Day 3 -- Beautiful Ride to Furnace Creek

As planned the day began with breakfast at Stovepipe Wells.  It's hard to know what to call "it."  There's a motel, camping and appears to also have live in accommodations.  This is a concessionaire run property for the National Park Service.  And, the property includes a restaurant, bar and gift shop.  Staff was good, although as usual when traveling in a group meals were a challenge.

Anyway, after breakfast there was a hike into Mosaic Canyon.  Really spectacular and highly recommended for those that hike.  The portion we hiked had a few challenges for the novices in the group, but was very doable with the help with more experience.  Good time, but it helped make the decision as to whether it would be the long route or short route for today.  The legs were feeling a little bit of lag from yesterday's 46 miles in the "heat."  Short route.

I came to realize today (not because of any trouble), that you are really out here alone.  I haven't had cell service for 3 days.  I was the first one out this morning and never saw another rider nor a support vehicle.  If there had been a problem, well you improvise and figure it out.

Traffic is really light on these roads, which is nice.  Road surfaces are really great.  And while it's odd to think about, the surface is also really clean, i.e. no radial tire wires, no blown tires, no broken glass and no animals.  It's almost like the road surface is just like the day it was layed.  How can that be with temperatures reaching 120+ regularly?  Surely the surface explodes at times.  But, not even a patch. Anywhere!

We've also learned that nothing decomposes here because of the heat and lack of moisture.  I think I need to go back to 7th grade Earth Science to understand that one.

With the shorter route there was plenty of time before rooms were ready for some of us to take in the National Park Service Visitor Center and learn more about the park (but  nothing about decomposition....hmmm).  

We then stopped at the 19th Hole for lunch, an outdoor lunch stand at the Furnace Creek golf course.  Now here they've got something truly special -- a drive up lane for golf carts.  It was impressive!  The cart drives up (level with the bar).  The bartender takes the order.  The kitchen prepares the food or the bartender provides the refreshment, and off the cart goes to start or finish the round.  It was quite cool.

There is major renovation at Furnace Creek, another park service property.  Consequently, services are pretty limited, and unfortunately this is the "only game in town."  Meals will be a bit challenging for new reasons.  We'll be here two nights.  The property includes the golf course, the 19th Hole, another restaurant, a post office, a small store, the resort, a trading post, a fire department, a borax museum (which we also viewed), and permanent homes.  So, it's quite well developed.

Tomorrow we do a loop out to Badwater.  There's an optional add to the route that includes Artist's Drive.  The views are supposed to be spectacular.  (When there's a 3 mile 12% climb, there'd better be a huge reward!)

Please stay tuned for pictures.