.) We sat around the wood-burning stove chatting. Jules watched some tennis on her iPad because it's Australian Open time!
Daily knocked out after a good stretch of sand-drawing and snacking. She woke early, probably freaked out to be in a new place with her silly parents in the same room. 

Day 2 we ventured out on a 3 mile hike after some not-great retro pancakes! We used our Cat Bird Baby Carrier most of the time (but D still got to hike by herself too!) and made it to an oasis and back. It seems like the best method to keeping a toddler happy for any extent of time, for D & us at least, is having plenty of snacks and being ready to change things up (making stops along the way! being willing to play in the dirt as needed.). 

That night we ate pasta, more salad, ice cream (not well-frozen by the retro freezer, much to my dismay) and sat around the fire more! I don't think there is a "too much sitting by a fire" point for me. 

We revisited Hidden Valley on the way out of town -- more rock climbing! Jules and B climbed up high -- champions! D and I climbed too, but not high. We returned to beautiful Los Angeles for a delightful dinner out, a walk through Jules' neighborhood, gelato and packing. B & I even left Daily & her auntie to handle bath/bed/tennis stuff and went out for drinks at a hipster bar. 

We arrived back in frosty Chicago after a long day of travel -- a drive to the airport, bus to the terminal, plane to Chicago, tram to parking and a drive home! Phew! The travel is a little tricky but so worth it for all the fun we had. Can't wait to see you again California!

Hiker, hikers and a hiking family. B chilling out on the couch. Daily & her aunt enjoying vintage desert farmhouse happy hour.



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