The Devil's Golf Course in the Valley of Death

adonisabril (74) in photofeed • 7 years ago (edited)

^{Click on image to view larger}

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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7 years ago by adonisabril (74)

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vladcraciun (54) · 7 years ago

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

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2 votes

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hanskarr310 (51) · 7 years ago (edited)

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!

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1 vote

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vladcraciun (54) · 7 years ago

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. ;)

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1 vote

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adonisabril (74) · 7 years ago

They do have that marathon to run across the salt flats...insane :)

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introspector (47) · 7 years ago

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.

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1 vote

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adonisabril (74) · 7 years ago

As long as you drink lots of water you're okay.

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bookpacker (46) · 7 years ago

It's an insane place! I was there a few years ago... Definitely the hottest place I have experienced. Great photo!

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1 vote

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leafboy (39) · 7 years ago

whoa. looks like a different planet. mind blown 🤯

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1 vote

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missfelia (25) · 7 years ago

Awesome Picture! Love your shots !!!

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1 vote

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adonisabril (74) · 7 years ago

Thanks :)

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dabird (54) · 7 years ago

What dramatic photo... looks very nice my friend!! Followed you!

Do you like this one? kkk (4 of 6).jpg
@dabird

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2 votes

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imohsaviourwisdo (40) · 7 years ago

You were having a great time when you took this...?

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adonisabril (74) · 7 years ago

2 years ago :)

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norwegianbikeman (56) · 7 years ago (edited)

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.

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1 vote

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adonisabril (74) · 7 years ago

Oh yeah, I pass by Redding all the time...That place gets really hot too!

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norwegianbikeman (56) · 7 years ago

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

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stayphotographer (28) · 7 years ago

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.

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adonisabril (74) · 7 years ago

It's salt and yes you can can walk there

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stayphotographer (28) · 7 years ago

Ooo thanks brother i like your picture

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alexandraioana26 (61) · 7 years ago

it looks spooky, but the sunset is amazing!!

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codemojo (47) · 7 years ago

Awesome photo.

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postpromoter (63) · 7 years ago

You got a 3.78% upvote from @postpromoter courtesy of @adonisabril!

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bernadette8 (25) · 7 years ago

I've been there. It was "only" 125 degrees (F) when we visited....

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adonisabril (74) · 7 years ago

lol yeah.

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melserbonilla (38) · 7 years ago

Fantastic looking photo. Your content does not disappoint glad to be following you.

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appreciator (66) · 7 years ago

This post has received gratitude of 3.80 % from @appreciator thanks to: @adonisabril.

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vranilo (49) · 7 years ago

Beautiful colors!

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hornetnz (46) · 7 years ago

Great depth of field & color!!

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tdogvoid (25) · 7 years ago

Nice photo, that sky looks almost like a painting

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lesg85 (25) · 7 years ago

Beautiful photo!!

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jkenny (63) · 7 years ago

Really Super photo !!

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maylilo (38) · 7 years ago

Beautiful picture

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dang007 (61) · 7 years ago

i will have more sp for lease in a fews week.

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adonisabril (74) · 7 years ago

Let me know :)

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mikesthoughts (58) · 7 years ago

Dang, yeah, deserts can get hot. Especially Death Valley. Beautiful image :)

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csusbgeochem1 (57) · 7 years ago

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.

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waphawa (38) · 7 years ago

a beautiful place to look at, but very inappropriate to visit, except for those who dare to brave ..

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bitgeek (62) · 7 years ago

Congratulations @adonisabril, this post is the seventh most rewarded post (based on pending payouts) in the last 12 hours written by a Superuser account holder (accounts that hold between 1 and 10 Mega Vests). The total number of posts by Superuser account holders during this period was 1682 and the total pending payments to posts in this category was $18111.76. To see the full list of highest paid posts across all accounts categories, click here.

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sasisthemotive (46) · 7 years ago

Great photo, I just pictured myself around a campfire as you told this story! Haha thats the vibe I got off of your awesome story telling. Stay cool!

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adonisabril (74) · 7 years ago

Like a very hot campfire :)

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sasisthemotive (46) · 7 years ago

Indeed!

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steemitworldmap (75) · 7 years ago

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crypto-believer1 (41) · 7 years ago

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.

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adonisabril (74) · 7 years ago

Glad someone can confirm!

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resteemable (50) · 7 years ago

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anna89 (55) · 7 years ago

Awesome!!!!!

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jacksongroves (49) · 7 years ago

Sounds like a really hot place to go ! Your pictures are amazing though. The colors are really beautiful!

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adonisabril (74) · 7 years ago

thanks man :) glad you're having an adventure in my islands :)

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travelling-two (61) · 7 years ago

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.

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adonisabril (74) · 7 years ago

I'm not really fond the heat. I prefer the cold :)

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travelling-two (61) · 7 years ago

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.

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imohsaviourwisdo (40) · 7 years ago

Wow... Has it ever rained there..?

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adonisabril (74) · 7 years ago

It rains every year...Not much though.

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touristpk (63) · 7 years ago

it is look like virtual place

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hanskarr310 (51) · 7 years ago

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!

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adonisabril (74) · 7 years ago

Mmmm, are you sure you're ready for the heat?

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1 vote

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hanskarr310 (51) · 7 years ago

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.

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joanie (25) · 7 years ago (edited)

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.