We had the Kayak on the car and out the door just before 5 am Friday. The drive up there was windy. We went up the 5 to the 138 and we hit snow. Cars and trucks coming the opposite direction had snow packed in the grills and on the windshield. The only clean place was what the windshield wipers cleared. We dropped down the 138 to the 14 and we drove out of the clouds. The wind was blowing so hard the grass was like waves across the water. We took pictures in video mode. Down to the preserve, no poppies yet. We headed to Ridgecrest and the desert was blooming! Down through Trona then up to Wildrose. We found a camp site in Wildrose and then it was time to relax. The wind was howling through the canyon and we were at 4000 ft. It was cold and we saw 90 and 70 in Furnace Creek. So we drove up to the Charcoal Kilns then to Aguereberry point. We where stopped by a photography club and they wanted to know if we planned to take our double on the lake bed and when. They wanted pictures of us. I let them know we would be out first thing in the morning before the winds kick up. They would be there first thing also. We looked over the cliffs and saw Badwater down below. We could see the water. It was a large area, we were off again. We laughed, we didn’t know who were the crazy ones? Us trying to Kayak or they wanting the pictures!

We pulled into Stovepipe and got a campsite and it was warm. The wind was blowing but not so bad we couldn’t set up the tent. After some water and then an adult drink or two, we where watching the sun set over the mountains. Just as I started to get up to break out the Dinty Moore, the first dust cloud blew by, before the second one hit us I asked if Trish minded if we went to the saloon for dinner. The next gust hit us and she was in the car without even answering me. The winds hit so hard I thought it was going to rip the Kayak off the top of the car. After dinner we went back to camp and just got knocked around while we sat in the car. I found the bottle of wine, poured a glass and we looked over to cars on the left and on the right. The car on the left raised their beer and saluted us as we returned our salute. Found a radio station and sat there for a while. When we did finally decide we could take the winds we crawled into the tent for the night. Next thing I knew Trish was waking me up and telling me it was raining. I could only say no way, before long I figured she was right and bolted out to put up the rain fly. Raining in Death Valley, such an experience? The sweet smells of mesquite!

When we woke up the next morning, I couldn’t believe how many tents popped up in our campsite.

No wind, before long we had coffee made and had a breakfast bar, off we went to find the put-in point. We had some 50 + miles to go. We stopped in Furnace Creek for gas and the lady pumping gas next to us told us we missed the club. I looked again and it was the same person who stopped us up at the look out. They were there at first light. My watch only said 730. What a shame, our camera got full of dust and we couldn’t take pictures. We picked up a box camera so that’s all we have. The flowers were every where.

We found the put-in point below Badwater and set up. The lake was as flat as glass. No crowds! Before long the boat was in the water. The water had receded a lot since the photo that was shown of the two Kayaks. I had to walk Trish out quite a ways! I pushed her out and let her paddle while I snapped away with the box camera. When I got out enough to get in with her, we paddle out to the gauging station and looked back. The sun was clearing the top of the mountain and the water was crystal clear. You could see from one end of the valley to the other. The water went on in either direction. You could see the reflections from all the scenery. Beautiful, the colors are vivid and clear, we did it! We paddled on, when we got to the middle we just sat there to take it all in. Imagine, we just floated, no waves, swell or anything like the ocean. Not even a cat’s paw on the water. Just mirror perfect reflections of mountains, blue sky, green from surrounding vegetation and snow covering Telescope Peak. Did I say beautiful?

Did you know, the water in the middle was only about a foot and a half deep?

After sitting there for a long while and looking at everything from the middle of the lake we decided to head back. A crowd was waiting at the bank. People could see the white gauging station and couldn’t figure out what the yellow thing was out there. They pulled out their binoculars and saw us. Some waited to ask us questions while others just stared at us. When we got back the first question we heard was; did I feel like a pickle? The water was so salty it dried and hung in crystals on my legs. The yellow Kayak was crystal white, as were our black paddle blades. Everything was white washed. After awhile it was all I could taste. I waded the longest in the water so Trish couldn’t taste it. I drank more and more water to try and flush it out of my system.

We loaded up and headed home. But the wind gods had to give us a fit coming home. Man-o-man, I have seen better driving conditions.

I can only look back now. What an experience. What an adventure. I hope you take the chance and experience it for yourselves.

Thanks

Randy Alcorn and Trish C.