On Monday Tom and I had to return to Furnace Creek (an hour away) to get processed for our Smart Cards, which allow us computer access. I can now check e-mail and write my blog on the computers at Scotty’s Castle as long as I do it during my off hours. While we were down …
From February 2015
Grapevine Wash
Although Tom and I love exploring Death Valley we get tired of driving. Death Valley is so big and we are in such a remote part of it that it takes us at least an hour to get anywhere. So, on days we don’t want to drive, we explore close to home by taking off. …
Who Was Death Valley Scotty?
Tom and I work at Scotty’s Castle, but – as I explained in a previous post – the Castle was built by Albert and Bessie Johnson as a vacation home. So who was Scotty and why is the Castle named after him? Walter Scott, also known as Death Valley Scotty, was born in Kentucky in …
Manzanar
On one of our off days last week Tom and I made a long loop around the northern part of Death Valley and drove to Manzanar. We headed south and then west over Towne Pass and Father Crowley Pass, then north on I-395 through the Owens Valley. The Owens Valley was rich farming area for …
Count the Cost
This week a new volunteer came to Scotty’s Castle. He was supposed to come when Tom and I started, but he was delayed for some reason. He came on Wednesday – and left on Thursday. He realized very quickly that the job was more than he was willing or able to do. He had planned …
Eeeek! A Mouse!
Part of our job at Scotty’s Castle is checking the trap lines. When I first heard this phrase I thought of the fur trappers that were often the first explorers into a wilderness. But what this means at Scotty’s Castle is checking the mouse and rat traps for little furry things that might have gotten …
Leading Tours
There are many jobs at Scotty’s Castle, but every person who works here leads tours. Now that Tom and I have completed our two weeks of training, we started leading tours this last week. Scotty’s Castle is a living history museum, which means that all the guides dress in period-authentic clothing. Tom is Powerhouse Operator …
A Rainy Day in Death Valley
Part of the myth of Death Valley is that it never rains. Of course, that isn’t quite true because Death Valley averages two inches of rain per year, which still isn’t much rain. The valley is located between three mountain ranges: the Sierra Nevada and Panamint ranges to the west and the Black Mountains to …
Working as a Park Ranger
When you are working, it is important that you like your coworkers. Here at Scotty’s Castle, Tom and I get to work with a great group of people: National Park Service Rangers. The Rangers are an interesting and diverse group of people. They fall into three categories. First, the largest group is the young seasonal …
Success!
After two weeks of unsuccessful attempts to go to church, Tom and I finally found a church service and got to it on time. Success! We went to the Christian Ministry in the National Parks service at Furnace Creek at 9 a.m. Christian Ministry in the National Parks is a multi-denominational organization that works with …