Death Valley

 June 12- June 14

Driving down highway 395 we reach an Oasis.  A place surrounded with lush green trees. This oasis was an RV park, Boulder Creek, in Lone Pine.  The RV park is a nice one.  We are tired so we decide to book two nights.


June 13th, 2012 we headed from Highway 395 to US 190 which runs through  Death Valley National Park

US 190 goes on for miles and miles and miles!! 

Very dry and hot here!  The title fits perfectly- Death Valley

Another Roller Coaster road like the one in
Arizona.   Still on US 190

Wait!! A diversion! What is that in the
side of the mountain?  

Aaron is always rockhounding!

Caylin can see for miles and miles and miles with her
binoculars

We've discovered a canyon in the middle of the desert

Just as we were walking out look over the edge down into
the canyon, we spot a "fighter jet" . It is in fact
a F18 Hornet.  

Then a second one appears.  The camera doesn't show how close
they were to us.  They turned sideways and
flew down into the canyon we were just about
to peer into!!!
Definitely a once in a lifetime event!

I pictured Death Valley being flat!  Oh no, you pass
through two mountain ranges when traveling from
Lone Pine.  Up and down.  No rails on the sides
of the roads or curves where there is 100-200 foot drop down
into a canyon.

Getting their Junior Ranger's Badges

Yep!!! It is hot!!!  Doesn't matter that it is a dry
hot. Hot is hot!!! And dry or wet they are both
miserable

I won't complain about the gas prices in Texas anymore!!
Death Valley gas prices are crazy!!!

Sea Level Sign.  We were standing more than 200 feet below
sea level in this spot.

And it is only June!!!