More Covid boredom break

To break the boredom on another day, we headed to Death Valley via Tecopa Road, which at the California border, turns into the Old Spanish Trail Highway. We had never been to Tecopa California before, and didn’t know if its post-apocalyptic appearance was due to the pandemic or it just being off season. We got the distinct impression that this may be a snowbird haven in the winter, having an abundance of RV hookups in several large parks in town. While a bit decrepit looking, there was also a number of hot springs soaking facilities in town, which we didn’t even try to figure out if they were open or not.

Outside Tecopa we found the China Ranch. Apparently pre-Civil War time, this was a mining area, and Chinese man got his hands on a ranch property in a crevassed wash that had natural spring water. While he mined and ranched the land, it was eventually abandoned as the water supply weakened. Today the current owners have planted date palms and run a tourist facility selling date products and other gifts. Again, we took a pass on either the gift shop or the small museum.

We made a big loop through Tecopa to the eastern most edge of Death Valley National Park. We were pleased to spot the old Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction. In our early days in Vegas we would visit the Opera House to see Marta Becket do her wonderful and bizarre ballet presentations. Born in 1924 in New York City, she performed on Broadway and in the Radio City Music Hall, eventually touring the US doing a one-woman show. Because of a flat tire, she and her husband discovered the old Amargosa Opera House, built in the company town by the nearby Borax mine, and performed there nightly for over 4 decades.

Making our way back home through Pahrump, we decided not to see how business was at the local Nye County brothels. We assumed that despite the pandemic, that business would be brisk at the Chicken Ranch and at Shery’s. However, we wondered how the ladies could even do their jobs while wearing masks as required by Nevada’s Governor. We did manage to spot some wildlife while in Death Valley that made the very long drive worthwhile.

We hope to be talking to you soon.