Last night Melissa had noticed that one of the tires on her car had gone flat. We were too tired to do anything then, but this morning we can definitely handle that chore. It is about 7:30 now, and a van pulls up next to us. It is Jack. He is here to help us lay out the cars. I explain to him that we now have a different arrangement and we won't need his help but I am going to pay him his $100 anyway. I tell him that it would not be fair for me not to keep my word. Maybe it was only my imagination, but he appears to be just slightly pained to have to take the money for not doing anything. I have a perfect solution: I ask him if he would not mind changing that flat on Melissa's car. As they say, we were two happy campers. From the campground, we drive to the southern boundary of the park, where we leave Melissa's and my car. We then hop in Joy's Explorer for the 15-mile ride to where we had stopped yesterday. On this bumpy dirt road, at 20 mph, it seems to take forever. If you have never walked 15 miles and are interested in finding out how far that is, I invite you to find a long road and drive your car at 15 mph for an hour.

The first leg of our journey goes well, but we are both walking a tad slower than yesterday. I think those extra two miles yesterday during the hottest part of the day took some wind out of us. Or maybe we are spooked by what Jack told us. He had said that yesterday's high was 127°F and that it is expected to be even higher today.

We are about two miles into our second leg and we hit a new obstacle. This part of the road is just very sandy. It is taking more energy than ever to walk. Melissa and I leave the road and look for firmer ground. We are weaving between creosote bushes, and at turns in the road we lose sight of it. We don't like the prospect of getting lost and soon return to the road. Eventually, we reach the car. Sometimes, the only thing that keeps Melissa going is the anticipation of reaching the car. It is our oasis in the desert. We drink, eat, rest and then start on our last few miles. Finally, the end is near and we get somewhat energized by that realization. This has been the loneliest stretch of our walk; there have been no people or cars yesterday or today. Cars flashing by at breakneck speed announce the junction with highway 127 and the end of our journey.

Dinesh's caption:
Joy and Dinesh at the finish line, or rather, the finish rock. The high temperature later that day was 129°F -- the highest temperature recorded in Death Valley since 1913.

Car Talk's caption:
"So, Dinesh. Do we understand that this was your idea of a good time?"