Day 44 - Clouds & Death Valley

Last night we had a very brief shower that left a few drop spots on the car.

This morning the left over clouds remained.  More showers are forecasted for today.

I was looking at clouds and thought of past blogs with so much blue sky's and now I had womderful cloud formations for my scenery.

As i drove easy I pondered where I will go next I see showers all over AZ and southern NV.  The two places I was thinking of going tonight was Quartzsite, AZ and Phoenix, AZ have an advisory for possible heavy rain and the potential for flooding as a result.

I was sitting at the Pilot Gas Station in Boron, CA and I decided to head north and spend the night in Death Valley, CA.

Off in the distance the clouds were delivering rain and snow.

In the desert valley I had partly cloudy skys.

I take the less traveled road through Trona, CA where this dry lake bed is mined for boton used to make borax.

It is very low in this valley.

Eventually make my way up the western mountain range of Death Valley.

Here the air is rising fast over the 5000 foot range and you can see clouds forming.

As I make my way to the Death Valley basin there was this rain storm that had formed over the north valley.

Here I am looking in the opposite direction and the clouds on the right are forming on the west range and getting heavier as more moisture comes from the west.

I arrive at the overflow sunset campground at Furnace Creek that holds about 200 sites with flush toilets water and no showers.  The Check-in process is automated.  It's $12.00 a night to stay but with my senior card there was no entrance fee and I only have to pay $6.00 for the night.  Such a deal.

Here I am parked away from most of the campers as I will be walking across the street on the other side of the trees.

Here is what camping looks like here.  Must get hot in the summer.

The sign says record temperature of 134 on July 10, 1913.

The thermometer says 82 degrees but in the shade its about 75 degrees.

There is a post office here.

Borax Museum display

Lodging

And a general store with Ben and Jerry's at $7.99 a pint.  Worth the extra money if you are so moved as the ride out of the valley to get a treat will take hours.

While  walking around a rain storm was brewing.

Here the rain is evaporating before it gets to the ground.

We got a few sprinkles and here we have sunset & clouds.

Wild flowers here at Furnace Creek.

Brent

macaloney@hotmail.com