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Death Valley
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Death Valley
I arrived at Lone Pine California around 3:00 P.M.
My plan was to drive over Death Valley, through Las Vegas, and head to the Grand Cannon. I stopped by an information center to get suggestions for routes and places to stay. I didn't get the man's name so I will henceforth refer to him as "Information Center Man."
Information Center Man suggested that I wait until 6:00 P. M. to cross. He said it was currently 120 degrees in the valley and cars were having trouble crossing. He wanted it to cool down before I crossed.
I usually take good advice but not always. I had been warned by my uncle to avoid this drive. He was concerned about my car overheating and my being alone on the road. This route was the quickest way to my destination and I wanted to see Death Valley. In honor of my uncle's concern, I at least decided to wait several hours and to let it cool down.
Nervously, I asked Information Center Man if it was worth the drive. He said it was incredible. I couldn't resist.
Information Center Man told me it was 4.5 hours to Las Vegas. I didn't want to drive after dark so he suggested staying just at the other side of Death Valley in Beatty, Nevada.
He made a suggestion for a couple of places that were reasonably priced, clean, and that didn't have casinos. I either looked like I couldn't afford casinos or had been in one too many.
He told me it would take two hours to get there. I did a quick calculation. The last stretch of the drive was called "Daylight Pass." I could guess at what that meant and wanted it to be daylight when I passed.
I called one of the recommended hotels. It was The Villager Motel at 760-648-7712.
I got nervous again when the rate was only $30. I made the reservation but made a mental note that I would just be out $30 if I didn't feel safe. I asked the man that answered the phone if I would be comfortable staying there by myself. He said I would and that Beatty was a quiet little town with little crime. I hung up feeling foolish. Of course he was going to tell me it was safe. It was his hotel. For some reason, I felt better anyway.
Information Center Man also suggested ways for me to spend the next few hours while waiting for dusk. I drove 16 miles to a museum, only to find it closed.
Now I was really worried. I hoped Information Center Man's route suggestions and hotel recommendations were better than his suggestions for tours. His recommendation for a place to eat an early dinner was a good one. I felt much better.
As I entered Death Valley, my sister-in-law, Susan, called. I told her where I was and she reminded me that there was a reason they called it Death Valley. I thought of Psalms 23.
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever." Ps 23:4-6 NIV
As I described what I was seeing, she said all she could think about was the movie, "Thelma and Louise." I remembered that I had tried to get my other sister-in-law, Louise, to join me on this part of the journey.
I kept losing cell coverage while talking to Susan and one of the times we connected, she made the obvious observation that it was getting late. She said that I was in Death Valley alone and going to be without cell coverage. Shortly after her pronouncement, I lost all cell coverage.
In Death Valley, I was struck by the lack of color. It truly had a look of death. If you have ever been with a Christian who has passed away, you would know that death has a beauty of it's own. It is dark, sad, overwhelming, and frightening. It is also awesome, sweet, and breathtaking. Death Valley was this way.
Everything started out brown. Eventually it turned to gray as I entered areas with different type of rocks. Sometimes the gray and brown would be mixed. The yellow sand of the sand dunes stood out along with the green of the sagebrush and occasional cactus. Every once in a while, there would be a streak of orange through the rock. Only once did I see flowers blooming.
There would be long stretches of endless road. You could see it go on forever because it was so different than the landscape. There would be sudden mountains and sudden sharp drop offs. All of this was without life.
In the flat areas, the sand went on forever. There were warnings not to leave the road or you would get stuck in the sand.
The temperature started at 105 degrees and was at 120 degrees by the middle of the journey. So much for it cooling off. It dropped to 96 degrees by the time I reached my destination. The times I got out of my car, the heat hurt my skin.
As I was driving, I passed a sign that said "Radiator Water Ahead." Oh great, I thought. I wasn't real sure how I would know if I needed radiator water. I had vague childhood memories of an overheated car shooting water out. I seem to remember being stranded. I wondered how anyone would get his or her overheated car to the place that had the radiator water.
Being logical, I deduced this must mean people put water in before they needed it. I wondered where the radiator was and if I needed the water. I also had vague memories of seeing someone open a radiator cap and steam coming out. How on earth would one put water in a hot car? I passed several areas to put radiator water in and saw many cars with hoods up and using the tanks. Oh well, I thought. They must know more than me.
I had thought to ask my husband how I would know if the car was getting hot. He told me and I noticed that the needle was rising. I passed a sign that said, "Turn Off Your Air Conditioner For The Next 10 Miles."
Was this a joke? It was now 110 Degrees. I looked back at the rising needle and decided to follow the advice of the sign. I thought about my uncle's advice and wondered when I was going to learn to listen to my elders.
The next 10 miles took a very long time because it was steep. Floored, my car would only go a top speed of 40 miles an hour. I kept thinking about the axiom, "What goes up must go down." I felt there might be warnings about brakes in my future. At least I knew how to use my gears to slow my car down. Sure enough, down came. In 2nd gear, I had trouble keeping it under 50 miles an hour. I didn't use an accelerator for many many miles.
