I recently celebrated one year of living here in Joshua Tree on July 1st. Yet I keep catching myself regretting that I moved to Joshua Tree after 21 years in San Diego. Maybe part of my problem is because I've been unemployed for 6+ months and I'm financially dependent on my husband right now. It's an odd phase to be in and leaves me feeling out of control most of the time.
The other reason may be because living up in the high desert is so isolating. I haven't been able to make many friends up here, although I'm grateful to the few climbing locals that I've had a chance to interact with. I have made a few friends at the library through my volunteering and I do hope that Penny and I might be able to get together outside the library venue. She did make a comment that she'd like it if she and her husband Tim could possible get together with me and my husband Tony. That was good news and I hope to make that happen when she gets back from vacation.
Before I went for my tram ride yesterday and enjoyed a nice hike in the mountains, I decided to do some research through the Meetup Group website and found a hiking club out of Yucca Valley called the High Desert Trekkers. I joined that same day and look forward to participating in one of the events in the near future. This made me feel a bit more chipper as I got in the car to make the drive down to the Palm Springs aerial tramway.
The universe works in strange ways and I do have to say that sometimes it sends me things when I really need it. I was hiking alone yesterday and trying to enjoy the solitude, but deep down I was still feeling a bit out of sorts. I almost took the Long Valley Loop Trail in the opposite direction as I came down from Round Valley, but instead decided to stay on the main drag. I found myself running into two gentlemen that were making their way down, just as I was. They were extremely friendly and we struck up a conversation as we hiked along. By the time we reached the upper tram station, I realized that James and Nate could quite possibly be some new hiking friends! Nate is new to hiking, but loved every minute of it. James loves the mountains and is a member of the Coachella Valley Hiking Club. His wife is an extreme trail runner, having finished a 33-mile run in Big Bear the week before. I didn't get to meet her that day because she and one of her running pals had gone off to bag the peak. Needless to say, both Nate and James really made my day! They have wonderful energy and it was just what I needed to cheer me up. We exchanged email addresses and I've got tentative plans to hike with Nate again as soon as this coming Wednesday (if he doesn't head to Baja for the week with his partner). All I can say is the universe came through for me!
James and Nate at the upper tram station:
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