We left Quartzsite and headed to Needles for an overnight stop at the Elks Club there. We dropped off the RZR at a storage unit we rented there plus some other assorted things we won’t need in the next few weeks. We then headed to Death Valley National Park, one of my absolute favorite locations. However the wind kept blowing. Ourr first day was only light breezes, and we got pictures of the famous and ephemeral Lake Manley left over from Hurricane Hillary.
There was too much wind to get a reflection on the lake, but it was quite impressive. It went on for miles.
But then came the really big winds! Our little weather station clocked 46 mph, and it is always lower than actual. We brought all our slides in and just turtled up. The wind was incredible. No tents were left standing without broken poles, though I didn’t see any RV awnings broken this time. The wind was so strong it actually blew Lake Manley downwind! The lake moved away from the parking lot at Badwater Basin and also farther to the north. It changed color from blueish to a murky brown from all the dust blown in. You can compare it with these pictures.
We had come to Death Valley for the Dark Sky Festival, and the storm resulted in all the big outdoor activities being cancelled on Friday and Saturday, though indoor activities continued. Sunday was just breezy though, and there were a few outdoor activities that went on. The festival was FABULOUS! If you like science at all, put it on your list. The seminars and presentations cover everything from how a Mars Rover operates to how Black Holes are formed to how geologists study Badwater Basin to find biological signatures they can search for on Mars or the Moon.
We did find time to go to Artists Palette where we were sheltered from the winds. As usual the colors were spectacular. One of the big changes we saw at Death Valley was there were more colors in the rocks/mountains than before. The rains had washed off years and years blown dust and exposed a lot of rock that had been hidden.
We then headed to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, a place we had never visited. We have been missing out! The park is famous for their spring wildflowers and their gigantic metal sculptures. Both were totally worth the reputation.
I am not going to post the 100+ pictures I took yesterday and today, but these should give you a taste of the area. Oh, and there was wind, a lot of it!
There are many acres of wildflowers scattered across the area. The desert here has had >5” of rain, and everything is green.
Hardly any of my close up pictures came out due to the wind, but I do have a few.
We also took the tour of the metal sculptures. A local large landowner envisioned the sculptures spreading across his land with three types of sculptures – some from the fossil record of the area, some of animals still alive (not necessarily living locally), and some of mystical and fantasy.
The Indian Head is an example. Sorry for the shadows. But the close up shows some of the detail.
The most famous sculpture is the dragon. It extends on both sides of the state highway, but the head is the most spectacular.
My favorites were the scorpion and grasshopper facing off. Look at the grasshopper winds and the little appendages on his legs – amazing!
Today we took a scenic drive plus decided to look for desert piles, not nearly as plentiful as the other flowers and found in different locations. We took a side 4WD trip to Font’s Point with a fabulous view of the Borrego Badlands.
And we found the lilies! Each blossom lasts just a day.
There were other white flowers in the area too. This is the best picture I got with the wind. I did say the wind continues to roar, didn’t I?
And of course there were cacti. I saw numerous Beavertail cacti loaded with blooms, but only one already blooming. It was along the Coyote Canyon 4WD dirt road. They are such a glorious color.
Also along the same road we finally found an ocotillo just starting to bloom. In another week this plant will be lovely with red blossoms sprouting from the tips of the limbs.
We also took the nature walk at the Visit Center. I discovered a new-to-me cholla cactus. This picture shows is in conjunction with the flowering plants growing between its prickly thorns. Almost all the cactus had this type of relationship with flowering plants. I think the spines protect the flowering plants from being eaten.
Tomorrow we drive to El Cajon for the night then on to San Diego on Saturday to meet my three oldest grandchildren and their parents. Everybody is set to go on a whale watching tour Monday, then the parents take off for their mini-vacation while the kids stay with us until we all meet up again on Friday afternoon at the airport. Wish us luck!