Day 5-6

Day 5
Tonight I sleep in the car. I’m in the dessert at a place called Fossil Falls. Created by a prehistoric volcanic lava flow and eventually flooded by a river it became the home of an ancient tribe of people. Now the river is gone and all that remains is the carvings the water etched in the lava bed.
The sun has just set and the wind has increased its relentless howling as it rocks my car from side to side. I think it will rock me to sleep tonight. The rich blue sky is slowly giving way to the pinks of sunset and the eventual black of night. Is there a moon tonight? I will see the Milky Way!

Rock formations stand like dark sentinels around the camp sight. Offering me a glimmering hope of protection from whatever else is out there in the dark. It is all so vast and I feel like such a small thing barely noticeable in it all. Time to rest now.

Day 6
I woke up to a bright light shining in my window... It was the moon. The stars were now gone replaced by this almost full orb. As I looked around half asleep I saw that it lit up the dessert in an eerie half-light. Being the dedicated photographer I am and not wanting to miss the opportunity to capture the light I got up set up my gear and got the shot. Shortly after I went back to sleep.

Today I drove to Lone Pine at the foot of Mt. Whitney and the scene of so many western movies. High Serra staring Humphrey Bogart was filmed here and Gunga Din (not a western) "Into the valley of death road the 600". It is the Inyo National Park. I couldn't help but be struck by the rock formations and how every where I looked was filled with the interplay of color, light and shadow. So many dynamic shapes playing against the highest point in North America Mount Whitney. She stands majestic watch over the low lands.

After a full morning of shooting I was getting hungry and it was time to gas up the car, so back to Loan Pine and refueling then I was off to Death Valley where I am once again camping in the Subaru. Tomorrow I will explore Death Valley National Park.