Death Valley – Part II
Good morning.
Below is the second part of pictures of my trip to Death Valley.
Most of these are of Badwater Basin, which is the lowest point in North America.
An interesting thing has happened to me in the last year and a half. I take WAYYYYY too many pictures when I go on trips! Ok actually there is no such thing as too many, but there is a thing as too few.
I used to take maybe 20-40 pictures on a week long trip. This trip I took about 425 and that was only in 4 days! And when N___. and I got back from London, we had taken over 1200 between the two of us! 
It does make it really hard to pare them down and edit them though! Anyhoo, I ramble…
See that tiny little sign on the rock?
Can you read what it says? It says “Sea Level”. That’s how far below sea level Badwater is!
Here I am being the typical tourist.
Doesn’t it look like the moon? The ground floor is salt!
Beautiful sky, no? By the way this is Photoshopped a bit to bring out the colors more. But I never Photoshop nail pics!
Here you can really see the salt craters.
I like taking photos of N___. taking photos.
Zoom of the ground. Doesn’t it look like fur or mold or something?
Clouds movin’ in.
The long and winding road.
This is a place called Artist’s Palette. The different colored hills are supposed to remind you of the colors of an artist’s palette. There were various browns, greys and green and purple.
Then N___. snuck a photo of me taking a photo, the turd!
Here are the Mesquite Sand Dunes. This sand was SO fine, like sugar particles. We didn’t see this until the way out and wish we could have walked all the way out there. And the whole place really did smell like mesquite wood.
At night these little creatures make these trails in the sand. Doesn’t this almost look like the DNA strand?
And I happened to see one making them! He was obviously a partier and getting home after curfew
The road home, so pretty.
Our lovely little GPS decided to take us through the Sequoia National Forest on the way home, which was totally stunning. It was all green hills with rocks everywhere, and this creek ran all the way through it. I’ve never been to Ireland, but this is what I imagine parts of it look like.
Also the wildflowers were blooming throughout the park, which made it extra pretty.
And finally something amusing we discovered on the menu at the Inn we stayed at. I am quite sure they meant mousse, though you never know…
-VV
2010
Great pictures Kel!
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2010
Gorgeous pictures, VV. I like the zoom shot and the tiny wildflowers carpeting the rocks.
2010
Hi Kelly – I just now saw the second part. I absolutely love your photography! And I’ve heard that, what Claudia said, about how many photos good photographers take. This makes me long to go, it’s beautiful and spooky!
Niki´s last blog ..Kleancolor Pearl Jungle
2010
I love the zoom of the salt floor, soo pretty!
2010
Beautiful pictures! I’ve been to Ireland and that picture of the clouds with the stream cutting through the grassy hills is basically Ireland in a nut shell
You totally nailed that caption!
Kasey´s last blog ..Any suggestions?
2010
Thanks for sharing some of your beautiful pics. Sequoia National Park looks so stunningly beautiful, wild and natural, sprinkled with wildflowers and rock formations. I’d love to see it in real life one day.
Rosered´s last blog ..Internet Marketing Why? How?
2010
Stunning pics, VV. I’ve actually never been to any desert before so this was absolutely amazing.
Perry´s last blog ..Ruffian Mani
2010
Those pictures are so impressive, I never saw something similar before, soooo not common in europe! Wouaw.
2010
DV looks beautiful and serene. Even the bugs look calm. Sounds like this was a good trip at the right time…hope you enjoyed yourselves.
As for the “chocolate mouse” cake-
If you’ve ever eaten a chocolate bunny… isn’t a chocolate mouse the next logical step??
(And don’t get me started on chocolate covered raisins; if you’ve ever been near a real bunny, you know what those look like- and it doesn’t exactly make you want to eat them….lol)
2010
Whoa! Great pics. I’m not much of a traveler, but I would love to see DV in person! Take care
2010
Great pictures! The “road home, so pretty” photo reminds me of Dumb and Dumber when they’re on their way to Colorado via motorized scooter, lol.
2010
Hi Laura,
LOL I have seen that movie so many times, too funny.
2010
oh kelly let me tell you abt chocolate mouse cake lol
i saw this on a menu once here in nyc and out of curiosity i ordered it – its chocolate mouse cake thats covered in chocolate ganache and the cake is actually in the shape of a mouse they use almonds for ears and chocolate shavings for a tail – it was really cute – i am glad i took the chance cause i discovered why it was called chocolate mouse lol !
2010
Hi YadiQ,
Really???? I totally assumed this was a typo, but maybe I was wrong, lol! Verrrry interesting, now I am curious about this…
2010
Hi Kelly:
Love your second day photos, mountain piles of colored sand dunes, of purple, gray and red. The palm trees with the pretty red flowers and the rock walks, must have been amazing to look at. Are those “sand beetles” or giant ants partying at night?
I love the mountain landscapes and those beautiful skies. Thanks for sharing, the pictures look awesome.
((((Love Kelly))))
Mc Huggs
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2010
Hi McHuggs,
Those are beetles of some sort! Thanks, glad you liked them!
2010
Again amazing… my father loved photography and my mom lobrf yo take pictures of him taking pictures. Your photo of your husband reminded me of that. While you were remembering Chase you allowed me to remember my dad. Thank you for that.
2010
Hi Erin,
You are welcome
2010
hahaha i love your “he was obviously a partier and getting home after cerfew” comment. that place looks amazing yet so lonely and depressing at the same time. i love all your photos! i hope that you’re feeling better and thanks for sharing your getaway with us!!
2010
Hi Dori,
I totally know what you mean about it being amazing and depressing. The desert has such a weird loneliness about it.
2010
These photos are so beautiful. I love the little bug making the trails!
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2010
Hi Skulda,
Thanks! He was the only one out there
2010
Chocolate Mouse. Not good for a cake but great for a nail polish. These scenes look so outlandish to my English eye. Eerie and alien.
The forest could easily be Wales or Scotland though.
Incredible scenes.
2010
Hi Jen,
Ha, I love the word you used “outlandish”.
It is really different from any place I have ever been (except driving to Las Vegas, which also the desert).
2010
Yeah, Death Valley is awesome! Try the Sonoran Desert sometime..(in February or March), there’s amazing geology, specialized critters found no where else, incredible skies (low humidity so the sky seems to go on forever). Although I must admit if you’re brave enough to visit here in the summertime, the desert night atmosphere is absolutely magical.
2010
Hi Jennifer,
Yeah I don’t think I could handle the desert in the summer. I love hot weather but anything over like 98 is too much for me!
2010
WOW! Those pictures are very nice! I never thought the desert could be so pretty. I just might have to make a trip there! Thanks for sharing!
2010
Hi st,
You should take a trip someday, but be prepared if you drive your ass will hurt!
2010
Great pics..love the chocolate”mouse” cake sign…looks like you had a nice time!
2010
Hi Jackie S.,
Thanks, we did
2010
These are amazing pictures! Every good photographer takes hundreds/thousands pictures. =)
2010
Hi Claudia,
I just wonder when I will run out of storage for them on the computer hee hee.