Desert has bloom of century

Rhoda W. Friedman

Who knew back in September, when we made reservations for March 7,

that we would be seeing perhaps the bloom of the century? They say

April showers bring May flowers, but that does not hold true for

Death Valley.

Death Valley normally gets about two inches of rainfall, and the

flowers start to appear in March. They came two months early this

year. While we were all complaining about the rain earlier this year,

Mother Nature was blessing Death Valley with six inches of rain.

We had made these plans to see the wildflowers and hoped for the

best. We got more than the best. We got an amazing landscape of

blooms that set the hills ablaze in a kaleidoscope of colors.

Death Valley is 282 feet below sea level, making it the lowest

point in the Western Hemisphere. It is normally a barren, eerie

atmosphere with dried minerals where the lake used to be.

This year, there was water in Badwater Basin. Not much, but enough

for people to get wet up to their knees in the briny water. Across

the road and high on a cliff is a mark that shows where sea level is.

We were standing across from it, 282 feet below that mark.

We made this getaway a three-night affair. Our first stop was

overnight at Ridgecrest, which is about three and a half hours from

Newport Beach. By doing this, we were able to drive the final two

hours in the morning and have a full day in Death Valley.

The Furnace Creek Inn is a very luxurious inn, with a heated pool

overlooking the valley, across from snow-covered mountains. Quite a

contrast in landscapes.

We headed out after lunch on one of the many hikes that are

available in the area. The views of the mountains and flowers were so

awesome: They took my breath away.

The next morning, the men played a round at the golf course, which

is 214 feet below sea level. A quick tip for those who golf -- go up

one club, as balls carry less this far below sea level, as opposed to

going farther at high altitude.

The women took a wildflower walk with a naturalist. She explained

that many of the flowers we were seeing have seeds that remain

dormant for up to 25 years. Because of all the rain, they came back

to life.

In a one-mile walk, we saw at least 25 different types of plants.

There are 19 species of plants that are indigenous to Death Valley.

It truly was the bloom, if not of the century, of our lifetime.

-- Rhoda W. Friedman is a resident of Newport Beach

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