Waiting on the flange that had to be replaced on Vivalavida, we rented a car and went to visit Mono Lake, about seventhy miles north of Bishop. This lake is unusual to see since it have calcareous concretions created by source, like kind of stalagmites visible today. This lake is also very salty, which limits the underwater life.
 
 
1. High country near Mono Lake.
 

 
 
2. Salt foam on the shore.
 

 
 
3. Concretions have surprising forms.
 

 
 
4. Vivid colors created by the minerals dissolved in water.
 

 
 
5. Nice cloud in the lake area…
 

 
 
The driveshaft of Vivalavida reinstalled, the next day we drove to the White Mountains to see the Bristlecone Pines, incredible trees since it is actually the oldest known form of life on the planet. Some of them are more than 5,000 years old and still alive!
 
 
6. Some roots are exposed, the erosion of loose soil is important here.
 

 
 
7. A section showing the trunk which growths only a few tenths of a millimeter each year. This dead tree lived more than 3,600 years.
 

 
 
8. Plateau at Shulman Grove.
 

 
 
9. Tormented but beautiful growth…
 

 
 
10. This ancestor has ceased to live…
 

 
 
11. Continuing our journey through Death Valley, we took a walk in the Titus Canyon…
 

 
 
12. … before joining the inevitable Zabriskie Point at sunset.
 

 
 
13. Sweetness of these eroded hills…
 

 
 
14. The sun disappears for an image a little different from this so much photographed spot.
 

 
 
15. We found a place to sleep in the wild near abandoned mines.
 

 
 
16. Track makes pretty curves…
 

 
 
17. The next morning, we went up Dante’s View, a spot overlooking Death Valley that FredW, a friend of mine, adviced me. What a panorama ! (stiched panoramic of 9 vertical images)
 

 
 
18. Drawings in Death Valley
 

 
 
That’s it for the Death Valley area. We then spent an afternoon in Las Vegas before taking the direction of the Grand Canyon. To Come soon…
 
 
PS: The trip map is up to date… 😉