DEATH VALLEY
I think it was back in 08 me and Willa stopped in Death Valley. It so happened that the 49rs were having their annual rally when we ''stumbled'' by and we stopped to enjoy the festivities. I strongly recommend you attend if you happen to be in the area.
I think we stayed at Furnace Creek camp ground with about a kazillion other nice folks. One evening after supper I decided it would be fun to go out to ''Bad Water'' and watch the sunset. Willa was busy in the coach and she said she was going to lay around and read and that I should go on, and have fun.
Finnious Foghorn Farnsworth our Papillion dog gave me a whimper telling me he wanted to ''go'' with me. I grabbed a leash and hooked him up and we hit it for the pick up. As I recall it was about 20 miles over to ''Bad Water''...... I eased along watching for wildlife as it was getting over in the evening and things were cooling down and the critters were coming out to feed and look around. Finnie was hanging out the drivers window in close observation looking for gorilla tracks and other things of interest to him.
We made it to Bad Water, parked the truck facing out of the parking spot, and went for a walk. Finnie ''tinkled'' on several things and did a good ''sniff around'' to secure the area. Most folks were leaving and as I dragged out a folding lounge the last car pulled out of the parking lot. We had the place all to ourselves.........
For those of you that have never been to Death Valley I would like to give you some background on the place.
One. During the day it is as hot as the hinges of hell with all the blowers going wide open........
Two. After dark it can get as cold as the inside of a tomb in a relatively short time.
Three. It is a most beautiful place with lots of wild life if you know where to look. Sometime I will tell you the story about Wiley Coyote when I have the chance.
Four. Death Valley can be a most dangerous place if you are not prepared and are not careful in your adventuring. More on that some other time also.
Anyhow, me and Finnie claimed our section of the parking lot with out chair and we were going to watch the sunset and the stars come out to play. We watched the sunset and the darkening sky. I sat in the chair and Finnie chose a place on my lap to nap. The chair would lean back with a heel rest for your feet and was very comfortable. I leaned back to watch the night sky.
Out in Death Valley they have ''light restriction'' whereby no excessive lighting is used. This keeps the night sky virgin of outside lights and you can see the stars real good. I sat and watched as my eyes accustomed to the darkness that crept in on tiptoes. The first star was Venus which is not a star but a planet. From then on the stars each in turn peeked thru the floor of Heaven. I could see the big and little dippers and as the night grew more and more stars appeared. The day was getting cooler now. The sun was gone and the night cool was descending. Finnie decided that he would be warmer inside my coat so I carefully zipped him up inside my jacket with just his head sticking out under my chin. He dozed and I watched the shooting stars and the milky way.
After a time, Mr Moon came creeping out from behind the mountains. You have to remember that out there the sky is very clear and there is no ambient light to spoil the view at night.
I sat and watched while my guard dog slept on my chest with his nose outside the jacket. His body warmth felt good to me as the night chill was upon me now. I sat there all alone pondering the universe. Its vastness and depth and I wondered what was ''on the other side'' so to speak. I watched the moon slowly trace across the sky and meteorites paint streaks across the sky. Some so tiny they left a mere whisper of light and some so large that they left contrails across the sky. I sat and wondered and pondered and thought and became part of the night 280 some feet below sea level there at Bad Water parking lot. I wondered if God just poked holes in the floor of Heaven and let the light shine down on earth every night. Somehow, I could see Him with a sharp stick poking holes here and there to let the light from Heaven shine down on us at nite. I pondered that he ''hung the moon'' on a wire and let it dangle all nite on a slow trolley across the sky. Sometimes I think I ''ponder'' toooooooooo much. I 'scrooched' down in the chair and shut my eyes that I might listen to the sounds of Death Valley.......................
''YOU OK MISTER? YOU BROKE DOWN OR SOMETHING?''
I almost jumped out of my gizzard and when I moved my famous guard dog Finnie came to life and went into an attack mode inside the coat. I calmed the dog and looked up at a park ranger standing beside my chair.
''I wasn't asleep sir'', ''I was resting my eyes''.......
Yeah, sure. I told him to grab a chair out of the back of the pick up and have a seat and we would ponder the universe and solve all mans problems right here. He took a chair and sat beside me. He said he hated to disturb me because I was resting my eyes and snoring so nicely but he wanted to be sure I was ok out here by myself. I noticed that the moon had move all the way across the valley and the star pattern had changed some. I asked if he happened to know the ''time'' and he said it was approaching mid night and he was going in when he left here.
''Holly Kanolie'' my Willa will be worried to death about me. I could see her now. Pacing the floor wondering what had happened to her Seajay out here in the wilds of Death Valley........ Was he lost or had he been carried off by wild animals. I threw the chairs in the back of the truck, let ''Finnie'' tinkle one time and we hit the road for home so our Willa could stop worrying about us.
I eased into the campground and found our spot. The lights were on in the living room but I saw no shadow. I carefully opened the lock and eased the door open waiting for the tirade of a worried wife as to where I had been so long and how she had made herself sick worrying about me out by myself.
Willla was asleep on the sofa, her book on the floor ............................. shux, so much for her ''worrying''......
I put Finnie in the dog box and kissed Willa on the cheek.
''You wanna' sleep on the sofa alone or go cuddle?''
''Go cuddle after I go tinkle, I'm cold, what time is it?''
The night chill had crept into the coach and our ''cuddle'' felt good in the bed. We always sleep close renewing our assurance that the other one is there close by. ….......... Life is good …..
If you get the chance,,,,,,, GO TO DEATH VALLEY... It is worth the ride and the time
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