Brilliant Moon, Shifting Sands: A Weekend in Death Valley

Death Valley: Rock. Salt. Sun. Sand. Wind. Ruins. Exploitation. Expanse.

The weather this weekend was incredible. High of 86. Low of 56. The evenings felt balmy. We watched the moon rise every night over the mountains, which allowed us a few extra hours of moonbright playtime.



There was some morning yoga. I was introduced to watsu - water therapy in a warm, spring-fed pool at Furnace Creek Ranch. We ate buttery soft dates from China Farm Date Ranch. We visited a ghost town called Rhyolite. Nothing spectacular, but haunting and fascinating, nonetheless.



The trip was capped off by a visit to the Amargosa Opera House and Hotel, a place I will surely be returning to. A chambermaid took us through the rooms and told us which tended to have the most paranormal activity. This was once a ghost town, abandoned after the borax mines could no longer support its population. Then, a dancer from New York City came and reopened the opera house, performing dance and musicals for Death Valley tourists. Today, her performing partner has passed away and she mainly tells stories from a chair on stage. It is still a powerful place to visit and the story is beautifully told in this documentary.



And the name of my first born: Rhyolite Esmeralda Golden