My friend Larry (left in photo) swore that he knew an easy hike to a secret desert oasis, just outside the city limits of Palm Springs, California.
"It's only a few miles," he claimed. "You'll love it!"
My knees were already creaking by the time we bushwhacked over the ridge that led away from civilization and into a narrow, steep canyon. It looked like a long, up-hill hike to me.
"Don't worry," Larry said. "There are only a few places we'll need to climb."
Climb? That crucial detail hadn't made it into his initial pitch.
Soon enough we were scrambling up a series of dry waterfalls, which seemed to get steeper, higher, and smoother the further up the canyon we went.
Then I found myself crawling onto ledges on my belly, balancing my dog Dapple in one hand while holding on for dear life with my other.
Dapple seemed to like it. So did the big horn sheep that was watching our progress incredulously from atop the ridge.
The canyon walls tightened their grip, twisting and turning in a dramatic dance.
And then, like a mirage materializing before us, there it was—a genuine desert oasis. Palm trees swayed, a water fall cascaded, and a pool of water beckoned for Dapple's delighted splashing.
I collapsed onto a sun-soaked rock, sweating and spent but awestruck by the beauty all around me.
Larry was forgiven.
