Slane_Brain
Babyface
Yup, on the most amazing holiday of my life I had one totally self indulgent and unforgettable U2 day. Okay well first of all we did a driving holiday in the South West USA California, Nevada, Arizona taking in San Fransisco, Yosemite, Grand Canyon etc. But for a long time it had been agreed we would set aside a whole day for scouting out U2 locations and landmarks.
First of we travelled the few hundred miles out of Yosemite NP amid spectacular scenery and headed into the foothills of the high sierras for Bodie Ghost town. I did not really have much information about the extent of U2's visit here, only a few atmospheric photos that I tried to copy from memory,but it was a great feeling as we rolled over the hills and the slightly surreal looking deserted mining town came into view - with, of course, red hill mining town playing on the car stereo. The lyrics and haunted sound of RHMT come alive when strolling the dusty streets of Bodie past ramshackle casinos, cattlesheds, saloons and ranches. We only spent an hour there as we were on a tight schedule, next onward to the Desert! Past the bizzare looking Mono lake ( location for some of Pink Floyds strange album images - for those who are interested ) it took quite a while to travel out of the semi urban desert towns and into the wilderness proper. The soothing sounds of ISHFWILF and RTSS pushed us onward to the valley where I knew roughlywhere the tree was located. There was a growing sense of excitement and anticipation as we powered along the picturesque roads of that region - we felt close now. Surely enough, as planned, we soon sighted those unmistakable mountains that appear in the background of the Joshua Tree photos and a vast desert plain was lais out in front of us, sprinkled with hundreds of small Joshua Trees. Now the searching begins, armed with a pair of binoculars I scanned the terrain looking for several clues I had been told about to locate the fallen tree, after getting excited about several possible candidates and subsequently dismissing them I eventually spotted a darkish mound close to the ground, the alignment of the mountains was perfect and I was 100% sure that I had found the tree - only one way to find out. Armed with the album cover, cameras, a sunhat and lots of water ( it was late august in the baking midday sun by the way- a touch over 100 degrees ) me and my dad began the quite considerable hike to the tree, it sure looked a long way sitting in the comfort of the Air Conditioned car. Taking it slowly in the unfamiliar territiry we were scared of stumbling across a rattle snake ( common in that area so I am told ) and so it must have taken a good 20 minutes, but the closer we got it became apparent we had struck gold!
Strolling the last few yards to the tree was quite emotional, I was so in awe that 6000 miles from home,in the middle of the desert, I was standing in front of U2's Joshua Tree - I had actually found it! Even in death it is still a mighty and iconic symbol, its shape,though distorted and twisted on the ground is unmistakable, it was quite a bit bigger than I was expecting and is suprisingly intact after falling some 3 years ago ( hopefully it will remain so for a while to come) though brown and parched. The area around its base has become shrine to U2 - stones collected nearby have been arranged into U2 messages and people have left albums and notes, someone has even left a specially made granite memorial plaque. We shot several roles of film of the tree and me in a similar position to the band on the album sleeve and then, all too soon it was time to go, it was getting really hot!
Getting back to the car we quickly recovered then headed on. As we left the Joshua Tree behind there was only one song that could be played, and this may sound corny but with Streets playing on the car stereo at a deafening volume we punched the air and cheered in jubilation, it meant so much to me finding the tree and that moment of joy playing along with Streets was one I will never forget. With one stop left on the U2 tour we descended into the sheer raw beauty of Death Valley, it is far and away ther most breathtaking landscape I have ever seen and really leaves you speachless. Seeing it at sunset enhanced the experience and listening to the Joshua Tree throughout this part of the trip I found a new kind of spirtuality and connection with the album, I must have listened to the album thousands of times but it never sounded like it did that day. We just made it to the other side of the valley to catch Zabriskie Point, the setting for the album cover, at dusk. It is a magnificent view point over some sculpted sand dunes to the desrt beyond and standing there in the still searing heat and witnessing the sun set on death valley and my perfect U2 day I wondered if those Irish boys felt similar emotions when they visited here in '86. You really run out of superlatives to describe it all. As we drove into the night the desert was at its most impressive black, empty, barren and mysterious, The stars shone brightly above and we were cloaked in darkness playing out our journey with Exit and MOTD. Truly unforgettable and inspiring it was one of the greatest experiences of my life, I would strongly urge anybody to go to this area if they ever have the opportunity, interested in U2 or not you will not be dissapointed. Apologies about the length of the post, but I just wanted to share my experience hope you enjoyed reading it. Thanks for your time -
Oliver
(I will be posting a picture gallery or webpage of my visit soon!)
