St. George, Utah (Sep 18/14)  –  After much discussion, it was decided to forgo driving through Death Valley and drive the route north of the National Park. The elevation gains (climb 5000’ in 13 miles) & the intense heat were too daunting of a task for Hobbes.  As it turned out the alternate route was quite a climb, but it was incredible. Bristlecone pine trees (some as old as 4000 years old), look gnarley & distorted among the rocky white desert. The winding road to the top was very steep, the canyons narrow (at one point the highway was 1 lane only through a gap in the rock). Traveling down…