Me, hot but content, sitting in the shade of the athel trees

I have laundry to do this evening at the Furnace Creek laundromat. As well, ice cold beer available at the general store a mile away over by the laundromat will help cool down my evening.

Despite the appetite-suppressing heat, I'm getting quite hungry, which is a good sign that my body is functioning normally. My instant add-water-to-pouch backpacker's rice-based meal tastes great.

I enjoy the hot evening at the Furnace Creek Campground after the sun goes down. There is a certain serenity about hot evenings anywhere that I often find soothing--until I need to go to bed and can't fall asleep in the heat. Fortunately, the slight late-night breeze is just enough to keep the tent from overheating, so falling asleep is actually easy and pleasant.

Next photo album: Furnace Creek to Tecopa Hot Springs via Funeral Mountains (66 miles)