The premise Every once in awhile, I have these crazy ideas that I just can’t shake. Gene’s company was running a monthly steps competition, and in order to put Gene in the lead, I suggested we do a very long day hike. After some discussion, we agreed to do the Skyline-to-the-Sea, which a two-day backpacking trip from the Castle Rock through Big Basin to the ocean. The plan This trip required a bit more planning than your average hike.
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In the southeastern corner of Death Valley, hidden behind the Saddle Peak Hills, there’s a small range of rolling sand dunes shaped by the strong winds called the Ibex Dunes. They reach a height of approximately 600 feet, and contrasted against sharp dry peaks off the Saddle Hills, they are quite a sight. Gene and I decided to spend New Year’s away from the parties and in solitude of this great desert in Death Valley.
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Gene and I decided to drive down highway 1 from northern California to the middle of Baja California in early January, and in 8 days, we covered about 2000 miles (3200 kilometers). As we traveled further south from the border, the size of and proximity between towns both decreased, and gas stations, ATMs, and general amenities became few and far between. Highway 1 did not offer much in terms of tourist attractions, but the landscape offset any disappointments and was absolutely stunning: red soil, blue sky, dark green cacti sprinkled across the terrain with the occasional grey rocky mountains obscuring distant views.
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When I first arrived, the instructor fitted me in a jumper and explained the basics of my parachute. If I wasn’t already nervous, his causal instructions of, “Oh, it’s easy. Just climb out of the plane and throw yourself over” left me wondering, What the heck am I doing here?! I guess my nervous laugh showed my fear because as we discussed the lesson plan, he limited my instruction to the basics (“The advanced maneuvers come later with time.
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