[Leica] Death Valley

[oliverbryk at comcast.net (Oliver Bryk)]

Adam wrote:
"Well first I'm jealous - we didn't have time for Death Valley and did
Joshua Tree instead.
I loved this set and so did my wife. I'd liked to have seen more of
the dune textures.
These are the singing dunes, aren't they? You get in via a northern
entrance into the park?
Thanks for the images - I think we'll get there this autumn."

Adam, thank you for your kind comments. At your request I added one picture
(#14) of the Mesquite Flat dunes.
The shortest route to the Eureka Dunes is east from Big Pine on CA168; the
Death Valley Road begins after a few miles. The distance to the dunes is
almost 50 miles, almost all of it on a dirt road that gets washboarded
between gradings. (Ignore the turnoff to the Saline Valley unless you want
to go soaking in a couple of clothing optional hot spring pools.)
They are indeed the singing dunes but they didn't sing for me this time.
The dirt road to the dunes continues into a canyon between the dunes and the
Last Chance range that soon narrows and becomes unsuitable for low clearance
vehicles. I was surprised to hear and then see two F-16s zooming through
this canyon in a 90 degree roll attitude at about half the height of the
dunes above the valley floor, then level off, climb straight into the sky,
and engage in some aerial maneuvers. I admit that I secretly envied the
pilots.

Kind regards, Oliver