POTD: Inside Out

Inside Out
Cathedral Gorge, Nevada
2019

Standing inside the “cathedrals” at Cathedral Gorge, looking out. The meltwater from the recent snow they had made for muddy walking in the wet areas. That’s not usually a problem in the desert.

 

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POTD: Braking Power

Braking Power
Death Valley, California
2019

The brake pad bar on this wagon wheel is nearly as tall as I am. It had to be big because it’s a big wheel (7 feet in diameter) on a big wagon, part of one of the famous 20-mule team wagon rigs that hauled borax out of Death Valley back in the day. The complete rig consisted of two wagons carrying 10 tons of borax plus the tank wagon which held 12,000 gallons of water used to water the mules on 165 mile trip across the Mojave Desert. The entire setup, when fully loaded weighed 33 tons.

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POTD: Desert Ruins

Desert Ruins
Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada
2019

Another interesting sandstone feature I’ve not seen outside of this area. If I understand it right, cracks in the softer sandstone filed with harder quartz and related minerals way back when. Over time the sandstone eroded faster than the quartz, leaving what look like miniature ruined buildings behind.

 

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