We're in Death Valley!

Left home on Monday about 0900 and had a beautiful drive to Death Valley.  Not as warm as you would think, but we were able to sit outside until after dark, which hasn't happened in quite a while at home!  We spent the night at Stovepipe Wells Campground in the park..$12.00 but with Ken's America the Beautiful Senior Pass..$6.00!  Love it.

This one's for you Russy!

Love Nevada traffic!

Stove Pipe Wells our camping spot

Beautiful Death Valley

Got up Tuesday morning and decided to move over to Furnace Creek Campground.  They are busy over here!  We got a spot for one night and then moved over to another for the next night.  Thought we'd get the bikes out and take a ride, but these bikes the seat and extender are all in one, well, someone forgot the seats and extenders at home in the tough shed! Bummer because this is a really beautiful place to ride bikes.  We're thinking when we get over to the Laughlin area that maybe a bike shop might have these pieces available.  We'll see..

Wednesday morning...We headed to Beatty to get some beer and ice and anything else we could think of from a grocery store..well, no grocery store in Beatty..there used to be one but they closed and now Family Dollar will be moving in, but who knows when!  

On the way back we drove through the ghost town of Rhyolite..not much to see, but i'm sure there's some ghosts with lots of stories to tell!  

We had seen in the Death Valley paper there was a 26 mile dirt and gravel road that takes you to Titus Canyon, so let's do it!  OMG that was the most scared I've been since climbing out of the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park!  The first part was great, bumpy and flat..then before you know it in front of us is this road climbing and climbing and many switchbacks that at times I thought our truck wouldn't make the turns!  I have to tell you I screamed and cried like a girl!!  Ken did awesome (duh we're here aren't we)...but I hated it!! Don't know what pictures I got as I was too busy holding on and crying that I don't know what I did!  Eventually it evened out, we were able to stop at a ghost mining town of Leadfield and had lunch.  Luckily Ken brought wine for me (should have drank it before we headed over the mountain!)..after lunch the rest of the ride was pretty good..a few more switchbacks but heading down to the canyon.  It was positively beautiful!  

Titus Canyon Drive!

Warning: There are lots of pictures!

The beginning...

Yep that's our road

Doesn't look too scary but it was a long way down!

The road is up there..

Pictures just don't do it justice!

After the screaming...

From our lunch  spot looking at the road we just came down..

Entering the "Narrows" 

And we're done!

Mustard Canyon...

Campsite at Furnace Creek..

These little beauties are all over the park

Laughlin, NV

Our first night's camping at Laughlin...campground full so this is
where they sent us...tough huh?!

So here's the question?  Am I glad we did it?  Absolutely..honestly if I'd have known how it was I wouldn't have gone and it would have been a shame to miss it!  

Today, Thursday we are heading out of here and either going to Red Rock Canyon or Big Bend of the Colorado State Park, near Laughlin.  

Surprised we have 3g service here..so I can't post pics but thought i'd get the blog written or I would definitely forget what we've done!  So keep checking back I will post pics when I can.  

Got some sad news last night, my Uncle Odus in Kansas passed away..he was in a nursing home with my Aunt Ola (daddy's sister)..he was 91 and was recently diagnosed with cancer, he didn't want any treatment (can't say as I blame him.  He told his daughters that he was ready to go home...and last night he did...

My cousin told me that Uncle Odus said last week that he talked with my mom and she said that she'll take care of him...