Valley of Fire - December 2018 - Part One

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Part One of Our Winter Break Trip

The X-Trees Didn't Get Us

"Here we are, come and get us!" I said up into the vast dark sky overhead.

"You have bait down here on the highway! Live bait!" the Lady added.

We were on our night walk. This night it was down the middle of the famous Extraterrestrial Highway.

If there was any truth to alien abductions, this was the place, we figured, for it to happen.

"We're down here waiting! Come on X-Trees, Come and get it! You know you want it!" we both called out.

The night was dark. The rising full moon was obscured by clouds in the east. It was cold, damn cold. If an alien saucer didn't arrive soon, we'd need to head back to the camper for warmth.

Our truck and camper were parked a half mile down a lonely dirt road, a lucky camping spot to find as darkness was settling into this long, vast, vacant valley. With no abduction - the X-Trees didn't get us - we returned and climbed into our cozy home away from home and were soon fast asleep.

"This is why it feels so cold!" the Lady said as she climbed back up into the bunk after a predawn bathroom trip outside. "The thermometer says 22°!"

"That is cold," I responded. "Too cold for aliens I suspect. The X-Trees probably stashed their saucers behind Joshua trees, rented Cruise America RV's, and headed to Quartzsite, Arizona to pick off a few snowbirds. That would be a much more 'target rich' environment and a Cruise America RV the perfect cover."

It was a cold Sunday morning. We brewed up morning coffee and hit the road, giving the day time to warm up before we stopped for breakfast.

We were too early for breakfast at Rachel and the Little Aleinn.

The sun had power, its warmth was delightful as we stopped along Upper Pahranagat Lake, made breakfast, and took a nice walk.

This was the second trip in a row where we intended to go to Death Valley but changed plans midstream. We had friends we were meeting in Death Valley and, unfortunately, were unable to travel. We had other friends in Death Valley who moved elsewhere due to the government shutdown. Cruising down highway 395 after picking up groceries at Smiths in Gardnerville, we decided to change plans and altered course with Valley of Fire as our destination. Friends, Wandering Sagebrush and his Bride offered to share their campsite at Valley of Fire with us.

We arrived at Valley of Fire Nevada State Park shortly after one in the afternoon. The Sagebrushers were welcoming and happy to have us around. Steve grilled red meat for dinner and said a New York steak was mine for the asking. I became reacquainted with deeply buried carnivorous ways. We gathered around a smoke free propane fire pit well into the night as we swapped stories, stuck to the truth, and W.S. quoted Gus from Lonesome Dove.

We all walked together at dawn the next morning, Christmas Eve.

The area around Atlatl Rock is rich with petroglyphs. With obvious pieces of desert varnish flaked off and large pieces of red rock sloughed off, we could only imagine how much of the ancient rock art has been lost to time.

I was drawn to a petroglyph that, to me, appeared to a Joshua Tree. It also looked older and was almost reclaimed by desert varnish.

The Sagebrushers remained on the flats. The Lady and I climbed.

After breakfast, Julie and I drove into Lake Mead National Recreation Area for some exploration.

We were looking for sedimentary rock.

We began our hike on a use trail along a ridge.

The vastness of this place and the complex geology made us feel at home as did the solitude.

We reached an area of tilted mud and silt stone that was once an ancient flood plain millions of years ago. Fossil ripples made by flowing water were visible.

Layers of buried gravel beds were interspersed with the mudstone making a wonderful canyon to scramble through.

I had heard a story a few years back about fossil mega fauna tracks possible in these layers. We did not find what we were searching for but did turn up a bit of tantalizing evidence.

Although not profuse, the wildflowers were delightful.

We returned cross country to the distant ridge and enjoyed the late afternoon light across the landscape.

We moseyed down the steep descent to our waiting truck.

We returned to our friends and Atlatl Campground after sunset.

We walked together in the night around the campground. Several campers had holiday decorations that were festive. It was a cold night that made for a quiet campground. We all turned it early. Tomorrow was Christmas.

Our adventure continues. Please click here for Part Two.