We woke to an amazing sunset with the light hitting just the top peaks of the mountains. One of the reasons I love Death Valley is because it’s a constantly changing place. The colors and the light are so vibrant it almost doesn’t seem real. Wait an hour and the colors have completely changed. Last night we were serenaded by howling coyotes that roamed thru the campground. Nature is just so real and raw here.
We took an early morning walk up Zabriskie Point. So hard to capture all the colors and beauty.
I just love this picture of Nonna! It really captured the essence of the morning:
smiles, sunshine, colors and warmth.
On the spur of the moment we decided to take a detour to China Ranch Date Farm. It’s a family run date farm, an oasis really, in the middle of the desert. Getting there is half the fun. You go down a windy canyon road that feels like the entrance to Thunder Mountain Railroad in Disneyland and then opens up to an oasis.
Yes we personally tasted every variety of date and took a tour of the farm. A pretty scrumptious way to start the day!
Next stop was a drive thru Mojave National Preserve. The highlights were the cinder cones, the densest Joshua Tree forest in the world, sand dunes and amazing desert flowers in bloom.
We stopped at Kelso Junction for a walkabout and a picnic lunch. We learned about the history of the railroad here during WWII. It was also fun to see the restored Kelso Railroad Depot. Can you find Nonna in jail??
Our destination for tonight was Lake Havasu State Park. We had no idea what to expect. We didn’t know if it would be overrun with Spring Break college kids or a bleak desert campground. We hit the jackpot with a campsite on the water, with a huge beach. After a walk to stretch our legs, we hopped on our bikes and found a glorious bike path.
Who knew that the original London Bridge was moved to this spot! Now it’s the highlight of a multi-use resort. There’s a channel that connects two lakes, beaches, bike paths, parks, shops, restaurants, bars, and plenty opportunities for boating. We had so much fun exploring the area.
We ended a super fun day with wine on the beach watching the sunset. (Yes, Megan more wine...). Every day I think we couldn’t possibly have more fun and yet somehow we manage.
