Day 25 (7/23). (Lin) Today was full of highs and lows. Specifically, the highest point in the contiguous 48 states (Mt. Whitney, 14,505 ft.), which we saw from a distance, and the lowest point in North America (Death Valley, 282 ft. below sea level), where we walked in 125 F blistering heat. It is ironic that these two spots are 150 miles or so apart from each other.
To get there, we opted to take the slightly more scenic drive to Death Valley instead of the main highway from LA to Las Vegas. The scenic route was diverse, and included tight turns along the river through the mountains as well as wide open straight roads once we crossed through southern section of the Sierras. We really wanted to catch a glimpse of Mt. Whitney, even if from afar, and sure enough, we were able to just as we were turning southeast to head towards Death Valley National Park (it was just jutting up from behind several other mountains).
Death Valley National Park is just huge (yuuuge?). It is the largest national park in the 48 contiguous states, and boy, did it feel like it. We drove and drove and drove once inside the park, with endless roads that just stretched on and on forever. But to get to Death Valley, you have to first climb over several mountain ranges. Poor Pickles (our van) was put to the test, with the air temps outside ranging from 105 – 125 F, and steep hills to climb, all with our AC cranking full blast. But our van performed flawlessly, much to our relief!
It’s hard to say exactly why Death Valley is so impressive. It is such a barren, windswept, super dray, incredibly hot place. It feels like nothing could survive there, but of course a few animals and plants do, as Helena and Harrison found out when they completed the Junior Ranger program (their third park to do so on this trip). We stopped at Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes (huge and lovely sand dunes), the Furnace Creek Visitor Center, Badwater Basin (ginormous salt flats, and where Death Valley reaches 282 feet below sea level), Artists’ Drive, and Zabriskie Point.
We all got out a few times, but the heat was so intense that not everyone did every time. It was odd – we found that when we were outside in the 125 F heat, we didn’t really sweat, even if we were walking around. But as soon as we got into the air conditioned van, we started sweating profusely for 5 minutes or so, since the intense dry heat no longer was there to evaporate our sweat, and yet our bodies still needed to sweat to cool down. We all drank a ton to compensate for the heat and water loss.
We were somewhat relieved to climb back out of Death Valley and hightail it towards Vegas. The road to Las Vegas was also long, straight, and beautiful. We stopped to finally get a few pictures with a Joshua Tree (especially important since we didn’t make it to Joshua Tree National Park).
We rolled into Las Vegas at 7 pm, and the kids were all agog. This place is just crazy and so over the top. We opted for delicious tacos off the strip, at Beer and Tacos (a place I had been to while at a conference here last year). Afterwards, we drove down the strip to our hotel, the Excalibur (the castle-looking one). Again, the kids couldn’t believe the humongous lobby that is entirely slots machines, blackjack and poker tables, etc. It is a bit of sensory overload, to be sure. We grabbed smoothies, went outside to look down the strip at night, and headed to bed. (Well, most of us!).
I’m really excited about this next leg of the trip: Zion, Bryce, Grand Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, etc. It will be hot, but really fun.
(Click on the pictures for larger versions or to see them all in a slideshow.)
Fisher Family Travels 