Cross Country Trip – Day 14

2 April 2018

The “resort” room reminds me of the old hotels from the 40’s and 50’s.  Just the basics – no frills.  There is a bed, a shower, a sink, a toilet, a dresser, and one lamp and table.  There is also only one electrical plug (behind the bed).  The a/c is controlled by the motel and it blows constantly until around 9:00 pm.  They then turn it off.  I had to pull out a blanket from the jeep and throw it on the bed to keep from getting frostbite. 

The walls between rooms are paper thin and I had people to either side of me.  However, even with kids, they were very quiet and I suspect I was the noisiest with my cough.  As usual, I was awake by 6 am.  

Breakfast at the restaurant is buffet style and very similar to most hotels with free breakfast.  However, they charge $10.  Coffee by itself is $3.  Everything is expensive here because it must be shipped in from a long distance.  For example, I paid $5/gallon for diesel yesterday here in Panamint Springs.  In Furnace Creek, 54 miles away, it is $6.   

I started the journey this morning by driving to the visitor center and Furnace Creek and checking in with the ranger.  From there I drove 11 miles to Badwater Basin, the lowest point in the continental U.S. at 282 feet below sea level.  There is water at Badwater but it is highly  saline and undrinkable.  

From there, I backtracked along Badwater Road and stopped at Natural Bridge.  You drive up a very, very rutted dirt road which shook the jeep sideways more than up or down.  At the end of the dirt road is a parking lot and you hike 0.3 miles to see a natural bridge in a canyon.  The bridge is 35 feet long and 35 feet at its highest point. 

After the bridge, you hike a little further up the canyon and see a dry waterfall.    

The challenging course that has been prepared by technically sound personnel and make sure it has the approval of the Food and Drug buy generic levitra Administration (FDA). Sometimes seeming to take way too long, if cute-n-tiny.com order discount viagra already familiar with the possibilities, or if a family member needs it. It is natural that people face some sexual problems that are occurring due to some cialis pill online psychological issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, worry and fear affect your love relationship. It can be termed as medical condition if Body Glucose level cheap soft cialis rises above 300. If you continue up the canyon (my motto this trip is “in for a penny, in for a pound”) you come to a dead end (at least as far as hikers go).  I was amazed that a parent let his very young children scramble up the face of this wall.  However, they made it fine and only the smallest one had to be coaxed back down.   It seems these were free range children. The hike to the end was all uphill and the round trip was a little over a mile.

I returned to the jeep and took a short side trip to Devil’s Golf Course. It’s in the middle of salt flats and the salt is still being deposited.  It pretty much looked like a lunar landscape.  I wonder what the handicap would be for the course?  Apparently salt “globes” often form in this landscape and there are salt-loving creatures that can be found within.

Next was Artist Drive, a 9 mile loop that has two stops.  The first stop is pretty basic. The salts in the soil give the badlands features quite striking colors.  There are reds, blues, greens and yellows.  

At the second stop – Artist Palette – you will be blown away by the hues.  It’s absolutely stunning.  I am amazed the park service allows people to walk all over the hills.  There are no set paths and people wander all over them.  I confess to doing so also, but I wonder how long these features can take the human traffic. 

 

From Artist Drive, I backtracked to US 190 and headed to Zabrinski Point, one of the most popular areas in Death Valley.  I can see why.  It is particularly popular during sunrise and sunset, but I think any time you stop here is worthwhile.  The views were amazing.  

Another side trip was 20 Mule Team Canyon.  It twisted and turned, and dipped.  I can’t imagine bringing a wagon through that area.  It is today a one way dirt road but easily managed in a typical car without 4 wheel drive.  Dips are big in the park.  When they say dip, they mean dip.  It’s like a roller coaster.

I wanted to head to Dantes View but it was closed for some reason.  However, that didn’t seem to stop some people.  As I turned around and headed back to Panamint Springs Resort, people passed me and continued down the road.  

I hiked a lot today.  Most of it seemed uphill and interestingly, the down hill didn’t seem to bother me my hips and knees too much.  I will try to get back to Golden Canyon tomorrow (the only stop I didn’t make today on that road) for a 4.3 mile loop hike.  Also, a couple I met along the way today suggested I travel Titus Canyon Road.  It’s a one-way loop that twists and turns through canyons where you vehicle barely makes it through.

Before I left home, I threw into the jeep an old pair of boots that had worn down pretty well from my first cross country trip. I figured if worse came to worse, I could use them in a pinch.  It seems I’ve worn my newer boots down to the point one of the soles is coming off.  I may now have to mix and match boots to finish the trip.  I tried to epoxy the sole today after I returned from Furnace Creek, but I don’t hold great hope in the “patch” holding.