Birthday in the Desert

“Did you bring a gun with you?” My mom asked with a concerned look on her face. “What?” I replied not quite sure what the hell she was talking about. “There are all sorts of rapists and murderers out in the backcountry, I always make your dad bring a gun.” She retorted with a smug smirk on her face. I look over to my dad and ask “do you really bring a gun?” He silently shakes his head out of my mom’s view. And this is how we left San Diego and headed out to the Mojave Desert.
As we turned off hwy 40 and into the Mojave National Preserve we felt a sudden sense of awe. The sun was blaring down on this beautiful high desert oasis and we were excited for our first night of camping. I should also mention that it was Mylinh’s 27th birthday and my dad had sent along a bottle of tequila for us to have in celebration.

We got in, set up camp, and pulled out our equipment. It had been quite some time since I’ve been camping and I wasn’t exactly confident that I remembered how to use the stove and other slightly complicated items like the can opener. So, as to save my manhood, I waited until Mylinh went off to the bathroom in order to fuss and fiddle with the stove and make the many mistakes that would inevitably happen as I figured out how to get it lit. This plan worked and by the time she got back the stove was flaming away and she told me how impressed she was – I nodded back at her confirming my impressiveness.
As darkness fell we sat by the moonlight (not to be romantic, but because we forgot the lantern) and sipped tequila. The moon lit up the entire valley with its surreal neon orange glow and it was almost light enough to read. Unlike many other high desert nights I’ve experienced this one stayed warm and so did we. The next morning we roared out of town down a road that splits the Mojave in two and takes us up to the Vegas Freeway – I-15.

Mojave Pictures