“What do you want to do today?” This was my first question this morning as we awoke.

“Maybe we should go to Joshua Tree today,” LA responded.

Yes!

Two hours later I had them all in the car, a picnic lunch packed and U2 playing on the ipod as we drove along Interstate 10 toward the south entrance to Joshua Tree National Park.

The drive to the southern-most park gate was no more than 40 minutes. The southern portion of the park is at a lower elevation than the upper portion and is Sonoran Desert (the same desert that stretches down into Mexico). I had once been to Joshua Tree, a long time ago, but only to the upper portion, closest to Los Angeles. The southern portion has no Joshua Trees, but features large patches of ocotillo and chollo cactii. We stopped for a short walk through a chollo patch.

It was here that Benny first tossed his cookies (well, Cheerios, to be precise). He is not a car person and combined with the elevation gain, the heat, the twisting roads and the fact that his head was transfixed to his DS through most of the drive, pretty much guaranteed a good yack was coming. Fortunately, it happened outside the van in the dirt – easily cleaned up, as we kicked dirt and stones over it in the dusty parking area.

As you drive north and higher in elevation in the park, you come to the more faamiliar Joshua Trees and unusual rock formations. Skull Rock was the picture I used to get Ben into this day trip in the first place, so it was our target destination. And it delivered. With all their hiking experience in the past days, they were keen to climb the cool rocks. Ben wanted to get into the skulls nostril, but it was too steep for him to get up and down the rock face.

These rocks reminded me of a recent Entourage episode (that’s how I got LA to come along on this day trip) in which Vince and the boys head to Joshua Tree for a “spiritual” trip and Ari ends up high and lost among the rocks. I liked that episode because it reminded me of my last (first) trip to Joshua Tree. And actually, the rocks do start to all look the same, even when you are only under the influence of fresh air and sunshine.

True to form, Ben yacked twice again. Each time, he vacated his stomach of whatever he’d ingested during the previous 30 minutes and each time he was chipper and ready to go within a few minutes. It being Passover, we were on guard for a fourth bout of nausea, but lo and behold nothing happened.

We returned the house and were poolside within minutes, enjoying the rest of the day in the sun. God did make an appearance and shook the ground a bit, but there was no apparent damage.

Without a doubt, one of our best days so far was capped with the best steak dinner of the trip. We made a 7pm reservation at a national chain steakhouse that shall remain nameless to ensure that we were all hungry and ready to eat. And eat we did. Finally, an excellent meal.

Did I mention that I love Palm Springs?