Others arrive and soon our tour group of 26 is fully assembled. Hors d'oeuvres and a selection of fine California jug wines set the mood as our leaders take turns entertaining us with their version of an orientation to Death Valley, a description of the trip they have planned and tips on bicycle touring. For dinner there is a choice of chicken or beef grilled over charcoal, scalloped potatoes, asparagus, salad, and for dessert, carrot cake baked in Dutch ovens. Even without a bicycle ride to build an appetite, dinner is excellent. We have been forewarned that the progress of the trip will be marked by improvements in the showers each evening.
Tonight there are public toilets and wash basins, but no showers.
It's dawn and coffee is ready. Breakfast is followed by a route-talk about what to see and do on today's ride. A long graceful ride takes us down and across the green, north end of the valley. We work our way up the other side of the valley and climb to the rim of Ubehebe Crater, a half mile hole that was blown out of the earth thousands of years ago when molten lava turned ground water to explosive steam. The 500 foot sides of the crater are patterned with desert earth tones, sculptured by erosion and highlighted by splashes of tiny yellow flowers.