Starting out from Lone Pine this morning, a refreshing 16 C outside, we turned east on CA-136 enroute to Death Valley. Another perfect day with no wind, high cirrus clouds amidst blue skies – where the airliner contrails remained intact and well defined for extended periods. The road was straight and true until we neared Panamint Springs. The temperature had warmed to 20 C when we started our twisty descent. At the bottom the temperature had risen to 27 C.
Passing through Stove Pipe wells and across the plateau we ascended another range, traversed the pass and descended again into ‘Death Valley Proper’ where we paid our $25 fee and entered the park. At Furnace Creek we veered south on Badwater road to check out the Badwater Basin (at -282 ft / -86 m) is the lowest point in the US. Badwater road as fun to dive – much more twisty than the alternative Hwy 190.
The landscape is nothing short of spectacular.
Upon exiting the park we headed south through Shoshone and Baker, crossing into the Mojave Desert. – a desolate and forlorn space beset with beautiful dunes and unusual rock formations – and not a few budding Joshua trees. We picked up I-40 south of Kelso and made a quick tack towards Needles where we stayed for the night.