Karin gave me the trip to Death Valley as a Christmas present. We waited till February to take it so we would have the right weather to survive it. I had driven through it before on my way to Las Vegas. I wasn’t impressed. I saw it as a desolate landscape that stretched for a hundred miles and not much more. This trip definitely proved me wrong.  This trip was only three days, one day to get there, one to explore, and one to drive home – It’s a seven hour drive.

Death Valley is a place to EXPERIENCE, not just visit. If you just drive through it you can’t absorb its vastness, and the extraordinary geology that engulfs you, as you negotiate the roads that the park has placed in all the right places to make it visible to us. I had fun on the trip because Karin and I always have fun together, but the terrain is not fun – However it seems to seep into your very persona, and I’m sure it will stay with you for the rest of your life. Go with someone you can have fun with too.

There are colors protruding out of the mountains that are incredible.

John at the lowest place, -282 feet, and Karin, doing what she does best, having fun.

Karin lived in France for a while – She got good at it. She is teaching me. I love it.

Notice the hikers in the lower left corner. We weren’t able to do that, my walker said no!

It’s fun looking at the rocks and trying to find an image. What do you see?

 I don’t know what it is, but it sure looks mean. I’m sure it was protecting us.

 Daddy and mommy rock out for a walk, with the two kids and a few friends.

Life is good, but you have to look for, and see, the wonderful things around us.