In the northern part of Death Valley California far from any civilization is Racetrack Playa, one of the most unique places on planet Earth. The word Playa normally refers to a seasonally dry lake, and this playa differs from that aspect in only the fact that it is dry far more than it is wet. In fact Racetrack Playa remains dry sometimes for periods of time measured in years instead of months. But the most distinctive feature of Racetrack Playa are the stones, some weighing over a hundred pounds, that move across the dry lake bed, seemingly of their own effort, leaving mysterious trails behind them. For over a hundred years people have wondered about those strange moving rocks. At one time people even supposed that the devil himself moved the rocks hence the name, “Devils Racetrack” Today the most generally accepted theory for the moving rocks is that a combination of winter rain ice and wind work together to propel the rocks on their mysterious journey.

Reaching the racetrack is no easy task in of itself, a drive of nearly forty miles is required over a road that seems to be designed to destroy the suspension of any vehicle short of a army tank. Upon reaching The Racetrack you are presented one of the most hands on oddities to be found on this planet. Please, if you do visit The Racetrack, do not move the rocks, they loose their meaning when moved by human hands. Also remember that this place is called Death Valley for a reason, every year there are several deaths here. A simple auto breakdown can, and has been fatal here. Our first photo is the temperature on a average July afternoon.