December 23-24, 2018 Death Valley, California

The new solar panels are wonder fun. There are 10 now-1185 watts. A good day of sun recharges the battery. We still need the generator to run the microwave for  very long, the oven or the AC. But don’t need to run it hours each day to totally recharge the battery. Spent a lot of the day in my lawn chair in the sun- high 60’s and worked on the basket. Still going to add some bling.  Hairy cowhide, copper tacks and turquoise. It is 10 1/2 x 5 1/2 inches. 

Not enough clouds for a sunset, just kind of a pink glow.  The eve of Christmas eve dinner on the desert. John BBQ’d shrimp. We had twinkling xmas lights on the table. 

This cool rooftop tent pulled in next to us. The most elaborate of these that folds up the smallest that I have seen.   It is a habitat  by Overland Adventures.  Base price $8,900.  We went to Keane Wonder Mine today. It was a very successful gold mine. This is the bottom of the tram. 

The Keane Wonder Spring is just north of the tram with an arch above it.  Looking down valley from the spring at the pools.

Warning mine hazards. There used to be cyanide tanks for separating the gold from the ore here.  Salt crystals by the spring. On the way there we drove by the parking lot to the Mesquite sand dunes and it was packed. Water rushing down hill from the spring. One of the deep wells the mine built at the spring. It is built out of timbers.  Another warning sign over another well opening. I love the icon below it. It shows I think a person crawling with a headlamp on and a red line though it. I think it means do not crawl into the shafts.  

One of the many mine openings that are all over the area. Looking through the arch from the backside and looking up at is from below. Looking down canyon into Death Valley. 

The route through the canyon was mostly these huge rocks and dry waterfalls.  Interesting rocks and  a capped shaft. Below is John standing by a HUGE boulder.

All of the rocks were shiny and glittery. We were walking around a big gold mine. Looked like gold was everywhere, but I think it was just shiny rocks.  Pitted rocks, bumpy rocks, colorful rocks. A shiny nugget looking thing in the rock.This one rock in my hand is the only one that glittered in the photo. I used the sparkle filter on my camera.  Blooming flower and a barrel cactus. 

 The sky, clouds and scenery were gorgeous. John standing on the rock foundation of something. 

This pipe ran from the springs to the mine. If you look close in the photo you can see the bottom of the tram at the bottom right, a water tank and up the hill are the tram towers. 

Last light on the Funeral mountains on our way home.