travel 2010 #2

Our 2010 trip continued. We went thru Death Valley, Ca to see the desert. Well we thought spending a few months in Tucson, Az we had seen the desert, we were wrong. This was dry, seen little vegetation lots of rocks, sand and blowing sand. Coming down in elevation to below sea level we even saw a sign that said radiator water 1/2 mile ahead and then there was a cylinder of water for your car. The temperature at the bottom was 84 degrees. (Ks was 42)

This is the desert. Look at the mountain

So many different colors and textures. There is alot of lava rock. Back years ago there was no explosion but there was lava flow hence the rocks. Notice very little vegetation. We were told to look for the flowing cactus. Saw some yellow flowers.







This is a spring feed lake. Once upon a time this lake covered the bottom of this canyon. The mountains surrounding this area keep the heat in and the rain disapaites. The floor of the canyon looks like snow but this is salt. "Salt flats".

Back in the 1800's they mined ore and borax from here. Hauled it out with 20 mule team's 164 miles. This is "dinah" a steam tractor they replaced the 20 mule team with in 1894.





They have a board walk out to the lake,
to hot for us to walk out there, as you
can see we were actually 282 feet
below sea level.


Interesting ride thru past history. This valley was called Death Valley because only 2 families from a wagon train made it out alive and upon leaving the valley she turned around and said "good-bye valley of death.