In this technology dependent environment in which we live, the preparedness community is constantly reminding us to keep our batteries charged and to have multiple options available to do so.
However, this is not about batteries. It is about our spirit. In this ever-changing world it’s important to have a place or places to go to recharge ourselves.
For the Fire Goddess and I, that place is the desert southwest and more specifically Death Valley National Park.
As we often say “Death Valley is a beautiful place with a public relations problem!”
People would not flock to Yellowstone if it was named “Ticking Time Bomb”. Nor head to Death Valley because of its name.
First hurdle is… move past its name.
The second obstacle is the weather, we do not recommend visiting the Valley in the summer as it holds the record for being the hottest place on Earth.
In 2023 the highest temperature recorded was 129 degrees.
Another fact in 2023 the rain from the remnants of Hurricane Hillary caused massive flash flooding and closed the park for three months leaving behind devastated trails. With every downside there is a upside… these storms also created a beautiful lake in the lowest point of the valley… Bad Water. Who would have ever imagined that you could kayak in such a place?
Say what?????
I know that you are asking yourself this doesn’t sound like a peaceful place to be.
It is these extremes that radically alter the desert topography that allows us to observe the geologic change during one’s lifetime and not over the course of millennia that it took to create other geological wonders of the world.
It’s this constant change that has brought us back for more than forty years.
At first, I was disappointed when we realized the trails that we have hiked for many years had changed. But with this realization the rediscovery was just as interesting if not more than the memory. Nature had carved a new path exposing new vistas, erasing well warn paths and renewing landscape. The changes were magnificent to say the least.
The weather, more specifically, when it rains in one of the driest places can cause another rare phenomenon… a Super Bloom of flowers. When the conditions are perfect the arid soil becomes alive overnight with a brilliant display of colors. It’s amazing!
Simply the daily passage of the sun, moon and stars changes the color and texture of the mountains that surround this magical place. One can sit for hours watching the celestial dance while serenaded by the distant songs of the coyote’s.
Sitting around the campfire with old friends and meeting new ones, telling stories and tall tales, keeps us coming back, and our batteries fully topped up!
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