First of we travelled the few hundred miles out of Yosemite NP amid spectacular scenery and headed into the foothills of the high sierras for Bodie Ghost town. I did not really have much information about the extent of U2's visit here, only a few atmospheric photos that I tried to copy from memory,but it was a great feeling as we rolled over the hills and the slightly surreal looking deserted mining town came into view - with, of course, red hill mining town playing on the car stereo. The lyrics and haunted sound of RHMT come alive when strolling the dusty streets of Bodie past ramshackle casinos, cattlesheds, saloons and ranches. We only spent an hour there as we were on a tight schedule, next onward to the Desert! Past the bizzare looking Mono lake ( location for some of Pink Floyds strange album images - for those who are interested ) it took quite a while to travel out of the semi urban desert towns and into the wilderness proper. The soothing sounds of ISHFWILF and RTSS pushed us onward to the valley where I knew roughlywhere the tree was located. There was a growing sense of excitement and anticipation as we powered along the picturesque roads of that region - we felt close now. Surely enough, as planned, we soon sighted those unmistakable mountains that appear in the background of the Joshua Tree photos and a vast desert plain was lais out in front of us, sprinkled with hundreds of small Joshua Trees. Now the searching begins, armed with a pair of binoculars I scanned the terrain looking for several clues I had been told about to locate the fallen tree, after getting excited about several possible candidates and subsequently dismissing them I eventually spotted a darkish mound close to the ground, the alignment of the mountains was perfect and I was 100% sure that I had found the tree - only one way to find out. Armed with the album cover, cameras, a sunhat and lots of water ( it was late august in the baking midday sun by the way- a touch over 100 degrees ) me and my dad began the quite considerable hike to the tree, it sure looked a long way sitting in the comfort of the Air Conditioned car. Taking it slowly in the unfamiliar territiry we were scared of stumbling across a rattle snake ( common in that area so I am told ) and so it must have taken a good 20 minutes, but the closer we got it became apparent we had struck gold!
Strolling the last few yards to the tree was quite emotional, I was so in awe that 6000 miles from home,in the middle of the desert, I was standing in front of U2's Joshua Tree - I had actually found it! Even in death it is still a mighty and iconic symbol, its shape,though distorted and twisted on the ground is unmistakable, it was quite a bit bigger than I was expecting and is suprisingly intact after falling some 3 years ago ( hopefully it will remain so for a while to come) though brown and parched. The area around its base has become shrine to U2 - stones collected nearby have been arranged into U2 messages and people have left albums and notes, someone has even left a specially made granite memorial plaque. We shot several roles of film of the tree and me in a similar position to the band on the album sleeve and then, all too soon it was time to go, it was getting really hot!
Getting back to the car we quickly recovered then headed on. As we left the Joshua Tree behind there was only one song that could be played, and this may sound corny but with Streets playing on the car stereo at a deafening volume we punched the air and cheered in jubilation, it meant so much to me finding the tree and that moment of joy playing along with Streets was one I will never forget. With one stop left on the U2 tour we descended into the sheer raw beauty of Death Valley, it is far and away ther most breathtaking landscape I have ever seen and really leaves you speachless. Seeing it at sunset enhanced the experience and listening to the Joshua Tree throughout this part of the trip I found a new kind of spirtuality and connection with the album, I must have listened to the album thousands of times but it never sounded like it did that day. We just made it to the other side of the valley to catch Zabriskie Point, the setting for the album cover, at dusk. It is a magnificent view point over some sculpted sand dunes to the desrt beyond and standing there in the still searing heat and witnessing the sun set on death valley and my perfect U2 day I wondered if those Irish boys felt similar emotions when they visited here in '86. You really run out of superlatives to describe it all. As we drove into the night the desert was at its most impressive black, empty, barren and mysterious, The stars shone brightly above and we were cloaked in darkness playing out our journey with Exit and MOTD. Truly unforgettable and inspiring it was one of the greatest experiences of my life, I would strongly urge anybody to go to this area if they ever have the opportunity, interested in U2 or not you will not be dissapointed. Apologies about the length of the post, but I just wanted to share my experience hope you enjoyed reading it. Thanks for your time -
Oliver
(I will be posting a picture gallery or webpage of my visit soon!)
Somehow I see him lying all spread out like the tree.
