As we rode into the park today, the military was testing some new top secret flying saucers.
They have gotten very good at hiding them inside of little clouds.

This is the lowest point in the lower 48 states. It may surprise you that the highest point in the lower 48 is only about 50 miles away.

It's not really bad, just salty.

It's crystal clear

According to my higher math, I've calculated that sign to be 282' above my head. On further analysis, that should be above the bottom of my feet.

Not Bad

Tried to wash his hand in it, now has a BAD hand.

Hundreds of people make this pilgrimage every day.

Dale drank the water and now he is just plain BAD.

After all of these years, I finally got to play a few holes on the Devils Golf Course.

Dale was in Hog Heaven with his own personal salt lick.

Dale is putting out on the first hole.

Here I am putting out on the third hole.

We had to quit after only three because I fell in the hazard and hurt my leg.

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In a few minutes we will be on the other side of that mountain at Zabriskie point.

These next few pictures are taken from the view at Zabriskie Point.

They make a very hard hike to get where they are, and it will be twice as hard getting back. This picture was taken with a 20X telephoto lens.

Ed and Dale blocking my view, I mean posing.

The three of us hiked up from here.

They waited for us

Looking down from a mile above Badwater

Looking down on the pilgrimergers from a mile above.

Dale and Ed just wanted to see how well 20X worked

We dropped off of Dante's peak pretty fast and were waiting for the others to arrive.

I'm pretty sure this is still an active mine completely inside the boundaries of the NP

Modern day minors cabin

We stopped for lunch at the 1849 restaurant and this little museum caught my eye so I took a few pictures while the others were waiting in line to order their food.

An amazing steel spoked wheel

Read this, very interesting.

Cal Worthington Used coaches, buy one and get 5000 blue chip stamps for free!

Excellent food, $$$$$

Kewl place

It's in California, so as soon as you order, it's out with you.

No matter, out was just as nice as in.

Hmmmm

We are just about back to the ranch and Ed reminds me that Dale wanted to visit Rhyolite

We stopped to visit this building but for the life of us we couldn't figure out what it was.

Through the magic of trick photography I discovered that it was a Casino.
However, on further research, it did start out as a train station.
Another interesting fact, in 1907 Charles Schwab bought the town of Rhyolite.

During it's heyday, this old caboose served as the gas station in Rhyolite.

Even more amazing, I discovered this was an old caboose. I guess no wheels was just throwing everyone off!

The John S. Cook Bank building. It also housed the post office in later years before the town dissolved.

I would love to see a picture of this building before it started decaying

The Porter's had to pay $1200 for the lot to build their store on. 

All that remains of the Rhyolite school house, by the time it was completed the town was already starting to die. At it's peak, 250 children attended.

I've seen a lot of bottle houses, but they are still a novelty

Built by an enterprising minor using 50,000 beer and liquor bottles. My word, when would he have been sober enough to mine much less build his house?

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I'm just guessing here, but I think some so called artist came in here and sculpted a bunch of strange stuff after the fact.

I know these little stacks of rocks have a name, but for the life of me I can't remember it right now.

She's a blond, I guess he liked them with big blocks!

Dale is out scanning for gold

The Artist

Revealed.................No wonder his stuff looks like crap.
The real artist was a Belgian artist named Albert Szukalski

This family was really enjoying these alien rock circles, the mystery of which has never been solved.
Over the years a number of artist have contributed to this 15 acre sculpture park.