Lolo and Jedediah Smith ButteI think Herb is 99% German and 1% lizard. I say that because of his intense love for the desert - its searing heat, its stark beauty, and its unique remoteness. It’s his go to when the road calls him.

So, when old friends from New Jersey, who we haven’t seen in 11 years, bought a house in Indian Wells (near Palm Springs) and invited us for a visit, Herb tacked on a 3-day 4WD trip across the Mojave Desert, because, after all, we were practically in the neighborhood.

Herb has equipped our Toyota 4Runner with a platform to sleep on in the back with storage below for a large cooler and our clothes and gear. We also bring along a tent - my preference if it’s not too windy, as the 6 inch clearance above my face when sleeping on the platform can get a bit claustrophobic.

Herb was prepared, which is a good thing when crossing the desert. He had literally watched over 24 hours of YouTube videos of guys and their trucks doing this drive, and could probably do it in his sleep. Plus, if we got into trouble, we had our Garmin InReach to send out a call for help. Hopefully, we would not need that.

Needless to say, our time with friends in Indian Wells was a bit more luxurious.