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The Devil's Golf Course
What is the hottest place you've ever been to?
How hot was it?
I used to live in Sacramento, California which is not too far from where this photo was taken - Death Valley. In the summer, Sacramento could sometimes soar up to 110-115 Fahrenheit, which is around 40 Celcius. The hottest ever recorded in world history at a whopping 134 F (56 C) and it was here in Death Valley in the Badwater basin only a few meters from this photo's location.
I've been to Death Valley plenty of times to see if I could catch this insane heat that it's so famous for. Maybe the heat turned my brains into a scramble to have such crazy ideas. Sadly, I've never felt any insane heat all the times I've visited - at least not in comparison to Sacramento.
Well, on this day, I got my wish and a little more than I bargained for. On the afternoon before I took this sunset photo, I went to the Badwater area to walk on the salt flats. My car was swerving around from the frequent gust of wind. I thought, hey it's windy it must not be that hot outside (I had air conditioning on).
So I parked my car.
Opened the door and proceeded to step outside.
Swoosh, comes a gust of wind nearly knocking me over.
But that wasn't what got my attention. It was the insane heat that nearly seared my exposed skin. I can't possibly explain to you in words how that gust of wind felt like but imagine for a second placing your face near the oven as you opened it - just like that.
It was so hot you could crack open an egg and scramble it right there on the ground. I took a cigarette out of the cartoon and it lit itself. If there were cows roaming around they would be giving out evaporated milk. It was so hot that if Lance Armstrong was there, he would have tested positive for water! I mean, I was sweating like a politician on election day.
No joke!
I saw another group of people who parked nearby. A few of them tried to get out of their cars but immediately ran back inside after feeling the heat! Several more cars came and people tried to get out but end up crawling back into their cars after feeling the hot air. I tried to stay out and brave it for a few more seconds more but I too eventually ran back to my air-conditioned car...
I drove back to the visitor center to cool off and finally decided to take this photo after the sun had gone down a little. The skies turned into the blazing and fiery red as it engulfed the mountains in flames. I can still feel the howling wind carrying extreme heat. It felt as if I fell into the furnace of hell.
Have you been to the Devil's Golf Course?
| Category | Landscape |
| Exposure | Aperture Priority, 1/3 sec, f/16, ISO 100 |
| Camera | Sony A7II |
| Lens | Sony FE 24-240mm |
| Filter | Polarizer/Graduated Neutral Density Filter |
| Location | Death Valley, California |
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness." - Mark Twain
All photos are taken and articles are written by Adonis Villanueva of Always Wanderlust unless otherwise stated.
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Read something about an ultra-marathon organized there at some point -
think it was the book Born to Run - and somehow Death Valley remained on my mind as a place I must go to one day. And I won't miss the chance if I'll ever get it. ;)
Until then, I'll probably get more into something lower than -30 Celsius. :D
That book is amazing! It helped me completely transform my running technique - no more back soreness after marathons! I also highly recommend reading "Running With Your Whole Body" by Jack Heggie - https://www.feldenkraisresources.com/Running-With-the-Whole-Body-by-Jack-Heggie-p/1172.htm - great book with lots of useful technique improvement tips!
Agree. The technique described there helped me as well. And then found this video: Principles of Natural Running No more knee pain.
Thanks for sharing. I'll search for and read it. ;)
They do have that marathon to run across the salt flats...insane :)
Incredible photo! I love all the ways you described the heat. I could imagine being there and how it must have felt. May have to add this to my bucket list! I always enjoy adventures that are physically challenging and have an element of danger.
As long as you drink lots of water you're okay.
It's an insane place! I was there a few years ago... Definitely the hottest place I have experienced. Great photo!
whoa. looks like a different planet. mind blown 🤯
Awesome Picture! Love your shots !!!
Thanks :)
What dramatic photo... looks very nice my friend!! Followed you!
Do you like this one?.jpg)
@dabird
You were having a great time when you took this...?
