Joshua Tree 07 Revisited

Well, it's time to recount the magical week that was Joshua Tree. Because there is so much I want to say and tell, I am going to practice my short succinct paragraphs so as not to create a blog novel and bore everyone to death.

The wildlife was abundant. We had three rabbits that came every day around dinner time to vacuum our crumbs. They were adorable little bunnies and made an excellent meal on Friday night. Just kidding, but one did come so close to me I could have cuddled with it. Highlight: A bobcat decided to take respite from the sun under a tree a mere meters from our campsite. We naturally quietly sprang into action with cameras of all sorts. Many good pics were taken and fun was had by all in this zoological observation.

Speaking of science, Braden and Taylor decided to pass the hot hours by performing various camp challenges. One of these challenges was to distill their own urine to get clean drinking water using only a black garbage bag, two ziplock baggies, 2 feet of duct tape and any natural items found in the desert. Neither of them were terribly successful, but many, many wonderful things were learned.

Speaking of learning we are no closer to the problem of whether or not you can move a sphere of water while suspended inside.

Speaking of being suspended, the climbing was stellar as always. It was hot hot hot so we only climbed like 3 or so routes in the mornings and then ran to our shade structure for relief and food. Nothing really out of the ordinary here just good old Joshua Tree Climbing.

Speaking of good, the food was excellent. If I may toot my own horn, the pizza I made was completely above average. It was rich and delicious with a crust able to lube a car. Other highlights included a French Bread pasta bake thing, a soup full of everything, vegetarian tacos (insert dirty joke here), an extremely large cookie, and premade curry.

I think that's good enough for now.

Looking Up Every Once In A While

I was downtown tonight at the Library watching a movie with a friend. She works downtown and walked to the library and I was on my bike so we walked to her work and she gave me a ride home. We were walking at a rather casual pace, really in no hurry to be anywhere, and I took the time to notice my City. The most shocking - in terms of beauty, awe, and what the heck was I thinking not doing this before - was standing at the base of a large building and looking up. I had never in my life looked at a building in that perspective before and it took me aback. Some were virtuosoily symmetrical, while others had interesting variances and bisecting lines and designs. The really high ones blew me away. You could look up and see a base too big to absorb and above you could see the tip vanishing to a pinky. This is the first time I have truly grasped the giganticness of my hometown skyscrapers.

Toblogs photo - Joshua Tree. Three Days and still no Peter. It is so so sad. One of the saddest situations in my life.

My Hero The Shadow

I fullfilled one of my musical life goals on May 1st 2007. I saw DJ Shadow perform live. It was a real treat, not only because the music was completely mind blowingly wonderful, but it turns out that DJ Shadow (aka Josh Davis) is a really cool, down to earth fellow. Allow me to elaborate.

He walks on stage with the lights still high, house music still pumping. He walks over to his turntables, opens his blue protective case for his cartridges, puts them on the arm himself, and kind of mills around a bit getting things organized. When he came on stage people cheered and cheered and he kept his head down in a shy-like manner and had just an adorable little smile that was as ubiquitous throughout the show as amazing beats and melodies. There was no hype with him. Just before he started playing he had a little heart to heart with the audience about his regrets for not playing SLC earlier, as well as some of his future show plans etc; real personal seeming stuff. He didn't come out with epic intro music; no smoke preceded his entrance, he just walked out, said "hi", and rocked us as best he could, and his best is pretty darn good. It honestly looked like he was having fun - like he was doing this because he really enjoys doing it, not because of image, or money, or fame. I think kids would do well to use Shadow as a role model over, say, Jay-Z.

Devil Went Down To SLC

I went climbing last weekend up in Little Cottonwood Canyon in Salt Lake City. I was atop the first pitch of our climb belaying the second when I heard a faint fiddle coming down the canyon road. I looked to the West to see what it was. The make of car was unclear from 1,000 ft up, but I am betting on a convertible Chrysler LeBaron, but it was screaming down the canyon blasting The Devil Went Down To Georgia by The Charlie Daniels Band. If you haven't heard this track I highly recommend that you download or at least sample it. It is a classic in wild and crazy fiddle playing. It was totally awesome to hear this obscure beauty go screaming by.

Toblog's photo: 2.5 weeks to Joshua Tree '07 - Peter, Please!!!!