We got on the road fairly late on Saturday (our neighbour was bitten by a rattlesnake, delaying our departure a little). We made it as far as Big Pine CA, where the friendly folks at the Starlight Motel made us welcome. The next day—Sunday—we headed into Death Valley, exploring the northerly part of the Park. The higher altitudes (and latitudes) make this section a lot less “deathy” than the more southern regions. Abundant wildflowers line the roads, temps are milder, and we were happy to find a campsite at almost-full Mesquite Springs, one of our favourite DV campgrounds. The day’s highlight? The layer-caked Last Chance Range near Eureka Dunes. Stunning. For desert quirkiness, Crankshaft Crossing, where plenty of folks have donated defunct crankshafts, took the prize.