While Kathy and Norah were in Los Angeles visiting friends and seeing the sights, I made the 4.5 hour drive from Los Angeles to Death Valley National Park. I left LA at 4:30 AM to avoid traffic and I was on the hiking trails by 9:30 AM the same day. I didn't really have a solid plan. I entered Death Valley at the southern end and stopped at various hiking trails and sightseeing points along the way as I headed north through Furnace Creek and on to Stovepipe Wells.

During my trip I hiked Sidewinder Canyon, Badwater, Natural Bridge, Golden Canyon including the summit of Manly Beacon, Mesquite Sand Dunes, Corkscrew Peak, and Salt Creek. My favorite parts of the trip were the Manly Beacon Summit, Badwater, and Corkscrew Peak.