At 84604 miles, we gas up the old Datsun truck at Mojave on the Thursday after Christmas in Palmdale. We pass the Rocket Test Site, old trucks of Boron, Early Man Site–entering Death Valley rather late. It is already dark by the time we come down past Furnace Creek Inn, looking like a storybook all in lights, every campground packed to the rails, so we drive, drive, drive to Wildrose Campground well after 10 PM, maybe 11 PM and very cold. We set up the tent and hear rain in the night, and SNOW on the hills in the morning. At 7 or so we make coffee and eggs and Potato Crub, then drive to explore the Charcoal Kilns. Very sunny and brilliant.
Datsun truck at Charcoal Kilns
Drive to Mesquite Flat campground via Stovepipe Wells store and arrive around noon to grab a site. At Scottie’s Castle we have excellent burgers, all the better for the shock, and Nalley’s chili. Insanely windy and cold at Ubehebe Crater. Spend the night at Mequite Flat. The ranger comes by to object to our use of some branches left at the campsite: “Animals eat those!”
Rhyolite Nevada, bottle house 12.29.91
After a drive out for breakfast at Beatty, and a visit to Rhyolite Nevada, we take the white-knuckle drive through Titus Canyon, risky considering the weather, but the sky is clear. There are petroglyphs with strange cobalt blue pigment, and the sky so blue, I crave the color orange. Survival depends on a certain aquisitivity, a roll of duct tape would be nice. Collecting rocks, one with the amazing illusion of a fossilized pteranodon.
pterodactyl rock and cactus spine cluster
The desert gets under my skin, into my blood, into my hair and shoes. I am in love with the way the desert smells after the rain, sage resin and wet dust. 4956 feet at Townes Pass, exit by Death Valley Wagon trail, we stop for scrambled eggs, potatoes, biscuits and gravy, so good.
12/29/91 North on Hiway 395, snow on the desert, so we give up on camping and spring for a motel and hot shower in Bishop. $65 for snow chains, $44 for a motel room with instant coffee–ouch. For breakfast, Chicken Fried Steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans with bacon. In Bishop, search for baling wire or something to get to get the snow chains to fit. Finally, bungee cords do the trick.
12/30/91at Hot Creek in the snow, then up 395 past Fales Hot Spring, an abandoned gas station with near-boiling water in the creek-a swimming pool with foundation exposed by a flash flood; nowhere to get in. In Carson City Stevie tries out the slots, but the snow chain debacle took too long, and it’s time to head home. to my Bettycat, who is expecting me tonight. a day of rest, then back to work for Inventory
Travels With Stevie 