2 years ago :)
i was in California last year under the heat wave in September. we where driving from Canada to burning man. and first stop at Sundial Bridge in Redding California remember jumping out of the car and o...shit... got hit in the face. a was in the black rock desert in Nevada, fore 10 days and it was a and it was extremely challenging my friend had a camping car with Air condition that was the rescue fore me, a felt the I felt the heat stroke many times. the we measured 120. fore a cold Norwegian a summer at home is hot when its 80 f so that's my record.
pic of my friend's car wheel left some melt rubber.
Oh yeah, I pass by Redding all the time...That place gets really hot too!
it There was impressive heat difference after the mountains in California
a guess
last year was one of the record the years in the death valley
I've been there. It was "only" 125 degrees (F) when we visited....
lol yeah.
a beautiful place to look at, but very inappropriate to visit, except for those who dare to brave ..
Fantastic looking photo. Your content does not disappoint glad to be following you.
Beautiful colors!
Dang, yeah, deserts can get hot. Especially Death Valley. Beautiful image :)
Like a very hot campfire :)
Indeed!
it is look like virtual place
Like a sauna, id like to experience this. At least your camera didnt break down as their optimal operating temperature is way below this :D
Pretty much!
it looks spooky, but the sunset is amazing!!
Awesome photo.
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Great depth of field & color!!
Nice photo, that sky looks almost like a painting
Beautiful photo!!
Really Super photo !!
Beautiful picture
i will have more sp for lease in a fews week.
Let me know :)
Awesome shot! i have been there so many times yet never actually walked out on the lake bed. If your interested, check out @socalsteemit for stories similar to yours. i have yet to blog about death valley but its in the works.
is it coral? can we walk there? my photo shots are very good I like, and the moment is beautiful, I have never gotten a moment like you.
It's salt and yes you can can walk there
Ooo thanks brother i like your picture
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Nice picture, can imagine how hot it could. Was in Death Valley NP myself once and still remembers the intense heat. It was if like a hair dryer was blowing towards your whole body! I reslly enjoyed it thought and even did a small hike.
Glad someone can confirm!
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Awesome!!!!!
Sounds like a really hot place to go ! Your pictures are amazing though. The colors are really beautiful!
thanks man :) glad you're having an adventure in my islands :)
Never been, however, it sounds tempting. Just to see and feel the heat!
Is it a golf course? Who would play in that heat?!
Also, love the part where you said 'It was so hot that if Lance Armstrong was there, he would have tested positive for water!' hahaha
The hottest place we've been to is in Portugal where Becca lives. In the summer, the temperature gets up to 42 Celsius! We've been told when we were in Ethiopia for Christmas and NY that there's the hottest place on earth in the north of the country.
I'm not really fond the heat. I prefer the cold :)
Sam's the opposite hahaha, but he doesn't mind the cold. Yet, he needs to be near a fire place just in case it gets too cold.
Wow... Has it ever rained there..?
It rains every year...Not much though.
You translated the real life experience so well in your story that I started feeling the heat! Thanks for sharing the story. I drove through Death Valley several times but never actually stopped to enjoy and explore. After reading this, I must do it next time the road takes me there. The image was also great and very fitting into the narrative . Thank you!
Mmmm, are you sure you're ready for the heat?
Yes, absolutely! I love the desert and my body responds to the heat much better that to cold weather. My wife keeps telling me that I must have been a lizzard in my previous life. :) I love going to the desert in the middle of august, that dry heat feels so soothing.
Visited Death Valley when the flowers were blooming and wished we had included the Devil’s Golf Course, gorgeous photo! I grew up when there wasn’t air conditioning in cars and drove with our family across Death Valley with the windows open. You nailed it about the heat...the air is suffocating hot so it didn’t matter if our windows were open or closed, it was hellish.
Confirmed! Thank you!
wow. what a view. thanks for sharing your picture to us.
hai.I am interested in everything you write is always waiting..
This is awesome. Thanks for sharing!
Beautiful picture. I invite you to me
You just have endless good shots!! In awe!
I love how you describe the heat !!1
Woooow ! this looks like from another planet
Amazing! Beautiful picture :)