Dawn in the Desert

We are camped on an alluvial fan, sloping gently down to a dry lake.  We are the last campsite... beyond, towards the lake, only desert.   The lake bed is bright, clean white, beyond, mountains, 5,000, maybe 7,000 feet high.  In the early, pre dawn light not much more than a silhouette, in gray blue.  Above, a bright blue sky, with pink-peachy cloud of dawn, and the contrail of of a passing jet.With growing light, the mountains are gaining definition, streaks of lighter strata, and hints of  canyons.  On the lake bed a set of low hills seemingly hover.

The road, the single man made feature, a dark line across the lake bed, lighter where it climbs beyond... Accented by the lights of the occasional car.

With dawn, my fellow campers are stirring, arising, called by the light, or more likely a call of nature... and heading said call, march off to the restroom higher on the alluvial fan.

At dawn, any noise is significant... The road, and its occasional car dominate, but with each camper who rises, more sounds are heard... A murmur of conversation from a tent, a cough, someone banging about, a dog barking.  In the distance, almost downed out, a dove calls.

We built a fire... I made coffee... Sweet rolls in the Dutch oven, bacon... Cleaned up, packed some lunch stuff and headed off...  and within 500 feet found a coyote walking the highway... he was clearly used to people, likely too used to people and their food...  photos were taken.

We drove east... through  Stove Pipe Wells... Past sand dunes, then north...   To Scotty's castle... We toured... We didn't  have the best guide... He was highly offended by some of our fellow guest who may have touched the back of the sofa... He didn't believe in first person interpretation... I don't think he liked people much, but the castle and stories were wonderful. 

The castle is in the desert, and water is generally an issue in the desert... so in the bathroom of Scotty's castle, a castle in the desert, the helpful National Park service has posted a urine color chart... to allow you, a visitor to the desert a chance to check if you have been drinking enough water while visiting the desert...



We headed east from the castle, through a canyon full of railroad ties... Over the border, into Nevada, to highway 95, then south to Beatty... Where they have a spectacular sign announcing free parking with in and out lanes for a long closed casino.  Photos were taken.  We visited the local museum, bought books, then turned west back, towards Death Valley...  Via Ryolite, a ghost town, with an outdoor art museum (including a 20' tall sculpture of a naked lego woman...) and a bottle house... 

Then, Down, into Death Valley, down, below sea level... To the Borax works... To the museum, to visit the preserved Death Valley Railroad locomotive...  The ladies are not impressed (by the locomotive)  We pause, and visit the gift store, and the 49er's Club for a beer...

Now, back at camp... We have again achieved fire... Nearby a geology field class is camped... In a large hole... Karl, their instructor is absent... He is staying across the highway in the motel...  We are making up stories about Karl... This is what happens when you are not here to defend yourself.