DEATH DEFYING VALLEY AND VEGAS.

VIEWS OF ENTERING DEATH VALEEY.

THE TEMPS REACHED 134F OR ABOUT 52c.SEERINGLY HOT AND DRY.THE RECORD TEMP RECORDED IS 56c.NEEDLESS TO SAY WE DIDN'T HANG AROUND AND WENT IN PURSUIT OF HIGHER GROUND AND COOLER TEMPS TO SPEND THE NIGHT ON ROUTE TO LAS VEGAS.

LOWEST POINT IN USA.THESE SALT DEPOSITS WASHED DOWN FROM THE VALLEY WALLS AND EVAPORATED ARE RICH IN BORAX AND SEVEWRAL MINES OPERATED HERE OVER THE YEARS.

WE FOUND A SPOT OFF THE HWY 15.DESPITE SIGNS NOT TO OPERATE AIR-CON EVERY 50YARDS CARS WERE PULLED UP WITH BOILING RADIATORS.WITH NO ELECTRIC FAN ROCINANTE NEVER BOILED ON THE STEEP PASS BUT DID TAKE A WHILE TO STOP BOILING AFTER STOPPING.

SAME LOCATION AT NIGHT THE STREAM OF LIGHTS WERE BUMPER TO BUMPER CARS ALL NIGHT COMING OR GOING TO VEGAS.LOTS GO AT NIGHT GAMLE OVER NIGHT AND DRIVE BACK EARLY MORNING TO ESCAPE THE HEAT. IT WAS 110F -40 C OVER NIGHT.

BOULDER DAM.DIDN'T WANT TO SPEND $80 FOR A TOUR.DON'T KNOW WHETHER THE SILTING UP OF LAKE MEAD IS A PROBLEM OR NOT-GUESS IT IS. A HUDE NEW ROAD BRIDGE IS BEING BUILT OVER IT. CURRENTLY BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC DRIVE ACROSS IT.

TANTALISINGLY ,TEASING TROUT IN OVER FLOW CANAL.

TROPICANA HOTEL LAS VEGAS. LOST $25 ON POKER MACHINES THAT BORE ME SENSELESS-WILL STICK TO HORSERACING. HAD OUR FIRST BUFFET ALLYOU CAN EAT BEFORE YOU DIE BREAKFAST AND REGRETTED IT FOR THE REST OF THE DAY.WE CHOSE MID-WEEK THINKING IT WOULD BE QUIET. THE STRIP WAS LIKE A MAYHEM FRENZY OF EUROPEAN ACCENTS AKIN TO THE HEADY EUROPEAN DIASPORA TO ELLIS ISLAND!!!I DIDN'T THINK THERE WERE THAT MANY LEFT!!!