Motoring in the Mojave Desert – 19th to 23rd November 2009

Directly south of Death Valley is one the newest units in the National Park system; the Mojave National Preserve is an area of the Mojave desert with very little development in it.

In the north are the remains of Volcanic cinder cones and lava flows, The area has numerous fault lines and in geological terms these are fairly new.

 

Near the cinder cones were “Mojave Joshua Trees” which were neither trees or Cactus but a type of Yucca and a member of the lily family yet growing to well over 20 ft tall.

 

 

Then after 30 miles or so there is a 3 track railway, and a station building which houses one of the Park visitor centres. 60 years ago this was a busy mining area supplying steel to build ships for the US navy.

We continued to the Hole in the Wall campground, which was next to a strange looking rock formation formed by a steam and magma explosion when the cloud of material solidified rapidly.

 

 

The explosion lasted about half a second and solid “cloud” extends  about a quarter mile long and 200ft high.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With the aid of steel rings in the rocks we climbed up through Banshee Canyon.

 

 

We were amazed at the number of plants growing in the desert.

Out of the Mojave NP we travelled a short section of “Old Route 66” to the Amboy Crater, meeting a couple who were adding their own memento to the shoe tree.

 

 

 

 

 

Last active only 500 years ago the Amboy crater is accessible and we were able to climb into crater where I went to the rim edge 200ft above the surrounding desert and lava flow remains.

 

 

Elaine in the crater bottom.

Discovering Death Valley – 16th to 19th November 2009

Scorchingly hot in July and August when temperatures reach 49 deg C, the valley was pleasantly warm (25-30 deg C) in November.  

 

Colourful mountains and canyons

to explore,

 

 

 

 

 

sand dunes to walk over

 

   and watch the shapes and shadows change as the sun was going down.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salt flats at the lowest land location in America

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

where the little water that exists contains 5 times more salt than sea water and most is below a deep, dry and crisp crust,

and industrial relics of Borax mills which struggled to remain viable in the late 1800’s.

Las Vegas – 14th & 15th November 2009

We were not sure whether to visit “Vegas” or not, but so many people had told us that it was worth going once if only for the experience.

We saw the bright lights on “The Strip”

 

The fantastic water show at Bellagio

  

and whilst Elaine marvelled at the visual effects I was equally impressed by the work that must go into keeping all the valves snapping open and closed with water pressures balanced.

 

It reminded me of a giant colour change valve array, with probably over 200 valves creating the water show synchronised to the music.

 In downtown, Fremont Street, we witnessed various street artists performing under a canopy which covers 5 blocks and is lined with 12 million multicoloured lights which display music and video shows every hour.

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

 

 

 

the finale was a rocket launch directly overhead, with full sound effects

 

which left the whole roof covered with flames – very impressed!

 

Thanks to George and Aggie we found there was much more than the bright lights and casinos when we went out to the Red Rocks and Valley of Fire Parks.