From one extreme to the other
Death Valley – in so many ways it was a reminder of our years in Oman. The beautiful mountains, the desert, the dry extreme heat of summer. It was also very different: inhospitable, nowhere to find shade, hardly a drop of water.
We wondered if we might be the only ones daft enough to visit at this time of year, and this time we were relieved to see other tourists, not in huge numbers but in that climate you want to know there are others around in case of misadventure!
So here is our journey through the park:
On the way in, we loved the stunted little Joshua trees

First stop, Rainbow Canyon and Father Crowley’s view.


Panamint Valley and one of two coyotes we saw on the road


Panamint Springs where we loved this old settler’s wagon. Note the chap in the photo looking at the eclipse, something of a non event in this part of the US. Then we went on to see the Mesquite Sand Dunes just outside the settlement.



We stopped to walk round the old borax works near Furnace Creek and then went into Furnace Creek where we had a beer in the saloon where we had a great chat with the barman, a walk round the square and a look over to the golf course. It was all so green. Apparently there is no shortage of water there because there are so many springs in that area. It was all very pseudo Wild West and fun. We would have fancied the golf course, but certainly not at that time of day, though as we reminisced, we played all summer long in Oman, but generally late afternoon, though I remember going out in the mornings too, but maybe that wasn't the height of summer!




We went on to the Devil’s Golf Course, a ‘sea’ of salt crystals, but I couldn’t find his ball. It was all rough and no greens! Then to Badwater Lake, the lowest point in the US, and probably the hottest too yesterday at 115 degrees. We didn’t linger there too long. Apparently, according to the ‘interpretive board’ (what’s wrong with ‘information’?) the Amargossa River, which flows into Death Valley underground from the next valley, evaporates when it gets there leaving only the salts behind.


We headed north again via the ‘Artist’s Palate’ where the colours of the rock are beautifully varied.


Also some other amazing rock formations near there

It didn’t take us long to decide against the one hour hike into Golden Canyon, and we went round to look down on it from Zabriskie Point. You might have seen the 1970 film, re-released in 2014, which included scenes shot here – we haven’t but will try to now.


Finally we went up the 13 mile drive to Dante’s View, where the temperature dropped to a cool 84 degrees with a lovely breeze. Fabulous views all around as well as down into Death Valley.


And the panorama looking out of Death Valley into Nevada.

Another wonderful day in a National Park. Hot and exhausted we headed, through thunder and lightening and rain which the windscreen wipers could hardly cope with, for our rather quirky motel in Pahrump, a town with not a lot to recommend it apart from its position between Death Valley and Las Vegas. We ate one of their homemade pizzas on our little terrace and watched an amazing sunset through the rain clouds.


We are having a rather lazy morning after three ridiculously early starts, and shortly head for Las Vegas. That will be an experience of a different sort, I’m sure!
