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...
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!
...that Al, she lives on the edge...like her father
ReplyDeleteyou forgot to mention all her car troubles =P but how would K like Death Valley??
ReplyDeleteDeath Valley is not a Kitty kind of place!
ReplyDelete