That which passes, passes like clouds

Evening all! It's 5:30 pm on Sunday in Spunky Mansions and is dark outside. We have a bit of 'The Crimson' on the CD and all is relaxed.

It is most excellent to have a weekend at home for the first time in over a month.

Mind you, I have had the JP over this weekend so it was not as relaxing as it should have been!

Death Valley

After the joys of Utah and Arizona we were driving across Nevada to Death Valley. All desert to be honest which I found quite exciting.

The only really interesting event was getting to a T junction and not knowing which way to go. Fortunately there was a huge group of bikers on Harleys there. Finding the concept amusing I drove up, leant out and said in my poshest english accent (not very posh). 'Hello chaps. You wouldn't know the way to Death Valley would you?'

Turns out they were french! The knew the way though, and with a shouted 'Vive la Frnace' we were off again.

First place we got to was Zabriskie Point:

Now why Zabriskie point is famous I don't know. The only thing I know aboot it is that there is a movie named after it by Michelangelo Antonioni and also a Pink Floyd soundtrack.

It was cool though. Actually it wasn't, I climbed up to take that shot and it was 50C. The air leeched the moisture from your lungs.

So we drove on and put up at our hotel in Furnace Creek.

Once checked in we pooped down to Badwater, the lowest point in the US at 282ft below sea level:
Loads and loads of salt, very little water and very hot.

I ran up a hill and was shattered with a bad headache. Needed to drink pints of water. Very impressive though. We drove round to the Artists Pallet:So called because of all the different coloured minerals (mind you it all looks a bit khaki to me) and then on to the Devil's Golfcourse:

Why the heck he plays golf here and not at the immaculately kept course at our hotel I don't know. All those salt formations must make his fariway shots a bit tricky.

So, we go back to the hotel for a swim. Lovely outdoor pool. Expecting a nice cool refreshing dip after a hot day we were disapointed. It was like soup! I have never been in such a hot pool.

Back at the room we had a nice glass on wine on the porch and I spotted a coyote walk past:

If you look closely you can see him just to the left of the middle post. It's a poo picture and the reason I show it is because I flipped off me flip flops to run closer and ended up standing in a fire ants nest! I can tell you that that bloody hurt! I dashed back and ran my feet under the taps in the bathroom, shouting all the way (much to T's merriment). AND I didn't get a better photo!

Never dash aboot barefoot in the wilds of the US! It could've been a scorpion!

Next day we set off for Yosemite. Stopping on the way to look at the huge sand dunes near the Stovepipe Wells:

And off we drove. Ignoring the advice to turn off the air conditioning to avoid the car overheating.