Growing up I’d heard of a place called Death Valley… I’d think to my self, “that place sounds terrible!”. Little did I know that halfway through my adult life, Death Valley would become one of my favorite places on earth. Having always lived in a major city, I’ve come to appreciate and long for vast open spaces and utter desolation. The peace and quiet that one can find in DV is second to none. This last trip to DV was my second trip in two years. Schedule and life permitting, I’d like to make it a yearly event. My first trip to DV in 2013 was amazing. The two friends I went with and I explored a good portion of the park but due to time constraints could not make it out to the “Racetrack Playa”. This second trip was all about making it to the Racetrack and seeing/photographing the mysterious sailing stones of Death Valley. Making it to the Racetrack is easier said that done. First of all you’ll need a off-road capable vehicle ideally a 4×4. The reason for this is that the road to the Racetrack is 30 miles long in each direction and contains some of the deepest washboard you’ll ever see. Not to mention razor sharp rocks that constantly threaten to blow out your tire. BTW, before making the trip to the Racetrack, my cousin and I spoke at some length with a park ranger who informed us that tow service anywhere on the road to the Racetrack will cost a minimum of $3,000! With that warning, we knocked on wood, crossed our fingers and went for it. Fortunately, with good preparation and some luck we made it to the Racetrack without incident. We camped there overnight and had the opportunity to take a few pics. BTW, the night time skies in DV are so dark that you can clearly see the milky-way band overhead and the stars shine with such intensity that you can see your shadow on the ground from the starlight…. not exaggerating. On to the pics and hope you enjoy!
