DEATH VALLEY

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     With the Amgen California Tour staging a quarter mile from my house and a swim meet at the Claremont Club behind my place, it was time to leave town.  Okay, maybe it was the rapture.  I try to avoid catastrophic events.  So I hit the road and wound up in Death Valley.  As good a place as any to minimize effects of the so-called 'rapture', whatever that means.
Dropping into the south end of the Panamint Valley, looking east.
Approaching Bad Water, -200 feet below sea level, Death Valley.

      Coming into Death Valley from the west on California Highway 178 from the Panamint Valley, you cross Emigrant Pass, then drop 4000 feet into the Valley.  Stovepipe Wells is your first stop, then on down to Furnace Creek.  These rock formations take on a golden tint in the afternoon light.




      Down at Furnace Creek I run into some speed. 
     The Ferrari roared like an Italian tenor and took off, while the motorcycle riders stopped to share a few moments with me.  The guys on the bikes say they were keeping pace with the Ferrari on the ride down from Stovepipe Wells.
     The Kawasaki Versys (green) is a 650 dual-sport and the rider says it does fine on twisties and has some speed--120 to 130 mph.  
     The BMW 1200 GT is a smooth cruiser with some punch. 'Sputtered a bit when I tried to open it up with the Ferrari.'
    Hey, no argument from me.  I'm a Jeep guy. 

(Left click on any of the photos, either once or twice, for larger views.  Thanks for checking in.  Keep you posted!)

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