February 27, 2011
Day 2 - Barstow to Death Valley
Day 2 Sunday Feb. 27th -- Barstow to Death Valley 306 mi total Drive Seaside to DV - 361miles total drive 667 miles.
Up and out early! There was not any reason to hang around Barstow....it seems to be a very depressed town and the only thing holding it together are folks like us who stop in the night for a bed and breakfast.
We headed up Hwy 15 and thought for one quick minute of going to Las Vegas but fortunately that feeling left as quickly as it came on. Talk about wild fleeting thoughts!! The miles seemed to fly by which is amazing since you can see forever. Of course we were calculating how may days bike and were pleased that we were in our car! Traveling on to Baker where we turned North onto Hwy 127 to Hwy 178 headed No. West up the valley.
Our first photo-op in the valley was Ashford Mill a ruin surround by beautiful flowers.Traveling North we came to Badwater which claims to be the lowest point in the US. I later learned that it is actually up the road at what is called Devils Golf Course. I learned at my photography workshop that the new 'marina' they built at Badwater has ruined the salt flats for photography and changed the natural order of things in the flat. It is not really a marina but a large parking lot and walk way over what used to be ponds of water and salt. Now you have to walk miles out to get the great shots of the salt formations. I didn't find any. From there we headed to Furnace Creek. We were ready to get out of the car after two half days of car travel-which seems harder on my back and hips than the bike.
Furnace Creek Ranch is a beautiful oasis there is quite a bit of shading here at the camp sight from the non native salt cedar trees planted by the early ranchers. There is some controversy over the possibility of taking them all out. It would make for a totally different camping experience.
**note to tent campers there are NO SHOWERS at any of the camp grounds. It is strictly cold water washing up in the restrooms OR you can purchase a shower from the Ranch for $5 yes $5 a day and they are on a lottery system. Only so many a day offered to the several hundred campers. Most folks here are RV's however so that does narrow the odds. So far we are doing ok with just the cold water wash-up and this is Wed as I am writing.
I found while unpacking that I did not pack my helmet so we rode up to the town center and found the bike shop which is very nice if you are in need a few items It mostly just rents out bikes for day rides. He had only one helmet that would work for me which was a children's....so no one can accuse me of being big headed.
Today's ride: 2 miles (3 km)
Total: 2 miles (3 km)
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