A Journey Nears the End

This will likely be the final entry until the return to home base on Monday. A trip that began January 28th is coming to a close on the warm desert floor of Death Valley, Sunset Campground, $12.00 per night dry camping.

Death Valley is fabulous this time of year, and especially so this year due to a pretty good wildflower bloom, especially the Desert Golds. The best viewing areas are within a couple miles of camp along the main highway.

Temperatures are reaching about 75-80, which is providing a pretty good thawing from earlier days of Arizona chill. Great to just sit in the sun, read and gaze at the mountains and wildflowers. Another day in paradise.

As for reading , I am completing Pillars of the Earth (after Janice finished it). Janice is now reading Charlie Wilson’s War, after concluding A Thousand Splendid Suns and Until Proven Innocent.

Had an early 35th Anniversary dinner at the Furnace Creek Inn last evening, beginning with a glass of wine and a sunset on the veranda. Delicious food, starting with fried cactus (julienne strips) with three different salsas. Main courses included roast duck, halibut and crab cakes for the three of us. You really don’t expect to find such good food in a national park, but this was absolutely scrumptious, with super service. Water glasses always full, which is a challenge the way Janice and Julie soak up the H2O. Glug, glug.... Like camels getting ready for a long sahara caravan. For a couple of campers staying in a large parking lot (the campground), they clean up pretty good, too.

Our day today started just after sunrise. Julie hopped on her bike and rode 26 miles through the wildflowers. Janice and I took a drive through the desert gold bloom nearby, trying to get a good picture of Julie on her bike (didn’t). The rest of the day promises to be a lazy one, with a bit of sightseeing, a fabulous shrimp sauté ala Jeff, and of course some Scrabble ‘lessons’ for Janice and Julie. We’ll be leaving early tomorro--trying to beat the weekend travelers. Boo for daylight savings--lose an hour. Destination: Bakersfield, at least.