November 9, 2013 Cooking and Fiddling

After yesterday’s spectacular ride through Titus Canyon,  we couldn’t decide what to do today and that indecision led us to just hang out.  By late morning, I was getting in a cooking mood.  Now you have to understand that these moods hit me about three times a year.  I do cook otherwise but if given a choice I would not.

There has been a number of recipes on Facebook that I copied so today was the day I tried out three of them.

My menu was: Periogi Lasagna; Cabbage and Noodles (also know as Haluski); Fudge for Dessert (Heart Attack City, I know).

So this afternoon, I cooked while the girls kept me company.  We ate early and it was pretty good (Tina, you would be proud of me.)

This evening we went to the Fiddler’s contest at Furnace Creek Ranch.  Oh my, some people have so much talent!! 

A great evening and a great day for just hanging out.

Enjoy today.

PS..Will let you know when the mood kicks in again - maybe next spring perhaps -

November 8, 2013 Titus Canyon Part 2

After leaving Leadfield, we continued on down the road towards Titus Canyon and the Narrows:

Colorful Rocks:

Check out this uplift:

The uplift goes all different directions:

We were looking for Klare Springs and saw these plants on the side of the mountain so we stopped.  It was not the springs but another nice area to just get out and walk around.

They looked like hanging baskets:

We continued on and stopped at the Petroglyphs:

We saw more greenery ahead and started to walk to the spring.  Bruce spotted these wonderful creatures on the hillside:

WOW again!  We watched them until they went on their way and then checked out the spring.  It was so thick and lush in there.  And even running water, oh my.  No wonder we saw the bighorn sheep - they were coming for a drink.

We are about to enter the Narrows - where some areas were less than 20 feet apart.  It was like walking thru a slot canyon.

Check out the hikers:

Marbled rocks:

WOW! WOW! WOW!

Here are two videos from our trip through the Narrows:

Titus Canyon Narrows One

Titus Canyon Narrows Two

This is the exit from the Narrows of Titus Canyon:

Right at the exit is a parking lot and bathrooms and the road becomes two way and paved.  You can park here and hike the Narrows or hike Fall Canyon.  Next time we are here, that will be on our bucket list.

I know I say WOW a lot but some of these areas are breathtaking and there are no words to describe the beauty.  We are blessed to be able to see all of this.

November 8, 2013 Titus Canyon Road Part 1

WOW!

Another day of beautiful scenery in Death Valley.  This blog is in two parts because of the pictures.

We packed up two vehicles and were on our way to Titus Canyon Road.  The road is 27 miles, mostly one way.  The last three miles on the west end are two way and that is the only part that is paved.  I am so glad it was one way because the road was very narrow.

So sit back and enjoy the photos.  Pictures do not do it justice - what an incredible ride!

The boys: Bruce, John, Andy, and Ron:

The girls: Geri, Susan, and Pat:

This is the highest point on the road - Red Pass at 5250 feet in  elevation:

Susan, Geri, and Pat - Love the background in this photo:

Coming into Leadfield - one of the mines:

“Copper and lead claims had been filed in the Leadfield area as early as 1905 but it wasn’t until 1926 that the area was heavily mined. In February of that year, Charles C. Julian, a flamboyant California promoter, became president of the town’s leading mining company, the Western Lead Mines. Julian’s promotions were responsible for bringing great numbers of people into the area and in April, 1926 the town was laid out with 1749 lots.

The financial downfall of Charles Julian and the playing out of lead in one of the main mines, led to the end of the town. The area is scattered with mines, dumps, tunnels and prospect holes. There are remains of wood and tin buildings, a dugout and cement foundations of the mill. The town is located on the Titus Canyon road. This is a one way high clearance unpaved road that sometimes requires 4-wheel drive.

Gold was discovered in Leadfield around 1904 and the town's big boom was in 1926-27. An auto road was built to the town and businesses sprang up from nothing in months. Then, a man named Charles Julian entered the picture. Julian sold stock in the mine and was very successful at it. It seemed, though, that he jumped the gun and had not obtained a permit for selling the stock. Despite having sold 300,000 shares, and the town having 93 blocks, by 1927 it was all gone. The gold has run out and Julian fled eventually to Shanghai where he died at the age of 40. Today there are only a few ruins left at Leadfield, and its greatest legacy seems to be the Titus canyon road, built at a cost of $60,000 at the time.”

We took a nice long break, walked around, had lunch and then were on our way to Titus Canyon and the Narrows (Part 2).