I caught Mark suppressing a slight grin when he saw all the gear I am attempting to arrange in my seating area. Despite his warnings, I found the seat reasonably comfortable and the air conditioning worked well all day. I am a person who relishes sleeping in the cool, early morning hours, and I was surprised to learn that most of the maintenance and road crew staff have already worked two or three hours before I even wake up. Mark was a veritable fountain of information about things to see and the cultural lore of the park. Although he has only been working at the park for about a year, it quickly became obvious that he takes all aspects of his job seriously and spends much of his free time exploring the park.
Death Valley serves as the proving ground for a number of automotive trials.
During our rounds, Mark pointed out some vehicles that GM has supplied to the Park Service to test new braking systems and one 4-wheel drive pickup whose bed is composed entirely of composite materials. Several automotive manufacturers also pay a commercial permit to the Federal government, which allows them to drive new vehicles on the public roads to test air conditioning and other vehicle systems in the extreme heat and cold and adverse highway conditions that occur in Death Valley throughout the year. As I left the park, I saw three new Honda CRV-like vehicles undergoing one such trial. They looked like just another set of tourists going down the road, except that all three cars were identical and traveling train-like without stopping to enjoy the views. I have a whole new level of appreciation for what it takes to skewer those trash bins, a skill we take for granted in urban settings.