Whether you look down from the top...

Or up from the bottom, Death Valley National Park is one Mother Lode of a gem. It tops the acreage scales at 3.1 million.  That's about five Rhode Islands. It's the largest Park in the Lower 48. It resides almost entirely in California, the most populated state in the USA. There's a smidgeon of parkland that somehow snuck across the border to Nevada. The Nevadans must have been distracted by a "Girlie" show in Vegas when this happened. 

Here you can still get far away from the maddening crowds. I love that part of this desert wonder. Today I sat alone on a mountain top for about an hour. I smiled a lot as I took it all in. There's so much to see and explore here. If I had a 4X4 Barley the Van, I would really be able to do it justice. (And hope not to get stuck or broke down). 

Barley II will be a tricked out macho 4X4 van. 

Ahh! The Super Bloom. The budding beauties are marching north and up the slopes. 

The rate of travel and type of bloom seems dependent upon altitude and latitude. What can I say? The flowers march to the beat of a different drummer, and I'm OK with that.

On my way back to Arizona, I'll do my best to follow these peaceful soldiers as they make their way across the desert landscape.

From Furnace Creek, CA,

Happy Friday,

Jeff

PS. The last shot is how you ice a bum knee in the desert.

I'm Bloomin' in...

Love with Death Valley's Super Bloom. 

In a park with so many touchy feely names like the Funeral Mountains, the Devils Golf Course, Dead Man Pass and Dante's Viewpoint one wouldn't expect so much life!

But here's proof positive. Death Valley NP is in the midst of a rare ohh-ahh event. The last two Super Blooms were 1998 and 2005. I drew the Flower Lottery on my luck for being here. 

Death Valley is a stand alone inspiring park of crazy extremes. It's a cerebral beauty that you need to think about. (Like Baseball). 

My favorite: From Badwater (at -282" the lowest point in North America) you can look up across the valley to Telescope Peak. Its over two miles above you. Your mind cannot absorb such a scale. Don't even try to. Just except it and smile. 

Despite a bum knee, I'm still smiling. 

As far as the names of the flowers goes, there's pretty yellow ones, the lovely purple varieties and the exquisite orange kind. The botany lesson is now over. 

From clean Barley the Van, I even washed the sheets. 

Cheers,

Jeff

Super Bowl vs. Super Bloom...

OK. The Super Bowl scores more viewers. The commercials are funnier. The half time show can feature Ms. Jackson and Justin Timberlake in a "wardrobe malfunction." Sometimes there's a great football game. I.E. NY Giants beating the NE Patriots twice. You can drink lots of beer if the party is at your own pad. You can bond with buddies and family members.

All these cool things aside, I'll take a Death Valley National Park Super Bloom any day. Look at those freaking flowers! They are Mother Nature's attention getting device. Even a curmudgeon like Andy Rooney would smile below those frowning white eyebrows. 

I loved the artist palette of color so much, I purchased properly nearby. It needs works, there's rooms with a view and it's a great starter home. All those wonderful realtor cliches. But! Location! Location! Location! In a quiet neighborhood. I'll take it.

Cheers from the National Park that nearly did me in,

Jeff