Death Valley Daze part 1
The title sums it up, what an excellent adventure. Our original plan was to go snowshoeing in Yosemite for Christmas but the weather forecast kept changing from snow to rain and back. Neither Ruth nor I were that interested in Wet dogs, and valley rain, so we then thought about going to the Hope Valley Snow Park off hwy 88 at 7000' but the forecast turned ugly two days before departure for a full blown winter storm warning in the Sierras. That little voice in my head said only a dummy would intentionally put themselves up there with winds of over 50mph and heavy snow. Time for plan 3, someplace we had not been, out of the storms path and still only be a one day drive to my fathers house in Los Angeles to spend Christmas with him. Death Valley became our choice. We called the park and there would be plenty of campsites available. The Logistics: dump the snow gear with the exception of tire chains ( we still had a pass or two to drive over), and add in desert hiking gear. With stops for fuel and food I estimated it would take 10-11 hours of driving to reach Furnace creek.
So on Sunday morning it was up at 4am to feed the dogs and have a cup of coffee then load the final personal gear and the 3 furry kids. We hit the road at 5am, hmmn seems we had the company of many like minded Holiday travelers as the roads were anything but deserted heading east on 580. It quickly thinned out as most folks kept heading east to Tahoe while we went south on I5.
We drove south on 5 until hunger got the best of us and at Ruth's insistence we stopped at Harris Ranch
http://www.harrisranch.com/index2.php for breakfast some 146 miles from home.
The morning menu is somewhat limited as this is more of a family steakhouse but I have to say they make a mean biscuits and gravy plate.
We hit the on premises bakery for some goodies ( we really should have bought a whole bunch more of their cookies) then it was back on the road. As an aside this was the first real road trip in the F350 Dually and I am sold on it.
We stayed on 5 until we hit hwy 58 to Tehachapi some 100 miles later. It was on 58 that we got the first inkling of how magical the trip would be. The first 300 miles of the western edge of the central valley is nothing to write home about
the Omen
yep we filled up with 30 gallons of #2 serious Score!!!
Leaving the flatlands behind we climbed up Tehachapi Pass skirting the leading edge of the storm that would pound the Sierras. The 6.7L Ford diesel engine let us climb the pass at whatever speed that Ruth wanted to drive. I shot photos.
bit cold out
Wind farm on the summit plateau
Major Train route
did I mention that I love trains?
by the way 58 is where they had the flash floods earlier this year that turned the freeway into a sea of mud and even turned a TC onto its side
this bridge is still out but a detour was in place
Finally into the high desert we did a 3rd driver swap on hwy 14 and proceeded to drive north along the base of the Sierras from Mojave up to Olancha on 14 and 395. There is something to be said for 12-14,000 foot mountain peaks rising up out of the high desert floor
heavy holiday traffic
Just before turning east onto hwy 190 and Death Valley we came across my kind of place. We bought many bags of very tasty jerky from them.
The Sierras and a playa with water in it from 190 looking north onto 395
the Panamints, Death Valley be way yonder...
Getting ready to drop into the park above Panamint Springs
Awesome Gorge
the happy couple. Ok so Ruth forgot her sunglasses in the truck and is squinting big time LOL me I forced my eyes open for the shot but couldn't see squat for a few minutes afterwards
first long steep grade where I really appreciated the gear select option in the transmission. Picked a gear for the speed I wanted and hardly touched the brakes all the way down the grade
On the other side of that ridge lies our destination
We stopped at the Stovepipe Wells Ranger station and purchased our 2016 parks pass then made our way to the campgrounds at Furnace Creek. They have limited full hook ups so we tood a dry site on an outer loop. After 11 hours on the road we were beat.
beautiful sunset as we walked the dogs
It was 34* Monday morning, inside the Lance we never turned on the furnace during the night. We kept the cabover hatch cracked and the fantastic fan over the dinette running all night. We were almost too hot in the bed with the flannel sheets and thick down comforter. With the two of us and the three dogs it only dropped down to 58* inside, we tend to like it colder than that at night.
It was an overcast morning but beautiful
Lap time with Kozmo in the crowded campground......
We started walking about and paid a visit to the Visitor center where we purchased a Field Guide to the birds and some nifty hats.
We went over to the Furnace Creek Ranch and checked out the Borax Mining Exhibit. Very cool.
The ranch also has stables so we booked a twilight ride out onto the Playa It was a kick.
