Tags
California, Death Valley, dunes, outdoors, postaday, Thanksgiving, travel
Climbing sand dunes, Death Valley, California
While briefly living in Southern California, we went to Death Valley for Thanksgiving (having Thanksgiving dinner at 8 pm at the Furnace Inn is one of the most unusual places I’ve had Thanksgiving). We spent our few days hiking and exploring the area’s incredible landscape, and one day, we climbed the sand dunes.
While climbing, Ruby asked, “Will there be a shovel at the top?”
“No,” I said. “There won’t be a shovel.”
As we neared the top, she saw something sticking out of the sand —a small, blue kid’s shovel.
“There’s one,” she said.
Mr. Miscellany and I couldn’t believe it. (We thought three years old was a little too young to learn that sometimes your parents can be really wrong about something.)
The shovel mystery was solved when we summited the dune. A family on the top had thought to bring some sand toys for their children, who had abandoned the shovel and were attempting to build sand castles.
Our daughter happily played with the shovel when it was offered, grinning (somewhat triumphantly, perhaps?) as she scooped the sand.
Leigh McAdam (@hikebiketravel) said:
I love climbing those sand dunes in Death Valley. What fun finding a shovel on top.
Kavita said:
Gorgeous!! The picture, and the climb…
Browsing the Atlas said:
That picture is stunning and the story so sweet. There’s a life lesson there, I think.
Pat Bean said:
Interesting blog. It earned a Bean’s Pat for being the Wondering Wanderer’s blog pick of the day. Check it out at: http://patbean.wordpress.com
Margaret said:
Thanks!
aekshots said:
Great shot…like the story that goes with it too.
pen4hire said:
What a beautiful picture. Captures the arduousness of climbing on sand. I’d say your daughter has esp.
Samuel Jeffery said:
What a simply stunning shot! I love how you’ve captured it from a high vantage point.
Margaret said:
Thanks! I didn’t realize what an interesting vantage point I had until I had the film developed (this being my pre-digital days).
crimethrillergirl said:
Fabulous picture. Must have been amazing to be there :-)
Naomi Baltuck said:
This photo is really arresting. I really appreciated your use of storytelling to give it special meaning.
snowgood said:
Never knew there were sand dunes there, just thought it was barren rock.