Dante's Peak

Overflowing
with color...

The hills
around
Death Valley
are alive...

....with
the sound


of music?

This is
not
really
Julie Andrews
territory.

But
the
ex-hil-a-ration
feels
the same!

This morning

I follow
the moon....

...to the top

of Death Valley!

The road
is dark
at 5AM...

...curves
dimly lit
by
Prius-light.


Curling
wheels around
twisting dark
mountain roads...

My goal...

Dante's peak!

Dante...

His Divine Comedy
fits
Death Valley....

Inferno!

Purgatorio!

Paradiso!

It feels
purgatorial
as I creep up
the steep road.

I had forgotten
I'm scared of heights.

I get panic attacks
on mountain roads.

...especially
at
night!

As I near
the peak
I see
what I think
are fence posts
lining
the parking lot
above me.

But
it's not
fence posts.

It's a line-up
of photographers
waiting
for the sun.

Of course,
they all
have
tripods.

I'm the only fool
to dare
Dante's Peak
at dawn
tripodless!

We all wait...

hushed tones....

...for the
first
peek
of the sun...

Look!

There it is!

The sun!

Look everybody!

But all the others
are looking
the other way.

I have not
yet learned
that sunrise
in the desert....

bereft of
midwest
clouds

is best
appreciated
by looking....

west...

north...

...and south.


The desert sun
bathes
the directions
in amazing colors!

But I learn
quickly

and I clamber
like
a midwest
mountain goat

over the outcrops

for more
and more
views...

...of
mountain

and
valley.

We wait
for the mist
to burn off.

The haze...

brown...

thick...

smoggulous...

Suddenly
we realize
this is
the death

of Death Valley

This is why
it is listed
as a place to see
now!

before
it
dies.

This pristine
desert sky
is being
smuggered
by the LA smog!

Stop it LA!

Get out of
those cars!

Ride a bike!

Stay still!

Drive a Prius

if you must.

But do not
destroy

such a
thing of beauty
as
Death Valley!

Well,
I'm really
mad now.

But still

there is...

serenity.

The
photographers
have left.

This is
a place
of such
peace...

Each climb
brings
me closer
to Dante's
heaven.

I even forget
my fear
of heights...

...until
a nice man
offers
to take
my picture...


(I crawl
away
from
the edge)

Look below!

You can
see Badwater Road!

That's where I biked
just yesterday!





Paradiso

Purgatorio

Inferno

Alone
in the
parking lot
now.

The road
winds
down.

Roller coaster
heart rate.

Will I make it
down?

Don't want to stop.

But a
startling
plant
stops me.

Beautiful
supple
white leaves.

I lie flat
looking up
to
zigzag
reds.

What's that?

A danged mine!

Out, out,
damned spot!

Can't we leave
this precious place
in peace.

As I march
closer
to the mine
in a huff...

I spot
a cloven
print
in the sand...

Deer?

Satan?

No,
a rare
big-horn sheep!

I turn back.

My Prius
almost lost
in the distance.

When did he
go so far?

Back
to the road.

There's what
I should
be doing!

Look at
them
smile!

But
I've got
a date
at 2PM....












...and
miles to go...





...and
miles
to go...