Where's my stroller when I need it?

Out the door at 9:00 to head back up to Joshua Tree National Park to explore the top end more closely. A ranger suggested the best hike right now is the 49 Palms Oasis - most wildflowers in evidence and fabulous views. All this was right but the hike involved climbing up, up, up to the top of a rise, winding around several craggy hills then down, down, down to the Oasis. Now anyone who hikes knows that down, down, down means up, up, up later on! The amazing thing is that we followed a big family who decided to take their toddler in a stroller! The climb involved foot-high and higher steps carved in the rock, with winding, rocky pathways and many narrow spots. We found the stroller abandoned on the side of a hill about 1/3 of the way up - amazed it took that long to make the decision!
I took 100 pictures on the way to the Oasis so that allowed me to catch my breath. I really hate hills but the view was stunning - first to the north as the cars in the parking lot became matchbox toys and the world's largest air-ground combat base - a white blotch on the horizon. The hills were covered with blooming wild flowers and spots of cactus showing off their stunning pink blossoms or bright red thorns.
After an hour or more we could see the dark green patch of palm trees poking up from a valley. This was the oasis - formed on the fault line when water was cut off below the surface. We were both thinking about this being a very unfortunate place to be if there were an earthquake - craggy hills hanging over us with many loose boulders..... We sat drinking water in the cool of the oasis along with the stroller family. They showed no interest in starting back up and I could hardly blame them. Bill offered to carry my backpack and camera which sped our return back - we did it in half the time but with double the complaining!