First taste of desert...

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When we left Big Bear LAke everything was sort of thrown into the back of Chuck - I'm sure that we will develop a better packing system as we go, but having a car is making life really easy so far...

Gill has been doing most of the driving so far - she loves driving the 4x4 however I took the first leg from Big Bear to Death Valley. The mountains eventaully dropped away and after driving through several very strange small towns, including a stop of at a recreated 'ghost town', we entered Death Valley National Park. I wasn't expecting what we found - it was really green!! Apparently it is wild flower season and it has been really wet so the flowers are the best that they have been for 20 years..

Tried to get accommodation in the park but they were either full or very expensive (well outwith budget) so ended by driving back through the desert in the pitch black of night - Gill had taken back over the driving and I was certainly glad of it - ended up staying in Beatty, Nevada.

The following day we climbed down the Ubehebe Crater - a big volanic hole in the ground - we were told that the climb out was a nightmare and that it could take 3 hours - Gill made it in less than 30 mins and even I made it out in 40 mins!!

Somehow we managed to get on the wrong road (and there aren't many in Death Valley) and missed Saline Valley - we had been recommended the hot springs there, and I thought that I had trashed Chuck after driving through a huge hole in the road (there's something about me and cars in america) however he made it out unscathed. Tried to get into out accommadation at Mammoth a day earlier but that was very optimistic and spent the night in Bishop instead. Must remember to try and book rooms ahead of arrival...

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