The Desert and Death Valley

Growing up Mike and I became accustomed to long drives on vacation. Our family drove all over America, up to Maine, down to Florida, and as far west as Colorado and Wyoming. We would often spend 12 hours a day in the car, accomulating milage and getting to the good stuff sooner. Before leaving LA we studied the maps and plotted out the best route for maximum desert viewing. We thought New York was a big state, but California is a BIG state. We left LA shortly after noon, crossed over the mountains and out into the wide open desert. This is the Calfornia I remembered, the California I fell in love with back on my 10^th grade student exchange trip to Anza Borrego, deep in the southern California desert.

Our route to Death Valley and the Joshua Tree would take us past the park, then through the park, east to west, all the way to the base of Mt. Whitney at Lone Pine, all in one day. Had we actually asked someone from California if this was feasable in a day, or even a good idea, we probably wouldn't have done it, but what good adventure starts off by asking someone else for directions or driving tips?

We drove poritions of historic Route 66, stopped for lunch at Denny's in Barstow and eventually made it into Death Valley National Park in late afternoon. Our first stop was Zabriskie Point, home to the cover photo of U2's Joshua Tree album, and one incredible and strange film by. We hiked down along the dunes to find the spot where the album photo was taken. Looking at our watches we knew the Joshua Tree was a long drive, and the Sun was already heading toward the western horizon as we continued down the road.

The exact location of U2's Joshua Tree shall remain a mystery, please don't ask how to find it. The hour was growing late as we crossed one mountain range after another, giving our rental car a workout, chasing the setting Sun. By the time we got to the place we thought the Tree was located in, the hour was well after dark. Pointing the high beams out into the desert, hoping to see the Tree appear like a ghostly vision did not work, so we pulled off the road and sat out under the stars. The clear desert air revealed a view of the night sky grander than I had ever experienced, with more stars than the eye could count, and a Universe vaster than the mind could comprehend. Occasionally a satelite would dance across the sky between the stars, spining solar panels reflecting the Sun.

By the time we made it to Lone Pine we were ready to collapse, though planning to get up early to continue our search for the Tree.