Day 5 - Death Valley and Beatty

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The empty road on the way to Death Valley NP

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I’ve made it through Death Valley, am out the other side and none the worse for wear you will all be pleased to hear! However, on a more dour note laptop has been refusing to charge again. Will definitely have to take it in somewhere in Las Vegas tomorrow. This is unfortunate as the room I am currently in has the internet after all which is good, and my mobile has no signal. It hasn’t had any all day either so I have been incommunicado, which was slightly unnerving in the middle of nowhere.

Anyway, Death Valley was not at all scary as there were some other cars around and many ranger stations etc. However, it was the journey to get there that was more creepy. Absolutely nothing at all. Not even a car. For 2 hours. Weird. It was also hot. When I left Ridgecrest this morning at 8.50 it was already 36 degrees. It only got hotter! Death Valley is really beautiful. There are loads of salt flats which are bright white and the mountains have loads of different colours in them – from reds to greens from copper (I think). It is quite a climb to get over the mountains into the valley itself but Thelma kept her cool (literally) as we went past 5,000 feet down to below sea level again. The lowest point in the US is in Death Valley and is called Badwater (maybe apt – I didn’t try the water. Kept to my 3 gallons of spring water I brought with me – call me picky if you will!). I drove around quite a few of the passes and took FAR too many photos for my own good so there are quite a lot attached to this entry if you would like to be bored by them! Walking around is just like being in a sauna – and it smells a bit like one too – kind of dry and woody. I only walked around for 10 minute intervals as it was just so hot. I think by Badwater it was at least 50 degrees!

Death Valley

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I stopped for some lunch at Furnace Creek – good name, in the middle of the valley before heading off towards Beatty. On my drive I then spotted some people out for a run. I am not joking. They were properly running and with only little bottles of water too. Crazy. Why on earth would you want to do that to yourself when there are such things as air-conditioned cars to take you from A to B?

I knew I was in the middle of nowhere today when the radio picked up no stations whatsoever – not even a stray Christian one. Thus, it was iPod all the way today. I was singing along to some Fatboy Slim when I passed the state line into Nevada. I thought something might change but nothing did. It still looks the same. Still just as hot. They still drive on the wrong side of the road. But they can gamble – woo hoo!! I have a discount voucher to the local casino here in Beatty should I feel the need. In fact, that’s about all there is in Beatty. It’s teeny. But at least not as tiny as the ghost town which I stopped by just outside Beatty. It’s really eerie. Especially as I was the only one there. I was pottering around taking some photos when I spotted a sign (albeit an old ghost-like one) which said watch out for rattlesnakes. I didn’t think it was possible to move so fast in such heat but I was back sitting inside Thelma before you could say ‘geez Louise’. Not quite sure what I’m going to do for the rest of the day now. Beatty doesn’t have many attractions apart from the casino, unless you want to look at trailers. Anyway, tomorrow will be action-packed I’m sure as I’m meeting up with Jenn and her friend Ron in Las Vegas. The bright lights are calling me…

Really??

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Distance travelled today – 240 miles.

Bearwatch – 0. In fact didn’t see any living thing all day.