Next weekend, Easter weekend, is the last one here but there will be no time for fun and games. We'll be busy preparing to hit the road - battening down the hatches, so to speak. These photos were taken the past few days and are shown here in random order. Saturday we ran 93 miles of the main road in Death Valley. Partly this was to see wildflowers. It was also one last chance to see the valley that we have come to love - a final time to engrave uncountable wonderful memories into our souls......
The dunes at Stovepipe Wells in the central valley are wonderful. Like nothing I've seen before, the wind has formed ripples that have cross-hatched. In the center of this picture the ridges appear waffle-like. Double click for a good look.
Sunset but no color
Gold Valley had nice color
The view from Jubilee Pass to the Panamint Range
Skipping around a bit - this was the view during our lunch in the Spring Mountains on Sun.
Saturday Badwater Basin was filled with tourists. Many walked out onto the saltflats until they could barely be seen. Badwater is 282 feet below sea level - the lowest place in the Western Hemisphere and one of the dryest places in the world. The water is slowly evaporating from the last rain. It had been 6" deep and covered much of this end of the valley. Kayakers with low draft kayaks had rare fun for a short while.
Gold Valley again
Back to Stovepipe Wells dunes with an almost-full moon.
Lizard Rock just beyond the refuge's north boundary
Now a ruin, the Ashford Brothers built this mill at the south end of the valley in 1914 to process gold ore for shipment to a smelter.
Lavender flowers are Sand Verbena. The yellow flowers are hairy desert sunflower also known as Desert Gold - certainly a prettier and more romantic name.
Joshua tree bud ready to pop - again in the Spring Mountains.
