You're invited on The Dive Matrix Road to DEMA Western Scramble!
So, I'm heading to Las Vegas to attend DEMA.
The only place to dive in the middle of that desert is Lake Mead and it seems like everyone wants to crowd onto the bomber.
So, I've decided to take 4 days to drive from L.A. to DEMA with a detour to Death Valley.
If you want to know what the submarine canyons off the coast of California would look like if they were dry, this seems like the place to imagine that. This type of outdoor adventure seems perfectly in tune with the diving lifestyle.
The plan is to get to Death Valley sometime on Saturday, Oct. 18th.
I'll be leaving Death Valley sometime on Tuesday Oct. 21st.
There are over 1000 miles of road in various states of disrepair in Death Valley. I haven't yet decided exactly where I'll be and on what days, but I plan to take the roads on which high clearance vehicles are recommended, but not those that require 4-wheel drive. In most cases, that means that sedans can make it. I used to drive my Nissan Maxima on roads like that. Now I'll be exploring in my 1981 Jeep CJ-8 Scrambler.
My itinerary will be planned over the next few days and I'll post it here. I'm open to comments and suggestions from all of you who have been there before.
I'll be camping in a different place every night. I will have my camping gear including my propane stove and lanterns along with plenty of folding chairs for other adventurous souls that happen to come along.
One road that everyone is telling me is a "must drive" is Titus Canyon Road. I've been told that it's a trip through one of Death Valley's most spectacular canyons going through the ghost town of Leadfield and by the petroglyphs at Klare Spring.
There is a river down there with the rare pupfish and I'm going to look for it.
I expect to make my way through the Furnace Creek, Stovepipe Wells and Panamint Springs areas, as well as, pay a visit to Scotty's Castle.
I'm intrigued by a place called The Racetrack where rocks mysteriously slide across the dry lakebed, leaving behind long tracks for visitors to ponder.
People have told me of a road that goes through a canyon only 20 feet wide and 400 feet deep with polished walls and beautiful colors. I've got to figure out where exactly that is.
No visit to Death Valley would be complete without a visit to Badwater. That's the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere and in 1913 the hottest recorded temperature was 134º F.
At this time of the year, it's supposed to be a bit more comfortable with a high of around 90º F. October through April is supposed to be the best time to go to Death Valley.
So, if you'd like to join me on The Dive Matrix Road to DEMA Western Scramble, just invite yourself along! I'd love the company. I know it's short notice and that I may be making this trek alone, but I'll try to remember to take my camera with me to share the experience later.
Happy trails!
Christian
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