After we’d had enough coffee to recover from the Sin City 10k, we packed up the (surprisingly not-broken-into) Xterra and headed out. In honor of the moment, I broke one of my cardinal rules — Thou Shalt Not Drive on Las Vegas Boulevard — to drive us by the Welcome to Las Vegas sign on the way out of town. Dad wouldn’t let me stop for a silly selfie. Maybe Mom can talk him into it when they’re back in a couple months.
Dad finally got to put his Christmas present to good use! We took the south route through Pahrump and turned up to Dante’s Viewpoint and the Mount Perry trail when we entered the park. As clear and dramatic as the view usually is, there’s usually still a dusty haze in the air, but not today. Death Valley’s colorful desolation was on full display.
Even the wildlife was out today.
And then we noticed the shade of an early sunset start to creep across the basin. Dad wanted to see the valley floor so we drove around to the Badwater Basin, 5,500 feet directly below Dante’s Viewpoint.
And more than 200 feet below sea level.
And in George’s absence, I tasted the salt flats because apparently he made that a tradition. Can confirm: is salty.
Then we went for a swanky, celebratory dinner at The Inn at Furnace Creek before retiring to our room at The Ranch for a roadtrip bourbon under the many many stars.