Dear Car Talk guys,

Thought you might like to hear what it was like for me, an unsuspecting motorist, to suddenly come across something strange in the desert. I was travelling toward Furnace Creek Ranch in Death Valley National Park last July.

The sun was shining, as usual, and the temperature was over 120 degrees Fahrenheit, as usual this time of year, when suddenly I was aware of several blinding, flashing lights next to the road ahead.

At first I thought it was a car stopped on the road, but it seemed to move like an amorphous creature. As I approached still closer, I was startled to see the shape become four enormous metallic alien mushrooms! I almost panicked. Imagine how I would have to explain to the park rangers why I ran off the road! Fortunately, my brain reminded me that there was a group of people who planned to hike the length of Death Valley and, sure enough, the mushrooms turned out to be four humans carrying huge metallic umbrellas, one gold and three silver, and dressed in loose, white clothing from head to ankle. They had on sunglasses and carried water packs on their backs.

The rangers told me later that they made it all the way out of the south end of the park and that on the last day of their hike the high was 127 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade.

If you talk to them again, tell them they are crazy, but it sure was an amazing trip to complete successfully. I know the rangers were happy they did not need to go out and rescue them.

Sincerely,
Margaret Anderson
a year-round resident of Death Valley National Park