Death Valley Days

When I was a kid there was a TV show called Death Valley Days and it was sponsored by 20 Mule Team Borax. I’ve wanted to race in Death Valley since I moved back to California and this year it worked perfectly into my travel schedule. The race was on February 3rd and I was going to Smitty’s birthday to do another race, in Tucson, on the 10th. I stayed in Beatty, Nevada just outside the park. 

Race day started like no other. As I was driving to the race I saw a car out of my peripheral vision and backed up to look. It was dark and there was no one else around. It turned out to be a vehicle rollover and the driver had been there over three hours and was still in the car. I helped him get out and another vehicle came along and gave him a ride to the park. 

It was a good time of year to race in Death Valley, the weather was perfect. Only in the low 70’s by race end. While my time was nothing to write home about I enjoyed the race and finished second in my age group. 

After the race I spent the rest of the day driving around and stopping throughout the park. A totally different kind of beauty!

When I started this post I mentioned 20 Mule Team Borax and I visited a former borax mine in the park and then stopped at a mining ghost town between the park and Beatty. 

In Beatty I finished off the day with chili and Bud Light. The next day I was going to Flagstaff where I was going to stay and watch the Super Bowl. 

While the game didn’t end the way we hoped it would it was a great game to watch.