On Nov. 7, 2005 we left Utah for Nevada. What a difference, from a state where anything considered a vice by the church is either discouraged or illegal to one where vices are not only tolerated, but encouraged.

We're staying at an RV resort that includes a winery - Charleston Peaks Winery. Of course, we headed for the tasting room on arrival. The wines were pretty light and somewhat forgettable, but there's still something to be said for camping at a winery!

This is a membership park (Western Horizons) and we're here for 4 nights of complementary camping, and a sales tour. We decided against the membership, but have enjoyed our stay here.

On our first full day, Nov 8, we drove to Death Valley National Park, on the Nevada/California border. This landscape is quite stark, and the Park includes the lowest point in the western hemisphere - 282 feet below sea level.

If you think the landscapes in the photos look somewhat unreal, you should see them in person, they look just as unreal.

Ron & Linda at Zabriskie Point. In the background of this, and other pictures, you can see what looks like water, it's actually salt flats.

Trivia, this was one of the locations used in the 1970 movie, "Zabriskie Point."

Natural Bridge. The road to the trail head proves that the old adage "The road to hell is paved with good intentions," is wrong ... The road is not paved at all! If it weren't for the occasional boulder, the road would be nothing but potholes.

The trail to Natural Bridge, rocky and steep.

In one picture Ron is standing in a dry waterfall. Linda is standing under the bridge.

"The Devil's Golf Course" The eroded salt spires are so jagged that "only the devil could play golf here."

Glub City!

There is only ever a small amount of water here, and it is brackish because of the salt and other minerals.

Badwater basin is 282 feet below sea level, the lowest point in the western hemisphere, wet or dry!

This and the Devil's Golf Course are the salt flats you can see in some other pictures.

Artists Drive:

The rocks in Death Valley are colored by various mineral pigments; iron salts causing reds, pinks and yellows; mica causing greens; manganese leaves purples.Black volcanic rocks also dot the park.

Volcanic Rocks and Lava:

This area looked like an alien landscape with the volcanic rocks strewn about, and this odd shaped lump of lava.

Sand Dunes:

Rising 100 feet above the flats. Although they change shape from time to time, these dunes retain their size and location in the Park.

In case you think all we do is visit National Parks and religious shrines, let me put your mind at ease. While in Pahrump we visited a local brothel where we enjoyed a lovely buffet lunch and an entertaining tour.

Brothels are legal in Pahrump (but not Las Vegas 55 miles away.) All pictures are of the outsides, as cameras are not permitted inside the premises - go figure!

Sheri's Ranch - possibly the most "upscale" brothel in Pahrump. It includes a sports bar as well as a hotel and day spa.

We learned all about how a brothel operates, how staff are hired and paid, how services are priced. If we ever want a new carreer, we're ready!

The Chicken Ranch - not as fancy, but very well gets the basic job done! It claims to have been voted the best brothel in Nevada.