We changed up our hiking terrain by spending spring break at Joshua Tree. With an SUV from LAX, we drove to Diamond Bar’s Chan Kee for congee and noodles, stocked up on groceries and mini taiyakis from H-Mart, then headed to the high desert. The town of Joshua Tree greeted us with dry winds and sandy gusts that challenged Melody’s contacts. Having missed the farmer’s market, we stopped for photos with Murtle the Turtle, a bracelet from the Rock Shop, a visit to the Art Queen’s Crochet Museum, and time-travel at the Beauty Bubble salon museum before checking into our Airbnb. Staying inside an Airstream camper was a highlight, as we experienced close-quarters living for the next 3 days. After cracking into our kalbi, banchan, japchae, and naengmyeon for dinner, we introduced Westley to Go Fish while listening to U2’s eponymous album before bedtime. On Sunday, we picked up a Junior Ranger booklet from the JTNP Visitor Center on the way to our ranger-led tour of Keys Ranch, where we learned about the resourcefulness and colorful tales of Bill Keys and early settlers. We munched on kimbap in Hidden Valley, stopped briefly by Skull Rock, headed to Pioneertown to dine at Pappy & Harriett’s, and returned to our camper to toast S’mores under the stars. We spent next morning exploring Noah Purifoy’s desert sculptures and piecing together a tragic tale at the Oasis Visitor Center, then retreated to the camper for more Korean food and a nap. We returned to the park in the afternoon to hike to Barker Dam and Arch Rock before a sunset kimbap dinner at the Cholla Cactus Garden. On Tuesday we made our leisurely way to San Gabriel Valley for lamb noodles, lamb soup, and lamb dumplings at Shaanxi Garden. We relaxed at our hotel’s pool and lounge prior to check in, then feasted on Peking duck from Ji Rong and mochis and pudding from Phoenix Dessert. Our HK-style breakfast at Delicious Food Corner kept us energized for next morning’s timed entry to the Huntington, where strolling through art exhibits, research library, and Chinese and Japanese gardens delayed lunch to late afternoon. We fell into food coma after Mr. Champion’s rice sticks and Ho Kee’s roast duck and wonton noodles, and awoke early on our last day for sweet and salty soy milk and fan tuan from Huge Tree Pastry for breakfast. After fancy dim sum at Sea Harbour, we stopped by Marina del Rey for rental bikes to catch the beachside breeze along the Marvin Braude Bike Trail before our flight home. We relaxed over the long weekend with my parents and hung out with in-laws for my niece’s birthday as we prepare to return to the grind next week.