T: On our way to Vegas the previous day, we'd carefully noted a large fireworks stand in Pahrump, Nevada. Obviously, we return along the same route. And stop. And stand agog at the vast array of explosive devices available for our consumer dollars, as long as we agree to take them out of the county within 24 hours.

s: and at unbelievable bargain prices!

t: The store clerk there is a hoot; and she has vast knowledge of what each package does, and is able to steer us towards some of the quieter and more visually-oriented packages. She obviously enjoys using the product also, and has many entertaining stories of questionable judgement to tell. We make a modest purchase here (the clerk giving us almost unbelievable discounts), but will probably be too chicken to set them off in the foreseeable future.

T: Another thing that seems abundant in Nevada is cheap land, and Goldfield, NV, is evidently one place where the bigger packages can be set off legally. Hmm, investing in property seems like an interesting option...

S: Considering that within ten years we all may be telecommuting, and at any rate in 25 years we'll be retiring, this looks pretty attractive. For the price of a quarter-acre here, we could probably swing ten acres there; it seems to me like an "opportunity." If we can get water and power, we can take an acre for ourselves in the middle of nine for the critters.

T: Another sighting on the day before was a "wildlife viewing" sign. I'm a sucker for any promise of seeing critters, so on the way back we head down another gravel road that takes us to the Ash Meadows preserve. I'm expecting a complete bust, but what we find is a lovely spring, with "fossil water" -- water that is escaping from the surrounding mountains after spending thousands of years in the water table. We walk along another boardwalk along a creek with many mesquite trees and other vegetation, even some water fowl (desert ducks?!). At the end is a deep, incredibly clear, incredibly blue pool filled with happy pupfish. Amazing. It's worth the side trip.

T: Ash Meadows sits in the northeast corner of the intersection of 373/127 and 190, just inside of the Nevada border. It also has the larger Crystal Reservoir, which we saw from a distance but didn't visit directly. Evidently you can swim there, and it's another place we might want to check out on a future trip.

S: we WILL check out... This is about 100 miles out of Death Valley. When you overheat in DV, go here and swim! (But don't wear the camouflage swim trunks - This is the only wildlife preserve I've ever seen with a hunting season...)

S: Another sign we see along Route 190 is a Desert Tortoise crossing sign. It's a bit tempting to get out and walk around in the hopes of seeing one, but I have to admit I'm getting a bit tired, and don't want to go back for it.

T: It wasn't until I thought back on it that I realized how much we had packed into the vacation so far. We'd investigated another campground, Texas Springs, which we might try on another trip; though far less crowded, it also has no natural shade like the trees at Furnace Creek.

T: It clearly seems a good idea to try for a room for our last night, and get some decent sleep, rather than battle it out with the generators, screaming children and geologists at our usual campground. So, get a room we do. And get sleep we do, also, amid the white noise of the roaring air conditioner.

T: We go for a walk to the visitor center, for one last stop at their shop (superior to Fred Harvey's general store for informative things like books and maps) and a walk through the displays. End up with two great books on this trip; one a general natural history of California that I've heard good things about, and one I lusted after on an earlier visit in the week, "A Mine of Her Own: Women Prospectors in the American West, 1850-1950" (thanks S!), which so far has been pretty entertaining. Steve also picks up "Death Valley Scotty", by "Mabel."

S: ...And reads it that day. ("Mabel" is what Scotty called Mrs. Johnson.) Entertaining. Informative. Short.

T: The hotel room is strictly the basics, rather shabbily maintained, but it's a captive clientele here at Death Valley. It would be $29.95 anywhere else; here it's a little over a hundred after taxes, etc.... and no coffee.

S: We hit the "spring break" prices. $99 off-season; $129 on (what we pay). It's a dump. ANYone could break into our room. The shower is for midgets. The air conditioner sounds like that airplane coming after Jimmy Stewart in North by Northwest, and there is no in-room coffee. Yet they have the money to add a game-boy to the TeeVee. Wrong! Those Fred Harvey cheapskates are thieves. But who cares. There is a fridge, and you can sleep (and you have free access to the pool...).

T: The hotel room is even more appreciated as we pack up to head home. It's really good to feel fresh and ready for the day. We get coffee and head out quickly. The heat is already rising, but we also start climbing quickly along the pretty Wildrose route. Stop to watch some large birds (I guess black vultures...they disappear from view quickly...later find that these have white on the wing, not the tail like I saw; eagles? Juvy golden or adult bald? Not sure enough to claim anything), and for a close-up of the Sacred Datura. As we run out of desert, we also run out of any desire other than to blast all the way home.

s: I-5 is interminable. We take a slightly different route through the Bay Area because of rush hour: I-5 to 12 to 80 to 37 - which may actually be quicker in general -- plus it boasts peregrine falcons - I saw at least five!

t: We hope to open the door to find two slightly miffed cats that missed us... and we do.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5

Back to Steve's Page | Back to Terrie's Page