California-Oregon NPs-Death Valley-042326
When I visited Death Valley National Park for the first time in October, 2022, I took the route that led past the park’s Charcoal Kilns. I only spent a few hours at the park that visit, but I planned to be more flexible with my time on the second trip. The drive into the park brought me north on CA 178 with numerous sharp turns and a dip or two in the road that were more reminiscent of roller coaster drops. I had ordered a cheap dash camera in the hope that I could get a few moments recorded of scenic drives to add. One of Shaka Guide‘s features is that it can help you find the starting point for the audio tour. The route I chose took me towards Furnace Creek, which is known for holding world records for high temperatures. I recalled how expensive gas was in the area…
California-Oregon NPs-Joshua Tree-042226
I mentioned earlier that I had forgotten several items when I left for this trip, but I also intentionally left several regular items in my car, the Silver Bullet (SB). My game plan was to online order replacements for those items I really wanted to have on hand for pickup from a local Walmart. This included a charger I could plug into the rental, a 40-ounce thermos to hold water (never, NEVER, NEVER enter parks without an independent water source), and food that did not require preparation to eat. I also made sure the gas tank of the rental was filled. While this was normal procedure for me, I was especially concerned for that day because I had reserved a campground space in Joshua Tree National Park for the night. Joshua Tree was one of several parks designated as a Dark Sky site, and I wanted to be ready to…