Eternal Flatness

After Palm Springs we headed to Joshua Tree and the Hidden Valley

apparently discovered after an explosionAngelo seemed to like the Joshua trees
he made friendsand shot friendly monsters for his IPG
that kept appearing everywhere
we stopped to check the 29palms inn
loved the lush oasis, but chose a military motel instead

next day,
fuzzy endless descent into Death Valley,
almost hallucinatory
flatness of forever
and ever
the lowest point on the western hemisphere
for hours on end
finally the legendary Zabriskie point, and it all makes sense

somehow
Shpinx
and highway pyramids
the goldness of Mandalay

and the Wynn bronzeness

strange water homes
for green giants

abandoned mines that could have been houses

and houses that look like mines

faraway screens
white cross drugs
towns with funny names

and roads with bizarre but somehow familiar names that eventually take you to

the edge of the western world