Death Valley

9/25 Friday Yeah though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil but I will sweat a lot. Must be why the cup runneth over.

We retraced our steps back into California and then got on 190 that runs north on the valley floor.
First we made a stop in Shoshone at the gas station. I was glad I fueled up in Pahrump where it was over a $1.30 cheaper.

 190 turns north from it's western track dropping us down into the valley floor. The GPS said that we were over three thousand feet going through the pass and the altimeter quickly unwound as we descended clicking past sea level and into the negative numbers.

 The temperature was in the one hundreds at this site and Death Valley has had a high of 135 degrees. I couldn't imagine laboring in the heat to prospect, mine and process gold, borax and other minerals that came out of the valley.

 The ground looked smooth in the distance but up close it was clumpy and chunky.

The next stop was Bad Water the lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level.  In the second picture you can see the Sea Level sign way up high hidden in the rocks.

 Just below the surface of the salt flat is water. Someone dug this hole so we could look down and see the water.

 It looked like a giant zen garden of the gods. The rocks and pebbles were all raked out smooth.

Next up was Artist Palette.

 A quick stop at the Furnace Creek Visitor's Center and a picture of the temperature. Of course there were bus loads of non-English speaking people who were taking pictures with the sign. It kept fluctuating between 114 and 115. The car temp said 118 at one point. It was hot.

 The store in Furnace Creek had Death Valley root beer! It was pretty good.

 From Furnace Creek we turned east on 190 and drove up to Dante's Overlook which sits at 5475 feet in elevation. The road signs say no vehicles over twenty two feet and no trailers and they mean it. The road runs through some tight canyons and then climbs in steep 15% grade through switch backs to reach the top.

Running up 190. Geological features everywhere. 

From the top of the overlook. 

 Turning back from the overlook, we took 190 west and then turned off on Scotty's Castle Road. We got to see some massive sand dunes at the corner of the two roads.

 Close to Scotty's Castle we saw this little guy walking along the road. We stopped to snap a pic and he turned to check us out. Not sure what he was doing out in the daytime heat.

 The first view of Scotty's Castle. Conman Walter Scott better know as "Death Valley Scotty" convinced wealthy Chicagoan Albert Mussey Johnson into investing in a gold mine. Scotty absconded with the cash and Johnson came to see the mine. Johnson fell in love with the area known as Grapevine Canyon where a spring keeps all the trees lush and green and the park service has all fenced off. Johnson purchased 1500 acres and built this house and kept Scotty around to entertain the guests.

 267 runs straight and true to route 95 which we took south to 160 and back to Pahrump. We were treated with a beautiful sunset.