Travel Club in Death Valley

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Thirty-three members and guests of the Canyon Lake Travel Club took a three-day trip to Death Valley from April 29 to May 1 and described the weather as “just about right.”

Spokesperson Marlene Cathro says, “Scotty’s Castle was the highlight of the trip and everyone was impressed by the genius of the man who built this dream mansion. Taking advantage of the abundant supply of water gushing out of the mountains, he had electricity for every convenience. His underground tunnels housed the amazing mechanics of his ideas and the plans he implemented.”

Upstairs, the “castle” was fully furnished and, in the music room, the travelers were treated to music on the player-organ, which made use of the electricity he brought into the home.

Many photos were taken at Badwater Basin, the lowest elevation in North America at 282 feet below sea level. There was a variety of colors in the strata of the hills and mountains, part of Death Valley’s beauty. The travelers were surprised to see water in normally dry lake beds; though it probably wouldn’t be there long. They also noticed grass being watered and very green due to the large body of water that is under Death Valley. The group stayed at Furnace Creek Ranch, where the food was hearty.

On the way home, they had a planned stop at the Pahrump Valley Winery, which hosted lunch and provided nine different wines for tasting. Everyone agreed it was a very enjoyable adventure, and Lou DeYoung, the Travel Club’s multi-day trip planner, was thanked for her efforts in putting this one together.