Wanting to explore before the desert temperatures became too hot, we awoke early greeted by an amazing sunrise.

We began our day ogling the spectacular views from Zabriskie Point, considered some of the most photographed in Death Valley National Park. Named in honor of Christian Zabriskie, a prominent figure in the heyday of the Pacific Coast Borax Company, Zabriskie Point affords an elevated vista from which to marvel at the badlands below. These yellow and brown stripped hills have been shaped by the powerful force of water, and even during dry times, the path carved by this water is unmistakable. Gazing beyond the badlands, views of the salt flats covering the floor of Death Valley are visible in the distance, with the hulk of the Panamint Mountains towering above.

For us, just gazing at the valley floor, from above, wasn't enough. We had to get down in it.
As John Muir has so poignantly said, "Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt!"


Mind you, we are traveling with our 4 and 6 year-old grandchildren, who though not pictured on this blog, totally loved it all and were hiking troopers.


Meandering through the canyon gave us geological wonders at which to marvel. Wow.

When we left the Point it was in the high 80s. Wanting to cool off a bit, we headed to Dante's View, a scenic overlook that provides a panoramic view of the valley from an elevation of over 5,400 feet. It not only offers a breathtaking vantage point to see the Badwater Basin, Devil's Golf Course, and surrounding mountain ranges, it was almost 20 degrees cooler and the perfect spot for lunch.
After finishing Junior Ranger Badge requirements and taking the oath, we returned to an evening of camp life. The neighbor's dog seemed to know how to relax. Funny stuff.
This was the first time, of our last two camping trips, where Mother Nature allowed us to have a campfire. We were giddy about it. "Light a campfire and everyone's a storyteller."
With the moonrise being much later than the previous evening, we concluded our very fun day looking upward. Death Valley is the world's largest International Dark Sky Park, a designation given for having exceptionally dark skies with minimal light pollution. The park has the highest Gold Tier rating, and its vast, open landscape and surrounding mountains protect the dark skies, making it a premier location for stargazing. Oh man, so spectacular.

One of our most favorite places is North America's hottest, driest and lowest National Park.

In this below-sea-level basin, steady drought and record summer heat make Death Valley a land of extremes. Yet, each extreme has a striking contrast. Towering peaks are frosted with winter snow. Rare rainstorms bring vast fields of wildflowers. Lush oases harbor tiny fish and refuge for wildlife and humans. Despite its morbid name, a great diversity of life thrives in Death Valley.
And we love it here though we were not expect 93℉ on November 5th. Wild.

So why dunes here and not everywhere?  There are actually five dune fields in Death Valley. For dunes to exist there must be a source of sand, prevailing winds to move the sand, and a place for the sand to collect. The eroded canyons and washes provide plenty of sand, the wind seems to always blow (especially in the springtime), but there are only a few areas in the park where the sand is “trapped” by geographic features such as mountains. We chose Mesquite Dunes as they were the easiest to reach and on our path to camp.


Our home for two nights was the very comfortable Furnace Creek Campground (spot #26).

Confusing to some, the Alabama Hills National Scenic Area is not in the South. It is located halfway between Tahoe and Death Valley (our trip's destination). It is also one of our favorite places to camp. We had to share it with the family. 

While we were only here briefly, we all had the opportunity to explore and experience a lot of what this special place has to offer. We 🤎 the Alabama Hills.

We have packed up the camper for another several day Road Trip Adventure with our younger son and his family. I'll be offline but promise to share all the magic when I return.

I might be the United States Postal Service's Number 1 Fan but at times it tests my devotion.

I once read that a postage stamp is the smallest contract one can enter into. What a perfect way to express how I feel about my investment in stamps!
I have a pen pal in Texas. Susan and I have yet to meet but her letters are encouraging, creative, and always a gift waiting in my PO Box. Recently, I was inspired to take the time to compose a letter I was really proud of. Handwritten, clever, and full of ephemera gathered here and there. It was very valuable to me. Needless-to-say, I was concerned when, after 17 days, she had not yet received it. On Day 18, she wrote to say USPS came through. It took almost three weeks to travel 1,655 miles!

While I was waiting for confirmation of delivery, I did a little research. Between 2022 and 2024, 542,000 pieces of mail were reported lost or went missing, an average rate of 15,078 pieces per month. On a per capita basis of 100K residents, California had the largest number of pieces of mail reported lost or missing. Guess which state came in second. Yes, Texas owns the title of second highest state with the highest rate of missing or lost mail. The odds were against us but USPS did come through and my faith was restored... for now.

I like to find 'new to us' activities in places we have yet been. Carson Valley Community Theater's A Little Country Time Musical, in Minden's CVIC Hall, was the perfect way to kick off the month of November.

A little about the amazing location... The Carson Valley Improvement Club (CVIC) Hall, built in 1912, served as the center of community life and government functions for the unincorporated town. Originally funded by public subscription on land donated by the Dangberg family, it hosted social gatherings, town meetings, and later housed the governing bodies of Minden until the present day. It is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is still used for community events, meetings, and private functions. Oh how I love to be in history for just about anything.
According to the advertisement for this production, "Putting together a program of country music is a daunting task. There is so much wonderful music out there and there are so many sub-genres of country, from folk and bluegrass to gospel, country rock and country pop. There is a common perception that country music is mostly cheatin’ songs and drinking songs, but there is so much more."
"For this show, we will be performing an eclectic mix of country music. The selection includes music that dates back nearly 100 years and songs written less than ten years ago.  There are songs that everyone in the audience will find familiar and songs that many in our audience have never heard before. Our selection of songs includes some thought provoking works as well as songs with a strong positive message. Oh, and some heartbreak songs. We promise something for everyone. So be ready to tap your toes or wipe a tear from your eye!"
This Cabaret included everything from Amazed to You're the Reason Our Kids are Ugly. What a fun musical escape.
I was mesmerized by Cori Rosa's rendition of If I Had a Boat, a song I had never heard before. "And if I had a boat I'd go out on the ocean. And if I had a pony I'd ride him on my boat. And we could all together go out on the ocean. I said, me upon my pony on my boat." Funny premise but so very, very sweet when performed by Cori. Wow.

We had no idea how true the statement, ..."wipe a tear from your eye!" would be. Steve and I had massive tears leaping from our eyes when Ann Delahay sang Love, Me by Collin Raye. Oh my gosh. Then if that wasn't enough tear duct flushing, her version of Trisha Yearwood's The Song Remembers When turned on the waterworks again.