Who's in Death Valley?

Al
comes to
Death Valley!

She throws
her bike
in a rental
Jetta...

...and
joins me
for a
little spin...

...around
the desert.

She hops
on
Blue Jay...

I grab
my rented
Bianchi...

We

remember

Ian's

advice...

...and
load up
on water!


















I buy
a Camelback
loaded
with ice water


...just in case...















And
we're
off!

This is Alex's
first view
of Death Valley.

(she drove in
in the dark).

This girl
has biked
from coast
to coast.

Still,
she has never
seen anything
like
Death Valley!

The
scenery
is
amazing...

We quickly
fall into
the rhythm
from this
summer...




She leads...

...and
I follow
her
yellow
ribbon.

I remember

buying her

that 

yellow 

ribbon...

...as we
biked
through
Boise,
Idaho....

...on
our way
to
New Hampshire.

photo by Fanpop.com

She wanted
to celebrate
Argentina
playing
in the
World Cup.

And today
in
Death Valley
we
reminisce...

- Do you
remember
how nervous
we were
starting off
in Astoria?

- How
about
the
Teton Pass?

- Do you
remember
Skye?

We certainly
met interesting
people
on our bike ride
across America.

And we meet
interesting
people
here in
Death Valley...

Our first stop
is
Badwater
Basin...

Alex
is fascinated
by the salt...

- Can
we eat it?

- I don't
think so.

We meet
the nicest
Irish ladies
out on the
salt flats.

photo by Syracuse James Joyce Club

We chat
with them
about
James Joyce...

...and
Dublin.

We see
lots of people
from Europe.

I hear
it's become
a tradition...

for Europeans
to take
a 1 week
"See America"
vacation...

Land
in
Las Vegas.

One day
in
Death Valley

photo by alpine institute

One day
in
Yosemite

photo by union street inn

And on
to
San Fran.

How can
they see
anything
at that pace?

I love
Appreciative
Travel...

...where
you
go
slow enough....

...to
smell
the
flowers...

...or
the salt.

Time
to
head out!

Already
running
low on
fluids.

Gotta
wait
for Al...

We're
back
on
the road...

It's
perfect
weather..















...and
we're hopin'
to get in
70 miles.

But,
when we see
Ren
we have to
stop
to chat!

Map by mappery.com

He's
biking
a 500 mile
loop...


...camping out

when the rangers
don't catch him.

He pulls
all his gear
behind him.

He travels alone.

Ren
reminds us
of Mike,
the biker we met
in Oregon.

Mike
started biking
6 years ago.

Just
never
stopped.

It's unique
the people
you meet
when you're
biking.


...and
that's half
the fun!

Come to
think of it,
it's unique
the people
you meet in
Death Valley

Maybe 
tougher.




























Maybe
more
adventurous.

And 
to be a
biker
in 
Death Valley?

Way
cool!

OK, Al.


But we've got
to get going.

When the sun 
sets here,
it turns black
in a
heartbeat.

Pedal
faster.


Hearts 
pound.

Our 
shadows
stretch 
eastwards.

Will
we be caught
in the
Death Valley
darkness?

But 
what's 
this?

Another
interesting
person.


Sitting
on a 
lawn chair
watching
the light.

photo by Alvarado Library

I think 
he's a 
poet...

photo by gettingstronger.org

...or a 
conductor.

directing
the streaming
of the sun
on the 
red rock
mountains.

But, no.

Eric

is a geologist.

He loves
watching
the play
of the setting sun
on the eons
of rock
displayed
at 
Death Valley.

photo by Bangkok-ian

He says
to a geologist


Death Valley


is like
Disneyland.

Interesting
people
we meet at 
Death Valley.

Quickly
we scuttle
home.

It's time
for a 
fine 
dinner....

...a cool
glass
of 
water...

...even
the flowers
are good enough
to eat...

..and 
we'll plan
for a 
tomorrow




full
of 
adventure!