Thank goodness, there were restrooms along the way. They were not air-conditioned and it was now 120 degrees. Bob says I should do another journey taking pictures and describing public rest rooms. This experience would certainly go on that web site.
I passed signs warning of soft shoulders. Looking at the sand to the right and left of my car, I thought this must be the understatement of the year. Suddenly, staying right on the road became very important. When I passed the first big drop off right next to my right tire, I realized that sand wasn't such a terrible alternative. Life is all about perspective.
I only saw about 20 cars along the way and 5 of those had their hoods up. There were at least 20 other people who didn't listen to their uncle.
As I reached the fork that led to Beatty, I noticed that no one took that road. What had Information Center Man gotten me into? Did I mention that the name of this road was "Daylight Pass?" It was now well after 8:00. So much for the 2-hour estimate?!? Information Center Man drives faster than I.
I started going steeply uphill and the needle started rising. There went the air conditioner again.
The temperature dropped to 110 degrees. I used to think 110 degrees was hot. There is that perspective thing again.
Daylight pass was a very good name for this 20-mile stretch. I never saw 1 car on this road. It was beautiful and frightening all at the same time. Funeral Mountains were off to my right. As I left Daylight Pass, I turned and looked backwards to see a sign that said "Gates To Hell." I started to stop and take a picture but I just wanted to find my hotel.
Finally, I drove into Beatty. The Villager Motel was the first hotel I came to. Thank goodness, it looked clean and safe. The owner was very nice. He walked out to my car and showed me my radiator. He warned me about not taking the cap off when it was hot. Aha. I knew I remembered something about that. He showed me another place to put water. I certainly didn't know that.
He also told me that if my car made it through Death Valley, I probably wasn't going to need this knowledge.
My $30 room was large, clean, and very comfortable. It wasn't new but it was nice. There was a little paint peeling in the bathroom but it was a big improvement over my $65 room the night before. The room was very pleasant. Either the beds were great or I was very tired. It had air conditioner! My room the night before didn't. I would seriously recommend it for anyone who wants to be comfortable but doesn't want to spend a fortune or gamble.
Before the night was over, I had become friends with the owner's wife and daughter. I went to their home and wound up playing the piano while their 13 year old daughter played the flute. I enjoyed seeing the quilt the wife had just finished. I think of quilts as art and often stop to look at them. I was charmed by the music and conversation of their talented 13-year-old daughter. Many youth at that age don't enjoy adults. The wife and I had much in common. We talked about God, church, diets, quilting, music, children, business, and jobs. I hope to go back there one day with my family.
There are so many spiritual lessons in Death Valley. We really do walk through the shadow of death in this life. Life can be so hard.
Sometimes, the road is endless. We can see miles and miles and it doesn't seem to change. We are lonely, discouraged, or bored and see no end in sight.
We see the big hills of life and the sudden drop offs. We can look back on these periods and see the growth and beauty. While in the middle of it, it just feels dangerous and scary.
Often we sink in sand. There is even a Hymn with the words "Sinking Sand." We drive "off road" and get stuck. Some people never get out. They feel trapped.
Like entering Death Valley, life may be already "hot." While in Death Valley, the temperature will rise. It will also go back down. There are precautions we can take to avoid the damage from the "heat." We can find out ahead of time where our radiator is.
During our darkest times, sometimes we see the one flower or the streak of orange. The contrast is so overwhelming that we have trouble enjoying it. It only reminds us of what life is like on the other side. It is there to give us hope of the future. We have to grab that hope when it comes.
If we stay on the road and follow the directions, we can pass through Death Valley and get to the other side. There is a saying, "This too shall pass." Everything has it's own time and being in Death Valley is something we all have to pass through at one time or another.
"There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace." Ecclesiastes 3:1-8NIV
If you are in the middle of your Death Valley, first let me say I'm sorry. There is a time for everything and now is your time to be in Death Valley. I've been there and I know it is painful. The instructions for the way out are in the Bible. Do yourself a favor and use it.
You may be there because you chose to drive "off road." No matter. In Jesus, there is perfect grace. He forgives and keeps no record of the past. Take responsibility for getting there. Face and accept the pain of what you lost. Get back on the road. You will see color again. Don't give in to the demon "guilt."
You may be there because there was a sudden drop off or hill that you couldn't avoid. Life hurts but pain passes. I've heard it said that pain is inevitable but misery is optional. Feel the grief and let yourself enjoy the color when it returns. Don't give in to the demon "self pity."
If you are "stuck in the sand" and don't even know how you got there, there is hope in God. You may be spinning your wheels and feeling like you will never get out. If you are stuck in addiction, promiscuity, or mistakes or damage from your past, God will show you the way out. Get on your knees right now and ask for help. Stand up and make a phone call. Follow the directions of people who know more than you. Be honest with yourself and others. Ask for prayer. Talk and listen to God. It may take church, counseling, or a 12-step program. It most likely will take all three but thank God, there is a way out. Don't give in to the demon "hopelessness."
There was a blessing waiting for me at the end of my journey through Death Valley. I spent a delightful evening doing things I loved. I made friends. We swapped names, numbers, and e-mail addresses. There will be a blessing for you at the end of your Death Valley.
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