California – cool… but Valentine pyjamas save the day

After 5 months dodging the cold fronts one finally caught up with us in California and we froze for 3 nights. Although the days were warmish the nights were a killer. The 1st night we were at over 4000ft and it was a shock as the temp went way below freezing (-7C?) and the following morning (it was a long, cold sleepless night) everything was frozen even inside… even water in the kitchen sink. A look at the forecast resulted in a trip to Walmart to buy more layers… and we ended up buying each other Pyjamas for Valentine ’s Day.

Romance can only start when your teeth stop rattling in your mouth : )

We were not the only ones suffering everyone was a bit shell shocked by the cold including the 2 lads who parked next to us in the car park… using our RV to shelter from the biting wind while they cooked themselves breakfast (stove on the tarmac) after a night camping on the mountain!
California… we are undecided about it. If Texas was a big, brash, friendly used car salesman then California is more your smug, tanned, good looking guy sitting in the corner with shades on and perfect teeth. He says he an out of work actor but you know deep down that he will still be serving up Big Mac’s in ten years time. California looks good and in many ways is too perfect… its expensive and cold behind that polished smile – bit too much up it’s own arse maybe?



So where have we been… Few days in Joshua Tree National Park (Cottonwood)… down to Salton Sea (salt lake - smelly)… Anza-Bortegga State Park (primitive camping – miles from anywhere / anyone)… back to Joshua Tree (Black Rock Canyon – cold!)… Mojave Desert National Park (Kelso Dunes… sand)… Death Valley (6 days split between Furnace Creek and Stovepipe Wells).

Death Valley is unique – if you have been you will know what we mean. A totally alien landscape... it is like no other place on earth. It’s hot 80F, over 200ft below sea level and staggeringly beautiful. It seems remote - you can walk / drive all day and see hardly anyone and yet go back to your camp for a cold beer and watch a marathon race finish at the campground – only in America.

We both agreed that for sheer scale (you can see for over 100miles), scope (every rock and colour under the sun) and wow factor Death Valley was our clear Californian favorite.

Good News - Uncle Sam has extended our Visa so we can stay until the end of Aug 2011.

As it’s too cold to go further North for a month or so we are going to cross into Nevada and head towards Las Vegas (to gamble the rest of the kids inheritance : )… more next time.

Den and Jane X