"The" Joshua Tree

[catlhere]

All I know is that I wish people hadn't climbed and sat and hung all over it, because I'd bet my money that's what helped it fall in the first place, not the whole "natural" occurances. It's not some treehouse playground.

 

[Nuala]

I was just there last month and the area looked great! I did not see one cigarrette butt or piece of trash. There is a plastic tube that is capped at both ends that is wedged under the tree. When you open it there are a couple notebooks and a bag which has things people want to leave there. The notebook was incredible. People from all over put their feelings inside. After I looked at everything I put it all back in the tube and put the cap back on and wedged it back under the tree. It is a great system because you can leave things there but they are all secured in the tube so stuff is not scattered about. There were a lot of messages written in rocks too around the site. I was VERY impressed with how clean and well preserved the site was. It showed how respectful U2 fans can be!! I do strongly disagree that people should never have climbed or hung on the tree while it was alive. That gets me mad.

 

[Nuala]

Ooops, I meant to say that I strongly AGREE that people should never have hung or climbed the tree while it was alive.

 

[martha]

There is a plastic tube that is capped at both ends that is wedged under the tree. When you open it there are a couple notebooks and a bag which has things people want to leave there. The notebook was incredible.

Cool! That's been there for several years, then.

 

[Lewis12]

I was just there last month and the area looked great! I did not see one cigarrette butt or piece of trash. There is a plastic tube that is capped at both ends that is wedged under the tree. When you open it there are a couple notebooks and a bag which has things people want to leave there. The notebook was incredible. People from all over put their feelings inside. After I looked at everything I put it all back in the tube and put the cap back on and wedged it back under the tree. It is a great system because you can leave things there but they are all secured in the tube so stuff is not scattered about. There were a lot of messages written in rocks too around the site. I was VERY impressed with how clean and well preserved the site was. It showed how respectful U2 fans can be!! I do strongly disagree that people should never have climbed or hung on the tree while it was alive. That gets me mad.

I was there in late May as well. There is a new Tube, Called the "U2 Tube" (stenciled on it.) Nicely made. The old tube is in the new tube as well. Yep, a couple of journals in there. The site was very clean, and we did our best to keep it that way. Also note, there is a very large bronze and concrete plaque there, which appeared sometime around 2000. The plaque is a good size, not something anyone can walk off with, and is of a quality to rival any Parks Department plaque and will most likely be there for a good hundred years or more. We took rubbings off the plaque, so any fans that saw a few colours on the plaque recently, don't worry, they were simply colored artists charcoal that will rain or blow off. I have the images framed now and on a my wall at home. The plaque reads: "have you found what you're are looking for?" and has a picture of the Joshua Tree. The Bronze plaque is about 3 ft by 2-1/2 feet, so bring along a large sheet of paper or canvas. It's windy too, so it takes some effort.

Finally, one odd or disturbing item, I noticed that a number of new Joshua tree shoots had been destroyed near the tree. I'm not certain if this animal or human, or why. I estimate that the dead tree will last about another 15 years before it returns to dust. Thank goodness for the plaque.

 

[Zooropa man]

For the ones that have been there recently, do you have pictures that you guys can share?

 

[bonocomet]

Wow I didn't know about the bronze plaque

 

[Lewis12]

I'll try and get some images up, not only of the plaque, but of the twin telephone poles, and other famous now-and-then U2 desert locations from the 1987 tour books.

 

[Zooropa man]

sweet! thanks lewis12

 

[Jeannieco]

Wow I didn't know about the bronze plaque

Hey Comet,
the youtube link I posted here on page 2 I think shows the plaque.

 

[Lewis12]

Wow I didn't know about the bronze plaque

Here you go...

 

[Lewis12]

The two telephone poles...

and here they are now (at mile marker 130, HWY 190)...

 

[Lewis12]

Death Valley Junction...

Today...

 

[Lewis12]

Sorry the pics are so big!

I have more...

and again today...

 

[Lewis12]

 

[martha]

That new tube looks solid.

 

[Zooropa man]

Nice! They look awesome. Thanks for sharing Lewis!

 

[Lewis12]

That new tube looks solid.