Wyle E Coyote joined up with us ( we ran into the roadrunner a bit later)
me and Ruth
Sunset on horseback out on the Playa it was dead quiet and drop dead beautiful with the setting sun peeking in and out of the clouds.
By the time we reached the stables it was pitch black out and the temps had dropped into the low 40s. We enjoyed the 20 minute walk by headlamp back to the camper.
Buffalo burgers and beer for dinner, followed by walking the dogs and an early turn in to end the day.
So on Sunday morning it was up at 4am to feed the dogs and have a cup of coffee then load the final personal gear and the 3 furry kids. We hit the road at 5am, hmmn seems we had the company of many like minded Holiday travelers as the roads were anything but deserted heading east on 580. It quickly thinned out as most folks kept heading east to Tahoe while we went south on I5.
We drove south on 5 until hunger got the best of us and at Ruth's insistence we stopped at Harris Ranch
http://www.harrisranch.com/index2.php for breakfast some 146 miles from home.
The morning menu is somewhat limited as this is more of a family steakhouse but I have to say they make a mean biscuits and gravy plate.
We hit the on premises bakery for some goodies ( we really should have bought a whole bunch more of their cookies) then it was back on the road. As an aside this was the first real road trip in the F350 Dually and I am sold on it.
We stayed on 5 until we hit hwy 58 to Tehachapi some 100 miles later. It was on 58 that we got the first inkling of how magical the trip would be. The first 300 miles of the western edge of the central valley is nothing to write home about
the Omen
yep we filled up with 30 gallons of #2 serious Score!!!
Leaving the flatlands behind we climbed up Tehachapi Pass skirting the leading edge of the storm that would pound the Sierras. The 6.7L Ford diesel engine let us climb the pass at whatever speed that Ruth wanted to drive. I shot photos.
bit cold out
Wind farm on the summit plateau
Major Train route
did I mention that I love trains?
by the way 58 is where they had the flash floods earlier this year that turned the freeway into a sea of mud and even turned a TC onto its side
this bridge is still out but a detour was in place
Finally into the high desert we did a 3rd driver swap on hwy 14 and proceeded to drive north along the base of the Sierras from Mojave up to Olancha on 14 and 395. There is something to be said for 12-14,000 foot mountain peaks rising up out of the high desert floor
heavy holiday traffic
Just before turning east onto hwy 190 and Death Valley we came across my kind of place. We bought many bags of very tasty jerky from them.
The Sierras and a playa with water in it from 190 looking north onto 395
the Panamints, Death Valley be way yonder...
Getting ready to drop into the park above Panamint Springs
Awesome Gorge
the happy couple. Ok so Ruth forgot her sunglasses in the truck and is squinting big time LOL me I forced my eyes open for the shot but couldn't see squat for a few minutes afterwards
first long steep grade where I really appreciated the gear select option in the transmission. Picked a gear for the speed I wanted and hardly touched the brakes all the way down the grade
On the other side of that ridge lies our destination
We stopped at the Stovepipe Wells Ranger station and purchased our 2016 parks pass then made our way to the campgrounds at Furnace Creek. They have limited full hook ups so we tood a dry site on an outer loop. After 11 hours on the road we were beat.
beautiful sunset as we walked the dogs
It was 34* Monday morning, inside the Lance we never turned on the furnace during the night. We kept the cabover hatch cracked and the fantastic fan over the dinette running all night. We were almost too hot in the bed with the flannel sheets and thick down comforter. With the two of us and the three dogs it only dropped down to 58* inside, we tend to like it colder than that at night.
It was an overcast morning but beautiful
Lap time with Kozmo in the crowded campground......
We started walking about and paid a visit to the Visitor center where we purchased a Field Guide to the birds and some nifty hats.
We went over to the Furnace Creek Ranch and checked out the Borax Mining Exhibit. Very cool.
The ranch also has stables so we booked a twilight ride out onto the Playa It was a kick.
Wyle E Coyote joined up with us ( we ran into the roadrunner a bit later)
me and Ruth
Sunset on horseback out on the Playa it was dead quiet and drop dead beautiful with the setting sun peeking in and out of the clouds.
By the time we reached the stables it was pitch black out and the temps had dropped into the low 40s. We enjoyed the 20 minute walk by headlamp back to the camper.
Buffalo burgers and beer for dinner, followed by walking the dogs and an early turn in to end the day.
