Death Valley_2023-Days 3-6

Sorry for the delayed post! The cell tower in Death Valley was down and we were untethered for 3 whole days - ARGHHHH!!  In any event, we are still alive and you didn’t miss too much…

Day 3 Summary:

It may have just been because of all of our recent rains, but we left Bakersfield on ‘highway’ 178 and it was so gloriously beautiful!! The first section was VERY curvy, but manageable and resulted in fewer cars and more time to enjoy the wonders of nature with sheer mountainsides, actual flowing water, and the stereotypical verdant of Ireland. If you have the chance - highly recommended.  After a while, the exceptional beauty turned to a different beauty with the snow-capped Sierra Nevadas.  We headed North toward Lone Pine, CA to visit an Inyo County Library (very grumpy because they require local residency for a library card - Exclusionists!), and the Manzanar National Historic Site (very well done depiction of the Internment Camps - sad, but educational). Then into Death Valley toward the Furnace Creek Campgrounds. The whole drive in was other-worldly and very dramatic. The campground is essentially on the Eastern side, but central Death Valley. So, we were able to drive through a large swath of the Park just to get to the campground. We had let them know we were going to be a day late and they were very accommodating. We found our designated, full hookup site and were settled in in no time. We then spent a big chunk of time trying to connect to the Internet before we gave up and just enjoyed the evening…

Day 4 Summary:

Experimented with the RV life to see if we could be camped at a base camp without a towed vehicle, unhook each time to roam around, and then return to base camp and re-hook. No problem (so far)! We unhooked and went exploring. First, we tried to find Internet at the Inn at Death Valley (beautiful setting on the side of the mountain, but we were too late for breakfast and then had no Internet), then to the Ranch at Death Valley (quaint little casitas and shops, but, alas, no Internet. Then, someone said the whole area was without Internet because the tower went down. Good - it wasn’t just us!) Walked over to the golf course just to check it out. Very small pro shop, and seemingly flat and unpopulated golf course. Too distracted to play. We then went to explore Zabriskie Point (very dramatic) and the Badwater Basin (lowest point in the US, or maybe Western Hemisphere, at 282 feet below sea level). Then, back to base camp for a homemade (frozen) lasagna supper followed by s’mores at our own fire pit afterwards - perfect!

Day 5 Summary:

While J was cooking N’s Sunday omelette outdoors on ours induction cooktop, N, met some Canadian neighbors and started to talk to strangers as she does. Turns out the wife was a golfer. So, the three of us went golfing (the lowest golf course in the world at 218 feet below sea level)! Luckily, J hadn’t forgotten how to golf since it had been over 2 months in the boot!!

Day 6 Summary:

On to Las Vegas! Traveled through Pahrump, NV and over the Mountain Spring pass (where we drove through a snow storm!!!!). Arrived safely to our Oasis RV campsite in Las Vegas. Hooked up, checked in with the Leisure Travel Van Rally coordinators, had a free ice cream in 39 degree weather, and settled in for the night…