Despite the macabre name, Death Valley is a very interesting place. It has some wild and unique scenery as well as an interesting and colorful history. I wish I had more time to explore it. As it was we had just driven from Meteor Crater, AZ earlier in the day. That was a very long ride. Easily 500 or more miles. By the time we made it into California the sun was beginning to set.
That provided no relief from the heat though. We watched the mercury slowly rise as we began our decent from Death Valley JCT. (el.2000 ft). By the time we hit sea level at Furnace Creek the temperature was 104 degrees. At Badwater it was 108 ! Now this is at 8:30 p.m. mind you. Can you imagine what the mid-day sun must be like ? Well according to the record books, Death Valley has the second highest recorded temperature of all-time: 134 sizzling degrees set back in 1913. That would fry your balls and your brains !And you can forget all that shit you hear people say: "but it's a dry heat". Bullshit ... It was HOT! HOT! HOT! Walking around Las Vegas in 103 degree heat the next day was miserable enough. I would never want to hike through the valley floor in the summer (day or night). They didn't name this place Death Valley for nothing. There is very little vegetation (only rare clumps or scrub ... you can see some in the top picture) and no cover anywhere . . . at all . . . anyhow . . . to hide from the blistering sun. It is by far the most barren and forbidding place I have ever been. Odds are pretty slim I will never go to the moon. But I feel it is not inappropriate to borrow the words of Apollo 11 Astronaut Buz Aldrin by descibing this place as he described the Sea of Tranquity: "Magnifcent Desolation"
This view is looking southwest towards Telescope Peak. Although only 18 miles away, it rises over 11,000 feet from where I snapped this photo. The trampled path you see in the foreground is compacted sand and salt. Dig a few inches into this crumbly mixure and you hit water. But don't try drinking this sludge. It's called Badwater for a reason. It is even more saline than the Great Salt Lake.