Yes, the new tube is very well made, both ends open up, and there are pens, paper, notebooks/journals to fill out and other gifts inside.

I'll post a few more pictures soon, I have some interesting ones, a couple, such as the twin poles were found by luck or instinct.

My four year old daughter calls the Joshua Trees, the "Joshum-ma-trees." I have some nice pictures of her standing there and at Zabriski Point as well.

 

[u2trinity]

thank you Lewis .
that is one trip I would love , don't know about the family .
this would be their reaction

 

[Zooropa man]

thank you Lewis .
that is one trip I would love , don't know about the family .
this would be their reaction

LOL LOL... that's funny.

Yeah, you defenitely have to go with someone who would appreciate it.

 

[martha]

thank you Lewis .
that is one trip I would love , don't know about the family .
this would be their reaction

Nah, it's fine for the family. Just keep the U2ness a secret. It's Bodie State Park, Owens Valley, Death Valley--all lovely spots even without the Extra Importance.

 

[Lewis12]

thank you Lewis .
that is one trip I would love , don't know about the family .
this would be their reaction

It wasn't that bad. We stayed at Furnace Creek; very nice pool there, which we used extensively. Drove out from there to the U2 spots as well as to ghost towns and the mountains (Telescope Peek 10,000 feet above the valley), for a few days. Helps to have a DVD player in the car for the little one. Most spots can be reached in about an hour or less from Furnace Creek. Harmony Motel and Bodie are the exceptions.

By the way, we stayed at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas, which has a new and fantastic pool, which my daughter still talks about. Too bad we don't gamble. Anyway, the Golden Nugget is the hotel you see in the video "I Still Haven’t Found", on Fremont Street, and the ally that Bono walks out of at the beginning of the video is exactly the same today; its next to the hotel. I'll post the pics if anyone wants to see them?

By the way, the video was shot at Fremont & Main. "Where the Streets..." was shot at 7th & Main in LA, and the Famous photo of U2 in Bodie is at Green & Main. Hmmm, do I smell a plan? Bodie, in front of an old Hotel/store in a town high on a desert plain, and in LA, on the roof of a store with a fake mounted Million Dollar Hotel sign, singing about desert plains. Hmmm, nah? Let's just stop right here, no more clues. Besides, the Walrus was Paul.

 

[Nuala]

By the way, we stayed at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas, which has a new and fantastic pool, which my daughter still talks about. Too bad we don't gamble. Anyway, the Golden Nugget is the hotel you see in the video "I Still Haven’t Found", on Fremont Street, and the ally that Bono walks out of at the beginning of the video is exactly the same today; its next to the hotel. I'll post the pics if anyone wants to see them?

By the way, the video was shot at Fremont & Main. "Where the Streets..." was shot at 7th & Main in LA, and the Famous photo of U2 in Bodie is at Green & Main. Hmmm, do I smell a plan? Bodie, in front of an old Hotel/store in a town high on a desert plain, and in LA, on the roof of a store with a fake mounted Million Dollar Hotel sign, singing about desert plains. Hmmm, nah? Let's just stop right here, no more clues. Besides, the Walrus was Paul.

You stayed at the Golden Nuggett?? We did too! That is so funny! We were there from May 10th-15th. The pool was awesome! My husband went through the tube in the shark tank. I took alot of pictures of Fremont street to compare to the ISHFWILF video. It was really fun to have walked where they did. I can post some pics also. You went to Bodie? I would have loved to do that but we didn't have the time. I would love to see pictures though!!

 

[bonocomet]

Wow yes thanks for sharing all your photos. I'm going to Vegas this week. I'll visit Fremont Street again too, been there lots of times before though, including before they put the cover on. But I still hope to make the Joshua Tree trip this fall or winter. I'm just afraid I won't be able to find it tho.

 

[Nuala]

Here are some pictures. These are from me standing in the middle of Fremont and looking up and down the street.

 

[Nuala]

Here are a couple from Zabriskie Point.

 

[Nuala]

Here are a couple rock messages at the Tree.

 

[bonocomet]

nice pics

 

[Nuala]

Some of the site...

 

[Nuala]

Here is the U2ube. You can see the little Joshua Tree in the background. It hasn't grown any branches in 20 years! It is just taller!