January 11-14, 2016 Shoshone, California

Another sunny day, can’t complain.

The basket is coming along. I saw this bobcat today outside the house. He looks kind of like our new sunshade, maybe he is admiring it.

There was a sliver moon in the sunset tonight. Tuesday we hiked up to Geode Canyon. We found this water left over from the recent rain.

I didn’t think I had found the right canyon, so we went up higher just because the canyon was cool.

And we found them. Millions of them. This ridge was all geodes, like a bunch of marbles on the ground. Crystal cave.

More crystal caves. The top of the ridge.

John hates it that I like to hike late in the afternoon, but I love the light then. In the first photo on the left ridge you can see the very tip of snowy Mt Charleston near Las Vegas. Beautiful light.

John waiting patiently while I take too many photos.  Many geodes.

We also saw lots of flowers. Brittle bush, mohave aster, a back lit heart shaped cactus, a bud of I don’t know what, yellow evening primroses, phacilia, and a poppy.

Today we moved to Death Valley National Park. The point to the left is called Manley Beacon. It is named after Mr. Manley who saved the 49’s when they were stranded here in 1849 at the base of this point. They were out of food. They had eaten their cows and teams that pulled the wagons and burned the wagon for heat.  Manley hiked out and brought help back.  The red cliff is called Red Cathedral. Here is the bus at Sunset Campground at Furnace Creek.  I can’t belive flowers are already blooming this high in the valley so early.

At the visitors center the offical temperature was 65 degrees. The sign also says it is –190 feet below sea level here.  I rode my bike to Harmony Borax works. This is part of the ruins of the borax works .

I then rode up the Mustard Canyon scenic drive. A view of salt on the valley floor. The canyon is called  Mustard Canyon because the walls are yellow.  The beauty of Death Valley is in color and texture.

Sunset colors on the scenic drive.