Originally predicted for a 12-hour stretch, that fricking wind blew all through Thursday and Friday. We were running out of time in Pahrump, so Melissa and I went back to Death Valley on Friday, wind and all, so that she could see the sights for herself. At least it was warmer in the valley, so while the wind blew harder there, at least it wasn’t cold.
After checking out the visitor’s center and getting our parking pass (free because of our America the Beautiful passes), we drove straight to Badwater Basin so Melissa could see the ancient Lake Manly, temporarily reformed but drying up fast. It had only been a week since I visited on my motorcycle ride, yet I could tell it had shrunk quite a bit. As the weather keeps warming up, it will shrink faster until it’s gone.
We took a short hike to see the natural bridge I visited two years ago. While I didn’t get the angles quite the same, you can see a comparison between what Death Valley looked like then, which is normal, and now, which certainly is not normal.
The side trip to the Artists’ Pallete is always worth it, both for the drive as well as the bright colors on the side of the mountain.
On the drive to and from Death Valley from Pahrump, we were treated to views of the rare superbloom going on this year. Conditions have to be just right for these wildflowers to bloom, with a lot of rain at the beginning of winter and regular rain throughout. We had exactly these conditions, and this is the result.
It’s good that we visited Death Valley while it was windy on Friday because Saturday was cold and rainy. This was not even in the forecast until we got back Friday. I was quite thankful I’d gotten my heater duct rerouted and enlarged so it no longer shuts down from overheating. I shouldn’t need the heater this time of year, but I did. It was actually warmer back in New England than in the southern Nevada desert!
It cleared off just before sunset, revealing an amazing view of our campsite’s mountainous backdrop. We’d been watching the snow disappear from the mountaintops, but it had been cold enough up there that the rain was snow, turning them completely white! If we’d been only a few hundred feet higher in elevation, it would’ve snowed on us, too, complicating our required Sunday departure. That’s about as close as I ever want to get to snow. But since it was still up in the mountains, not in my immediate surroundings, I could fully appreciate its beauty.
Sunday was day 14 of our stay in Pahrump, which meant it was time to leave. We had an easy drive to Lake Mead. My original choice of a campsite didn’t work out, but Melissa found a much better spot that will be an excellent base of operations for exploring the area east of Las Vegas, as well as the city itself. I’ll share the exact location once we’re gone, but the view across Lake Mead is amazing, much better than my old spot.
Smokey Da Van 