[Epilogue] To Do: Visit Death Valley...CHECK!

While I have just started final editing of my photos (which I will likely be doing for a while), my goal of visiting Death Valley is accomplished.  This was my first dedicated photo trip to a National Park, but hopefully not the last.

Overall it was a wonderful trip, and I had a lot of fun.  I also got some decent photos, though in my mind perhaps not quite as spectacular as Iceland.  The main reason for this was the time of the year.  Haze was prominent due to the warm temperatures, and it was rather windy, resulting in a lot of dust (in fact, there was a dust storm the afternoon of Day 4 that virtually obscured views of the mountains).  The lighting during the middle of the day was also very stark and flat, making it challenging to get a good image in some instances.

Would I go back?  Possibly. There were certainly things on my list that I wasn't able to photograph (such as the Playa "Racetrack") for a number of  different reasons.  If I did, I would probably try to visit during the winter months.  Not only would it be cooler and clearer, but lighting would be a bit more conducive.  In addition, I would probably try to stay inside the park, which would make it easier to hit key spots during optimal times of the day.

So, what's next?  What other photo adventures do I have on tap?  Right now, I don't have anything specific planned, but I do have in mind at least a couple overnight camping trips in Michigan this summer, one at Silver Lake Dunes and another to visit the Headlands Dark Sky Park just west of Mackinaw City (for some night photography).  Beyond that, my "wish list" includes the Faroe Islands, Norway, Newfoundland/Labrador, Scotland (with Mary Jo), as well as other National Parks, especially Bryce and Arches.  I’d also like to visit New York City to do some architectural photography.  I don't know when/if I will get to those locations, but it's always good to have a list, right?  And of course, I would LOVE to go back to Iceland if a could find a fellow photographer to accompany me!

So that's it!  I will leave you with several additional photos, mostly in the "sign" category.  Thanks for reading my blog and particularly for all the wonderful comments!

Yeah, right!  I think at some point hot is simply hot, and humidity is irrelevant.

The average and maximum temperatures in Death Valley.  The hottest was 134 degrees!  Ouch!

I'd previously posted another road picture but this actually gives you a better idea of the distance between things in Death Valley.

Seems pretty obvious, but there have been cases of people driving off road, sometimes maliciously, and causing long term damage.  The landscape may look rugged and invincible, but it is actually quite delicate in spots.

From the salt flats at Badwater Basin you can look up and see a sign on the adjacent mountain marking sea level over 200 feet above.  (I want to know how they got that sign there!)

Yes, believe it or not they have flash floods in Death Valley.  Because the soil is so hard and dry, it cannot readily absorb water.  Plus, rain can accumulate in the mountains and quickly turn into rushing rivers.  So even a small amount of rain can cause serious flooding.  This sometimes results in major road damage.

Dried mud with interesting patterns can be found everywhere in Death Valley.  These patterns are the result of accumulated rain water evaporating extremely quickly.

Another example of dried mud.  This one was in a valley between sand dunes at Mesquite Dunes.

Wanna play golf at the lowest elevation golf course?  It's possible!  (Because the air is a little denser at this elevation, it's possible you might need an extra 1/2 to 1 club on some shots, though!)

"Services" in this case means a gas station in particular, so you better have plenty of gas!  (By the way, most of the major attractions had pit toilets, so finding these kinds of services was not usually a problem.)

Speaking of gas....yes, that's a real price!  It is one of 3 gas stations within the park proper.  Another gas station about 15-20 minutes away was considerably cheaper (only about $3.45) so stop here only if you are desperate (or unaware of the other gas station)!