Death Valley

It was a long drive from Chula Vista, on the Pacific coast, the most southwest point in the US, inland to Death Valley.  It was overcast along the way and we even had a few raindrops.  This is the first rain we've seen in 43 days.  It's a cool day, too.  There is a storm approaching San Diego so it's time to head back up into the desert-they don't get much rain there.

Huge Joshua tree enroute



Desert scrubland dotted with mesquite bushes



It seems like the lush green valley quickly morphed into the scrubland of the Mojave Desert.  We saw lots of dry lakes.  They look like vast patches of white sand.  There are lots of motorcycle and ATV trails through these hills.  Looks like fun. 



Mountains as we enter death Valley



Our camp in the mountains - we woke to snow




View from our camp



The road into Death Valley was very rough.  The highway up to the park went through three very small, very poor and run down towns. 

We could see three factories-Borax factories we later learned-which were operating but it was clear the people in the towns weren't benefitting from them.  This was a really poor area. 



Town of Trona housing-just one of many



Turns out those dry lakes, which look like white sand, are really big borax deposits. 





Borax deposit-the white stuff







The mineral, borax, is mined here.  At first, back in the late 1800s and early 1900s, borax was mined and hauled out of the area by 20 mule teams.  Now it's hauled out by semis. 



Original twenty-mule team wagon.  Note the size of the front and back wheels. 

Tank on the back is a water tank for the mules







We drove along Wildrose Road into the National Park.  This was a narrow, two-way road and at times there was partial paving on one tire track.  The rest of the time it was potholed and washboard bumpy.  Wild ride in. 

We camped at Wildrose Campground.  It was very primitive (read that to be no flush toilets, water or electricity).  At least it was free.

We spent an exceptionally cold night, with gusty winds at Wildrose.  We had our furnace churning out heat and we used our Mexican blanket to keep warm.  There were campers here who spent the night shivering in tents.  Some of them moved to their cars and turned on the motor for heat. 

We woke up to snow!  We thought that a desert destination would mean no rain.  Well, we got snow instead. 



We were up quite high-our elevation was higher than 4000 ft.  Anything lower got rain.  Here in Death Valley they sometimes go two years without precipitation-and we're here for it.  Just great.



Death Valley is an area of extremes.  It's highest peak is Telescope Peak, at 11,049 ft.  Almost right below this high point is Badwater.  This is the lowest point in North America at 282 ft below sea level.  Badwater is also the driest and hottest place in North America.  The day we were there it rained and was 45 degrees.  Not dry, not hot. Still low.





Sunrise in Death Valley

 One the drive out of Death Valley it was still cold, but at least not raining or snowing.  As we headed west to Bakersfield we had to drive on snowy, twisting mountain roads.  We were very low on gas (the mountains really eat it up out of the gas tank.)  We chose not to fill up at $5.29 a gallon in Death Valley.  The usual price was $3.89 a gallon.  The Garmin said there were three gas stations in Trona (the very poor little town we saw on the way in).  It was only 20 miles to Trona.  When we got there, we pulled up to the first gas station.  Whew, we made it!  OUT OF BUSINESS.  That's okay.  There was another one just up the road.  Got there.  This station also had a convenience store attached and the sign read $3.99 a gallon.  We were thinking that 10 cents more per gallon was okay and certainly better than $5.29.  As we pulled up to the pumps we saw they were all shut off.  Oh no-nothing to do but drive on to the third station.  It was closed, too.  The next town was 24 miles away.  We held our breath, coasted down hills in neutral and hoped we made it.  We had our bikes in case we had to bike in to town for gas.  Gee, we made it.  We limped into the gas station where gas was $3.89.  At that point we would have happily paid $5.29.