We are now in Death Valley National Park. Our first of nine. It’s hot here, very hot. Our first stop after the visitor center is Badwater basin, the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere, 282 feet below sea level. We all hit low points in our lives. They are not comfortable. Today, as we walk this valley floor, It’s 111, yesterday reached 117. Thank goodness we came today. The hottest temperature on earth was recorded here, a blistering 134 degrees. The heat is oppressive. We walk out to the salt flats, a shimmering white. Here we are, the lowest point, blistering hot, and blinded by the sun reflecting off the white salt. All miserable, but a tourist site. We chose to come. We often don’t choose the miserable spots in our lives, but sometimes we do choose to stay in them. They become our comfort zone, we begin to find our identity there. Why?
Jesus chose the lowest spot, the cross, bearing all for humanity. The disciples are called to enter low points to be in solidarity with others, and to bring compassion, grace and love to the deepest wounds in all humanity. We encounter low spots because we follow Christ. A life like Christ is not always appreciated. In a strange way, I am enjoying this moment of heat, blindness and lowliness, but I would not want to stay here long. It is a beautiful sight, unique spot just like the uniqueness of being there for others in their lowest moments.
We move on. Did you know that many scenes from the original Star Wars were filmed in Death Valley: R2-D2, traveling through canyons and captured by Jawas, R2-D2 and C3P0 leaving the escape pod going in different directions in the sand dunes, Jabba’s palace? All these sites can be seen in the attached pictures. As Star Wars fans, it has been fun to recreate and see these scenes. Both Eli and Josh took their turn in being R2D2 in the canyons. Overall, this was a fun first day at a national park.
Tonight has been more eventful than anyone could have expected. We are not just in the lowest, hottest spot, but we are also in the driest spot in the Western Hemisphere. We decided to settle down for the evening with a game called Builders. Sadly, Amber and Josh tied. I prefer to win. One more turn and I would have won. However, in the middle of the game, the electricity went out. We are committed gamers so we finished with two headlamps providing light. At first, I did not realize the significance of lights going out. We have all been in storms. However, in a 90 plus degree evening, no electricity means no AC. In other words, it’s going to get hot. As Eli said, we are in a spot that averages less than two inches of rain a year, and we are here for a storm. Apparently all of their rain for this year comes when we arrive. What luck! We are in for a long, hot night. Next thing I know, we hear a chirp and then another. To add icing on the cake, there was a cricket in our room. I got a look from Amber. There is no way, she or Eli, will be able to sleep in a hot, 90 plus degree night, with a cricket chirping. I went to the front desk, A very sympathetic and nice young man was happy to move us to a new room, giving us three glow sticks to aid in our quick packing and transfer one flight up (of course, no elevator).
He must have a wife. He understood the cricket was the last straw. Then he stated, “A cricket is the best of the insects to find sharing a room with you. We have these flesh eating spiders, camel spiders, here and they are big, not afraid of humans. They are not poisonous, but their bites hurt.” I looked them up on the internet and they are ugly! I probably should not share about the camel spider with my wife. He concurred, and she does not yet know (I will let her read this post before I send this off).
We are now all settled in. Did I say it was hot. Here is to a fun, hot night of sleep!