06.02 - happy birthday

ah, a day of rest.  how fiting.  we did go for a 15 min. dip in the pool.  somewhat decadent to be sitting in a pool of water in the middle of death valley, eh?

tomorrow we get serious, though.  our timing is impeccable.  the temp will reach it's high of 118-120 for the three days we're in the valley.  we make it out, hopefully, on friday.  the temps are forecast to drop down sat and sun.  it's really not that bad in the shade, the old adage about dry heat is true.  but stick your head out there in the sun and man, 118-120 deg can be stifling.

we are a little famous.  word has spread among the rangers that there are a couple of old prospectors mining youth riding through the territory.  we have made sure that they know our intended route and itenary.  i asked if they could deliver beer and pizza to emigrants campground tomorrow when they're out there checking on us.

our plan, which remains ever flexible, is to leave here tomorrow as early as we can, maybe as early as 6.  it's 25 miles, flat to stovepipe wells.  there's water and a store there.  then another 15 miles, incorporating a 2,000 ft. continuous grade uphill, will get us to emigrant campground.  there is water and toilets there.  and, as i understand it, the toilets provide the only shade.  it is at 2,000 feet elevation, which i'm told means it should be 8 deg cooler than the valley floor.

my guess is that we'll spend the night there.  that means 8 hrs +/- sitting in the heat, trying to stay out of the sun.  the night sky should be fabulous there, the moon does not rise till after midnight.

the 2,000 foot climb is actually the beginning of a continuous 5,000 ft. climb.  so, that will leave a 3,000 climb to start off the next day.  then, it's back down 3,000 feet to paramint springs.  that is also a 'resort', where we should be able to get water.  there, we'll have to decide if we stop or we keep going.  continuing on includes a 2,500 foot climb of a sligtly steeper slope, i'm told, up to father crawley lookout.  how much father if any we'll go, we'll decide then.  it's another 30 mi., mostly downhill, to lone pine and the eastern sierra valley.

i would be lying if i didn't admit i'm a little anxious about the next two days.  two days and we should be out of death valley.  105 mi. from here to lone pine.  but they will be hard days.  i'll consider myself out of the desert and home free after that.  then 4 days up the eastern sierra valley to tahoe.