CA State Route 190 through Death Valley

This road winds up and down like a roller coaster as you drive through Death Valley National Park. A sign at the beginning tells you to turn off the air con to save energy, and as we went in September, the heat was just about bearable. The hills and dips are intense: the lowest point is 90 m below sea level, the highest 2,000 m, and the scenery changes drastically on the way. In the barrenness, some things stand out like the famous Joshua Tree and the Mammoth Lakes, where you go from heat to cold as you reach a mountain popular with both skiers and bears.