Monday, 3 Sep: I’m driving up to Washington to visit a cousin.  Taking my time on roads not taken (mostly).  Today I got to Death Valley Junction, just outside Death Valley National Park, by using less than 40 miles of Interstate highways.  Drove through Hemet, Ca.  Steve’s Burgers, followed buildings away by Tommy’s Burgers, followed blocks away by Farmer Boys Burgers.  Hemet loves burgers.  Hemet also likes horses a lot.  I figured that out with my olfactory senses.

Passed by what looked like a movie lot.  Golden Era Productions.  Turns out it’s operated by the Church of Scientology.  The things I discover.

Glimpsed the mystical appearance of a hot air balloon as it slowly appeared through the early morning haze.  Very fantasy-like.  Saw a falcon standing on a tall rock in the middle of a field.  Gorgeous.  Drove down an old section of Route 66.  Old (closed) buildings.  Went over Interstate 15, where southbound traffic from ‘Vegas was going about as fast as Disney’s Autopia.  Drove through the Mojave Desert National Monument.

Finally arrived at my first night’s destination.  The Amargosa Opera House and Hotel has it’s own Wikipedia page, so you can look for it there.  The town of Death Valley Junction has a population of 3 (a 4th passed away a few years ago).  The hotel is open.  The Cafe is closed for the “season”.  Everything else is vacant.  There be ghosts here, they say.  I suspect the ghosts would like to relocate.  But it’s an oddball location with a lot of nice history.  I’ll have good memories of the place.