The desert tour continues. This is one of the youngest features in Death Valley National Park, Ubehebe Crater. Rising magma caused underground aquifers to seethe with steam, leading to a volcanic explosion. Geologists think it happened about 2,000 years ago, scattering lava over a wide area. If interested, see http://tinyurl.com/48dtbtyr .
There is no better place we know in the US to clear out your head then Death Valley. It's two hours drive from Las Vegas and, outside of the central village, you might as well be on another planet (with your fellow tourists). This is Badwater Basin, 282 feet / 85.5 meters below sea level, the lowest point in this country. (I'm talking geography, not politics or history.)
The mountain range in the background and the one behind me are slowly spreading apart as this section of the valley continues to sink. Springs that originate in the mountains drift toward here and evaporate, leaving a crackling salt crust.
Hello from one of the most absurd cities in the world, Las Vegas, Nevada. I dunno, maybe Dubai is up there but I've never been. Blew in late Saturday afternoon, had a great dinner ant a Tiawanse restaurant, and then sacked out in this place. We are not Vegas people, but it is our way-station on the way to our real destination.
It's finally getting quite cold here, although it's much worse further north. 18th Century wigs just aren't enough to keep the brain warm. Woolfie should get someone to make a run to REI for him.
Today is a travel day, with an major change of scene by tonight. Hope to have something to show Sunday morning.
Turn around from the view in yesterday's post, take a few steps across the road and you come to this. There is a series of waterways through the northwest quarter of Forest Park that eventually lead to the Grand Lagoon below the art museum.The boathouse rents paddle boats, kayaks and paddle boards. There is also a decent restaurant. Hard to see in this deliberately soft image but there are still paddle boats in the water in January. Business was poor.
