Welcome to Joshua Tree
Ana and Ponders take a detour, meet a small friend, and find a place that feels special.
Map of Joshua Tree National Monument.
Notes
Support:
Music:
This episode features Mason Jar of Home from the album Mason Jar of Home by Black Agnes and Mike Dunbar.
Credits:
This episode was written by Ana O’Daniel and T.H. Ponders, and performed by Ana O’Daniel, T.H. Ponders, and Chad Ellis of Station Blue. It was produced by T.H. Ponders.
Our season two art was made by the incomparable V Silverman. This episode also features sounds from Zapsplat. Our executive producers for this season are Charles Gustine and James Oliva.
Show
We hear the bell over the door ring as Ana and Ponders walk into the Ranger Station.
Ranger: Welcome to Joshua Tree National Park! How can I help you folks out today?
Ana: Hello! We’re on our way to Phoenix and we decided to take a detour!
Ponders: How far away are we from the Joshua Trees?
Ranger: Well take a look at this map here. You see Joshua Tree National Park actually straddles the boundary between the Sonoran and Mojave deserts. You’re in the Sonoran Desert now, which stretches all the way down through Arizona and along the Gulf of California in Mexico. Joshua Trees don’t grow in the Sonoran Desert. You’re a quarter of a tank of gas from Arch Rock which marks the boundary between the two. Along you’re way you’ll want to stop and see the Cholla Garden, a little quarter mile loop walk. Though be sure to fill up on water. It’s a hot one.
Ana: So... once we get to Arch rock... Joshua Trees?
Ranger: About 100 yards after Arch Rock, you’ll see your first Joshua Tree. About 100 yards further and you’ll have seen 10,000 Joshua Trees.
Ponders: Excellent.
Ana: And how much gas do we need? I saw a sign saying we need to make sure we have enough.
Ranger: It’s a quarter of a tank out to Arch Rock and a quarter of a tank back. Then you said you’re off to Phoenix?
Ponders: That’s right.
Ranger: You’ll need to get some gas at the station by the Patton Museum, right here. It’s the last place to get gas in the State of California, and that’ll be another half a tank with no service stops. In this heat, the last thing you want is to get caught with no gas.
Ponders: Got it. We should be set. Thank you so much!
Ranger: And do you all have an America the Beautiful pass?
Ana: We do! We got it while we were up in the Olympics.
Ranger: It’s a good thing to have if you’re traveling!
Ana: Yeah, it’ll have paid for itself once we go to the Grand Canyon next week.
Ranger: Wonderful! Y’all have a great time, and fill up your bottles before you go!
Ponders: Thanks!
The bell rings once more as Ponders and Ana leave the rangers station, and the sounds of the car with the desert in the background fade in.
Ana: Oh my god it is hot. That ranger was not kidding.
Ponders: The carmometer has climbed up to 104.
Ana: Ugh. That is so many degrees. How much is that in Canadian?
Ponders: Uhhhh… 40 celcius.
Ana: Oof.
Ponders: Sure you wanna get out and do this loop?
Ana: I came to see a cactus garden. A little desert sun isn’t gonna stop me.
The sounds of the car fade out, and the sounds of the desert fade in, including the distant chirping of a Cactus Wren.
Ana: Ponders! Over here!
Ponders: What? What is it?
Ana: It’s a cactus wren nest! You see that thing that kind of looks like a hole in the cactus? And listen… You hear that kind of high pitched clicking noise? I’m pretty sure that’s them. They’re hiding from the heat so we probably won’t actually see them but they’re out there.
Ponders: I sure hope it’s cooler in there than it is out here. Let me snap a picture real quick.
The desert is once again replaced by the car, this time with the radio playing Mike Dunbar’s Mason Jar of Home.
Ponders: Ok, that was Arch rock. Keep your eyes peeled.
Ana: There! Out in the middle of the desert!
Ponders: I see it! And look over there!
Ana: Oh my gosh! They’re everywhere.
Ponders: I know it’s hot, but we’ve got to get some pictures. I’m gonna pull over up here. A worthwhile detour?
Ana: This was amazing. This place feels special. Can we come back?
Ponders: Oh yeah. But how about next time we shoot for not the hottest day of the year.
Ana: Agreed.
The car fades out as Mason Jar of Home takes up the full space.
Ponders: You’re hearing Mason Jar of Home by Mike Dunbar and Black Agnes, off of the album Mason Jar of Home. This episode was written by T.H. Ponders and Ana O’Daniel, and featured Chad Ellis of Station Blue as the Park Ranger. Accession: Homeward, Episode 3: La Verdad de la Fotógrafa, premieres next Thursday May 28, right here on this feed. Till then, be sure to fill up your bottles before you go. It’s a hot one.