road trip to Death Valley, day three

The last part of the road trip saga.  The day we came home, but not without seeing a little more of the park, first.

Late morning, and we checked out

of our delightful hotel. 

It really was a terrific property.  Come on, look at it. 

Glorious.  And that's just part of it.  Did I mention the golf carts?  But even pretty much across the street from the hotel, there were some cool rock formations. 

The park had so much to offer.

We stopped to get a little bite and some coffee (and why oh why did none of the coffee vendors seem to have decaf?  Come on!) and then headed south to Badwater Basin.

The Basin.  The lowest point below sea level in North America. 

See the little sign up there? 

That was sea level.  It was a cloudy Monday, and the crowds were less than we had seen elsewhere the day before.  Equally happily, the clouds meant less glare on the salt flats we all walked out on.

I gather that it is rare to see water in the basin as we did.  A very shallow lake stretched out, reflecting the landscape above it. 

It was so very cool that we got to see that.  We didn't see salt formations like the park guides suggested, but perhaps we didn't wander to the right areas.  It was really something, though to be atop all that salt. 

And at that low point.

We got photos of ourselves,

we got photos of the surrounding area. 

We got in the car, and headed south to eventually exit the park.  The drive was a little desolate in a very wonderful way - it's nice when it feels like you have the whole road and even the valley to yourself.  Ultimately, we made it onto the 15, and, in darkness, onto the 210.  A slog getting home, but we made it in time for me and Conrad to go out for pizza.

That wraps up Death Valley.  I look forward to another national park some time.  And now, to bed.  I have to fly to Baltimore tomorrow....