Leaving Three Rivers we passed this beautiful Lake, just amazing:
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| Lake Kaweah |
There were also a heap of Orange & Lemon Orchards:
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| They were planted half way up the hill! |
The scenery was again amazing it changes so often:
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| We walked down this this Water hole |
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| Rolling Hillls |
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| Forests |
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| Huge trees |
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| wide open spaces |
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| Lake Isabella |
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| Then Desert! |
All this in just 7 hours of driving! It's just fantastic to be able to see all this, we are very blessed:)
We arrived in Ridgecrest California Just after lunch.
(It is this side of Death Valley) We spent 2 nights here.
While here we decided to go to the movies, We went to see - Rock Of Ages!!!!!
I wouldn't recommend anyone rushing off to see it! It has Tom Cruise playing a Rock Legion - I think he was on a huge power trip! On the plus side it did have some great 80's music!
We also called into the Visitor Centre to get some information on Death Valley as we were driving through it the next day.
Just as well we are used to the heat & isolated locations after years of travelling around Oz, because the lady in the visitor centre would have you packing it!!!!!!! She kept emphisising how HOT it would be, No phone reception, if anything happens to your car - Do Not Leave the vehicle! Carry plenty of water! Dave explained that we were aware of all this & it would be ok - & she replied "Well I'll be worried for you"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We left Ridgecrest a 6am Wednesday morning for our drive through Death Valley!
We were practically in the desert anyway so it was pretty dry along the way:
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| Long straight roads - for a change! |
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| The highest point in Death Valley |
We called into Stovepipe Wells,
It has Fuel, Gift Shop & Accomodation:
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| Stovepipe Wells Death Valley |
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| Even a swimming pool! |
Just on the other side of Stovepipe Wells was Mesquite Dunes:
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| Beauty in the Desert! |
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| We had travelled down a fair bit! |
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| It was about 37 Celsius at 9.30am |
Our next stop was a historic site: Harmony Borax Works:
Then we went onto Furnace Creek, we stopped at the visitor centre for a Picnic lunch - it was like a little oasis:
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| Picnic in the desert |
A few little critters even dropped by for a visit:
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| This is a Roadrunner! |
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| Drinking from the sprinkler |
Our next sop was a magnificent lookout called Zabriskie Point well worth stopping for:
Before you knew it we were out of Death Valley & on our way to Pahrump Nevada
Pahrump is a small town 1 1/2 hours from Vegas we are spending 2 days here before our week in Vegas.
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| one of the Casino's |
Well that's it for a while we plan on being too busy to blog in Vegas :)
Cheers; Dave & Shell
