The Way to Heart Rock

Where to begin? I suppose at the beginning.

Back in late January I was having a conversation with a friend. I was recalling my recent solo hiking experience to Bridge to Nowhere and how I changed from it. She then shared she had a getaway trip with her pup to a beach town in north Cali. Like me, it was an opportunity for her to do something completely on her own. The solitude factor of taking a trip alone instantly appealed to me. Inspired by her story, I contemplated if this was my next step as well. Now the question was, where would I go?

That same night, I began looking up some potential destinations. Considering we are still in a pandemic, the list wasn’t very extensive. I felt the best option was a road trip, perhaps something involving an outdoor space. After some careful research, I came across a unique location. In minutes, I booked my two-night stay for dates in late February. This gave me a month to prepare and absorb what I had just signed up for.

Was I crazy for doing this?

 Hardly… I mean my friend went alone and surely others have done something similar. I’ll be fine.

But see, I didn’t just pick a popular destination or a nice hotel room on the beach. No; I chose to stay in a tent surrounded by desert with just enough amenities to keep me comfortable. My eye had landed on a yurt near Yucca Valley, California, only a few miles outside of Joshua Tree National park. However, I realized after booking I had very little camping experience. The location wasn’t too remote, and would be more like “’glamping” (it came with a bed and  toilet), but it still called for a certain amount of outdoor knowledge. Still, I wasn’t sure what I had gotten myself into.

No one would know where I was going. I made the unusual decision to not disclose to anyone the location of my trip. The only information I gave out was that I was going camping. The week before my trip, I began compiling any equipment and helpful camping tips from friends. My mentality was… just because I was going alone didn’t mean I couldn’t accept any help.

It all became very real during the drive and finally arriving at my tent. Even though it was a short stay, this was the first time I was without someone directing me with “the plan” or an itinerary. I’ll admit I was a bit lost on my next plan of action. After settling in, I drove into Joshua Tree to catch the desert views at sunset. There was a rock in particular called “Heart Rock,” I was set to find. I’d previously come across a picture on Instagram taken beautifully under the sunset light and figured I could recreate it.

I only had specific coordinates to its location. With no direct trail, finding it would be tricky. Unfortunately, the sun came down faster than I could find it. My phone had lost reception, leaving me helpless to locate it. I even tried using my compass for the first time. I chuckled to myself, as other hikers look at me curiously. Yes, I’m lost. It was a fail, but I still had the next day to explore. In the meantime, I took a few shots of the trees and the immense rock formations I was scrambling through.

I needed to get back to my tent. It was going to be hard to see or do anything at night, but I took my chances. A good ‘ole cup of ramen noodles would be my first dining choice. The fire pit outside my tent set the mood for my first night in. Things were going pretty smooth. I managed to boil water for my ramen. While I waited for my ramen to cook, I sat in front of the fire with a white claw in hand. I had no one to talk to. It was just me. All I could do was look out into the darkness of the mountains.

For documentation purposes, I created a few videos. A diary of this experience and my thoughts. Though I will say, that first night was unforgettable. After finishing my noodles while getting creeped up by a very persistent mouse, I decided it was time to turn in. My plan was going to attempt to wake up early and catch the morning light. Yet Mother Nature had another.

I’m just gonna go ahead and admit I’m afraid of the dark. Always have been. I can forever thank my older brother, who used to shut off the light in my room when I was a kid and make noises pretending to be a demon. I never got over it. Now I’m a full-blown adult who sleeps with a night light. The reason why I’m bringing this to light (pun intended ha!) is because I wasn’t sure how comfortable the night would be for me. Well, needless to say, the dark was the least of my worries. At around 9pm, I tucked myself in with my iPad, my intention to watch a few films. Just then, the wind kicked in.

When I say wind, I really mean violent tornado! It started off somewhat loud with the tent shaking a bit. However, it progressively got terrifying. The tent was shaking intensely and appeared to be falling apart, as half of it no longer seemed to be taunt to the ground. The section of tent located at the head of the bed had sunk in and flapped aggressively over my head, as I laid there trying to watch my movie. Even now, I can’t fully describe the dreadful sounds generating in my once peaceful tent. To paint a more detailed picture, the violent flapping, the howling, and the cold temperatures went on for hours. I barely got any sleep as the harsh conditions continued until about 5am the following morning.

I don’t know how I managed to fall asleep, but I got a solid 3 hours. Even though I missed the sunrise, I was happier to have survived the night. Determined to take advantage of the full day ahead, I had a quick breakfast and headed off to Joshua Tree to begin hitting my hiking and exploration destinations on the map. It would take me all day and my hope was to end at the Heart Rock again for a second attempt. The day had little traces of the windstorm from the night before. The sky was clear, and the colors of the desert seemed to blend into a nice canvas. I met a few nice people along the way but I did enjoy my one-on-one time with nature.

During my hiking, I thought a lot about everything. Mostly, I thought about me and how this journey I was on was a game changer for my life. My blog, the confidence boost, and the change in outlook; It was transforming me. I wondered how my friends and family were taking this new version. It had to be strange to some extent. I was doing odd things. Just like this! Me, alone and miles away from anyone I knew… on purpose. This trip wasn’t about proving anything to anyone. I think I just needed to remind myself of my own resiliency. It was still there. In the past where I felt internally lost and alone, I couldn’t see it or feel it. Yet here I was, walking in a literal desert and feeling as tough as the rock mountains in front of me. My life journey is mine alone, despite all the people I share it with. So, I could either walk looking onward or stop to feel sorry for myself every time life gave me a shove.

I planned little to nothing on this trip. I gave up on controlling every factor of the day because truth is, we can’t control everything. That thrashing of the wind was about the only thing that came as a surprise blow. It didn’t stop me from carrying on. I still had this amazing day of free flowing through the park, admiring the beauty of the path.

And what do you know? I even found the Heart Rock.

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Playlist For the Road

“Fly Away” – Tones and I

“Hit Me With Your Best Shot” – Pat Benatar

“You Spin Me Around” – Dead or Alive

“We Are Not Alone” – Karla Devito

“Beautiful Disaster” – 311

“The Middle” – Jimmy Eat World

“Shooting Star” – Owl City

“Lost In The Wild” – WALK THE MOON

“Dog Days Are Over” – Florence + The Machine