Joshua trees in the Delamar Valley

After staying put for two full weeks, it was time to go on a little road trip. I get antsy when I stay put for too long. So, I decided to drive a big circle through Southern Nevada, visiting ghost towns and looking for gold. This used to be the place of big gold and silver mines back in the 1800s and early 1900s. Keep your fingers crossed, maybe I get lucky.
I had looked at the weather in the towns I am planning on visiting and the temperatures had not been too inviting (2 F / -17 C at night). Don’t ask why I went anyway. At least there is no snow on the roads and my little space heater is doing a great job. I do, however, remember having said way back when that I did not want to spend any time in freezing cold weather. Oh well, things change.
The landscape of this country never stops to surprise me. The drive was basically through the desert. Sagebrush and the usual desert shrubs to the left and right; fenced in only by mountain ranges in the distance.

Pahranagat Valley

Before I knew it there were pinon pines and cottonwood trees. The pines were atop the hills and the cottonwood trees grew along the Muddy River together with some kind of grass. The scenery on the other side of highway 93 had not changed. I think the last time I had seen trees was back in Santa Barbara, except for some palm trees. The mountains in the distance showed a dusting of snow.

Desert snowman

That dusting quickly moved down to road level. That’s when it hit me; it’s going to be really cold. In other words, it’s going to be an adventure. This is roughly an eight hundred mile excursion which will end where it started, in Overton where there are still plenty of places to visit.

Having fun - Valley of Fire