Live from Death Valley
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Don't come if you cannot get up early". Just goes to show the lengths
folks would go for fun.  We climbed over rocks, veered into caves,
stood on the mountains, rolled into sleeping bags, traipsed over
boardwalks, ran down canyons, rode on top of cars, and freaked.

The determined few arrived at Stanford on Wednesday Nov 25, 4.00 pm.
Peter Tam said there was no car space for one person and one of us
would have to stay back. Mark arrived and bundled us into his van.
Seven people's luggage, tents, sleeping bags, and food in one van! We
made it. We plotted an Agatha Christie thriller "who murdered xx?".

Thu morning 4.00 a.m. we pitched tents in the dark Stovepipe Wells
campsite, and crashed. I scuttled out of my tent in the morning and
gasped. The sun spread a crimson glow over huge mountains hugging every
corner of the horizon.  People set out lighting camp stoves and making
coffee.  The scramble started then and went on until Sunday 29
morning.  "Is this your vessel?" "Does anyone have creamer?" "Does
anyone want an egg?" "The damn stove doesn't work" "Can I use your
cup?" "I am vegetarian".

It was like a United nations meet.  Maria Rosa Fayos Carrio from Spain,
Melissa R. Warden, Ben Pearre, Jonathan Keljo, and Geoff Kruth from US,
Peter Tam and Vicky Wong from Hong Kong Carlos Ernesto Guestrin from
Brazil, Frederic Dalle, Fabien Mirabaud, and Gonzague from France,
Smola, Egon Heimo from Austria Peter Huppertz from Germany, Mark
Galecki from Poland Reddy Venkat, Siddharth Sanghvi, Gesota Bhawna, and
me from India.

The cars hit the dirt road to explore the nooks of Death valley.  We
reached a dried-up salt lake stretching for acres around in pristine
white. We walked up to the middle of the lake and spread our
smorgasboard. Every meal was followed by wine. The glass went around
and everyone got a sip. Gonzague gave us original wine tasting
tips. "One sip can tell you all about the land and it's entire history.
The land on which the grapes are grown adds flavors and fragrances."

Death valley is stark and beautiful. It is the hottest place in summer.
No kidding - mercury shoots to 135 F. The rocks surrounding the valley
trap the hot air in and make it super hot and dry. Winter time is
pleasant. The rocks are beautiful. Deposits of magnesium, manganese,
zinc etc color the rocks purple, green, yellow, and red. Artists
pallete is like a pastel watercolor of mountains. The dirt roads
are dusty and rustic. The area was once a major gold rush attraction.
There are ghost towns abandoned when the frustrated prospectors
beat it. In Titus Canyon there are two dilapidated shacks of
what once was a post office. it was established when false advertizing
started a mining boom, and had to close down in a year.
Dante's peak overlooks a fantastic spread of far away land and white
salt lakes gleaming dreamily. Zabrinskie point, the sand dunes,
the Devil's golf course, and Titus canyon are unforgettable.

We hiked pleasant miles every day. Mark was concerned that Peter
might have a heart-attack because of high cholestrol.
"I got a CPR certificate, but I've never used it" he worried.
Peter huffed and puffed in his polyester dress shirt and flannel pants,
but he made it. At the top of Zabrinskie he cried "I have a phobia.
I am scared of heights." I asked him to take off his shirt to cool off.
"If you take off your shirt, Rosa will hers off" quipped Carlos.

We walked up to the middle of acres of land (the moving rocks area),
ate, and talked. Mark's comments on Melatonin, his balanced vegetarian
diet, and scientific meals started a conversation on .  Mark
said passion was more controllable, and the guys wanted out. Geoff's
choclate-chip cookies were suddenly in demand.

Tek talks on optical vision and elementary particles, gibes on France
and every other country, analysis of food, reviews on light
therapy......  whatta crowd!

"Wake up people! We have burnt rice for breakfast."
"ooh. I really like it when you shine the light below my knees."
"He's nuts anyways".
"You guys have started making some good wine, but that is at your
 level of course."
"What's four days without a shower?"
"We'll get up at 4.30 a.m. and go see the sun rise".
"He snores like mad. You snore too. I was really rippin' it off".
"I think everyone here is cool."
"I feel sorry for him."
"He eats Japanese seaweed".
"Does anyone want pasta?"