Death Valley National Park -- INCREDIBLE !!

For us, a week in one place, is a long time; but not here at Death Valley NP. 
We came back to Furnace Creek campground after ten years, and were pleased with the improvements including paved level sites and full hookups.  Expecting cold temperatures, we took the hookups so we would stay toasty warm.  Turns out the temps have been ideal and in fact later in the week the thermometer may hit 78 degrees.

We came to meet up with our good friends,
Gail & Dan, and together hike till our boots fall off., and we did!  Dan has been terrific with the hikes he's chosen everyday.  From Golden Canyon to Zabriskie Point, Darwin Falls, Desolation Canyon, Mosaic Canyon, and more to trek before the end of this week.
 

The canyons, the mountains, the rocks, the washes, and all of this incredible landscape were on the hike list. 

We even hiked to a natural spring that gushed water here in the desert.



Rock scrambling has been one of the highlights; especially thinking about how we would get back down. (It's always easier going up than down?)
All in a days hike.

Red Rock Canyon, a sure bet!

Still in the Las Vegas area, we headed over to Red Rock Canyon; a BLM (Bureau of Land Management - Federal government) site.  This means, half price camping.....no hookups, but a lovely place to watch the sun rise and set over the red cliffs; and only $7.50!  And then there is the Visitor Center....luxurious.  We've never seen such a nice Visitor Center in a BLM...in fact we never even saw a BLM VC before.  All the ancient rocks, the uplifts, the downlifts, and the erosion...a beautiful place to hike.

We hit the trails climbing into the canyons.  Scrambling over rocks, we even got rained on, here in the desert.



Red Rock Canyon is a keeper.

Hot Dam, we're back out West !!

 
Flew into Las Vegas, picked up BIW (the engine started!), and drove to Sam's Casino KOA for our first "camp".   After a $9.95 buffet dinner, we made plans for our full day in Vegas.









We loaded up provisions at Trader Joes, our favorite food stop, maintenanced our motorhome with an oil change, then filled up our propane tank for the upcoming cold...Then off we drove to Lake Mead.

This campground is almost empty!  Guess temperatures ranging from 35 to 55 is too cold for the locals....so we had our choice of campsites and got a great view of Lake Mead.  A little extra generator action required, since we have no hookups; but we're as snug as a bug in a rug (whatever that means?). 

Four days here at Lake Mead 

After checking out the Visitor Center on the first day that we arrived, we used Day 2 to take the 5 mile bike ride on the rail trail that was formerly the supply route to building Hoover Dam.  Great views of the lake, and 5 tunnels to cruise through.  Enjoyed our sack lunch and then took the tour of the Dam.  Very impressive...a HUGE hunk of concrete, the largest ever, when Hoover Dam was completed in 1935. (finished early and under budget; the last government project that accomplished this?)

Day 3, found us floating down the Colorado River after the water is disgorged from the dam.  Black Canyon River Adventures was our ticket to ride.  The 4 hour raft trip through the canyon was on totally calm waters, unlike our trip through the Grand Canyon a number of years ago.  Viewed interesting rocks, birds, and even some hot springs waterfalling down into the Colorado.


For our final day, we plan to bike the paved bike route that follows the Lake Mead shore line.  The entire bike path is 36 miles....we will see how far we get.

It's great to be back out west!