Tuesday November 15
We drove to Dante’s View. Dante’s View is along another steep and narrow mountain road. It climbs from Furnace Creek (elevation 190’) to 5,575’. We were listening to Pat Metheny’s album, Above the Treetops, and song The Truth Will Always Be was playing as we neared the top, sun shining brightly to the west. I get emotional when I hear that song, Truth being something one feels on one’s heart and soul, it felt special, fantastic. We left the car and walked out a short path for a spectacular view up and down the valley. Wind blowing, mind blowing vista, again with the Panamint Range bordering the west edge of the valley. It was on the cool side, so we had on winter gear. Moments like this, they make me dream of how wonderful it is to be alive, and to share the experience with Laura was great, too. We did not stay too long though! Because as wonderful as it was, it felt cold with that wind!
So, we drove down the mountain, and as we arrived back at Furnace Creek, passing The Inn at Death Valley, we decided to check it out, see what it was like. We parked and wandered in. The entry we took was through a tunnel that led to an elevator and a door that led into an outdoor area. It was a garden of palm trees! There was a rock path through the garden, illuminated with low lighting, with water running along to a kind of pond. It was very scenic and enjoyable. From there we found our way into the hotel. It was adorned quite exquisitely, with older furnishings and paintings. There were sitting rooms, a library, a restaurant and a bar, with indoor and outdoor seating. We got ourselves a couple of beers and sat outside enjoying the mystique, laughing and smiling about our plight. After our beers, we did a walking tour, first going up to top floor, outdoor porch that doubled as a bar and an optimum gathering place for star gazing. It overlooked the palm tree garden as well. The porch was not in use at the time. We opened the door as trespassers! I propped the door open with my hat, so we would not get locked outside, and we enjoyed the night sky. It had become dark by that time and the stars were magnificent.
Next, we stopped at the check-in desk again and asked for directions to the pool. We had to negotiate our way carefully in the dark, as the way meandered somewhat along walkways, stairs, and gates, but we found the pool. "Oh my!" we said. There were two huge fireplaces blazing with wood, as if they had just been started! It was a large pool, with dim lighting all around. I felt like I was in a James Bond movie, that was the atmosphere I perceived. There was no one else to be seen. We had it to ourselves. I think Laura said something about here daughter Helen having been here, in a similar situation, and she had gone into the pool, but the two of us opted to stay dry. We had no other clothes to change into. I find myself in that situation again, I'm skinny dipping!
We had a reservation at Furnace Creek Campground for three nights, though we had to change campsites. Before Death Valley, we had figured we’d stay a few days, and our original plan was to continue on to Sequoia NP and Pinnacles NP. I brought up the alternative idea of staying at Death Valley longer. Laura agreed, it was such a great place. We had such a fun day together, and there was so much more to do. She said she knew she could return to California another time, and she could get the other national parks on another trip, and so we happily agreed on staying longer here in DVNP.
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