Out-of-Worldly

Road Trip 2009: Day 3

To those aboriginal Indians, God must be really mad at them. Earth trembled, thunders deafened, molten rock devoured everything and came from everywhere. There was no escape. Women, children, men, and all lives perished. The torrent river turned into steam and soared to the sky fast.

When river returned to the scorched land, it found the bed and waterfall taken over by the solidified lava, pretty much the same path carved by the water for a thousand years. Water knew that she always win at the end. Gentle yet stubborn, she started her patient task of carving the stones.

Another thousand years passed. Water has pretty much tamed lava, now smooth and rounded. She was needed elsewhere, so she left, after bidding the rocks to wait. Without sweet water, harshness ruled the land that soon turned into desert. Like fossils preserving forms of lives forever, the waterfall froze in time, waiting for water to come back.

If you are in the Death Valley area, visit Fossil Falls. Set your GPS to N35°58.625 W117°55.170, or follow the directions from Mike Brown, a CalTech geo professor.

Drive up the 395 about half an hour from that intersection around Inyokern. You pass the dammed up lake on the right and then you see the huge basalt wall on the right, and, the final clue, you see the huge red cinder cone in front of you and, just before you get to the red cinder cone, you take a right on Fossil Falls Road. Then follow the signs.

Yes, you should still visit Death Valley. Furnace Creek is probably the best place to stay. Do not stop at Panamint Springs.

Road Trip 2009: Day 4-6

Visited family. Attended a wedding in San Diego. Drove all the way back to home on the 6th day. We, of course, rested on the 7th day.

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