I love the desert. I am drawn here by some primal need to slough away the cacophony of the everyday. I love the sparseness and simplicity. The rawness. Everything is exposed, including myself. To quote Edward Abbey, "Life is not crowded upon life." Unlike the city, where everything is crowded upon everything. It is a healing place. A ritual place. Your heart and mind are completely open and vulnerable to the vast beauty around you. I give a piece of myself each time I visit, and my heart aches every time I leave.

Pro tip: The album "Dive" by Tycho proves to be the best soundtrack when wandering alone in the desert wilderness. Don't be surprised if you become so overcome with emotion that you forget to breathe. "The Joshua Tree" is the best album to listen to while driving east on I-40 at 90MPH. Thanks to Shanna Gillette for the U2 recommendation.

And a huge thank you to Jen Kiraly for letting me borrow your fine wide-angle lens while on this adventure.