We stopped first at Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park, the lowest, hottest, driest place in North America. Will was less than enthusiastic about leaving the comfort of the car for this experience! I had been in Death Valley back when I was 15 as a part of a school trip out west (back when it was just a National Monument), but amazingly we did not take the 10 mile side trip to this spot.
Then again, I had no memory of just how long it takes to get through Death Valley - it is a long drive to the other side. We also stopped at the Visitor's Center, to stamp our passport books, use real bathrooms, and get our photo taken next to the thermometer. Note the temperature reading...
Then we started the long climb back to the real world, heading into California. Our drive took us through the Owens Valley on U.S. 395 on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevadas, another part of my route as a 15 year old that I had not seen since. It was as beautiful as I remember. And, though the family lamented the length of the day's drive, I loved it.
We turned off of U.S. 395 in Lee Vining, right near Mono Lake, and entered the cool conifers of Yosemite. We appreciated the cool weather even more because we had come through Death Valley. The Tioga Road is spectacular, and all of the Yosemite turnoffs were packed with cars and folks appreciating the high elevations in the park.
And it was great to see Mary and Sarah and meet Emery for the first time. After what seems like weeks of being on the road, it is really nice to have a home base for a few days, and nobody appreciates that more than Will.
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