In 2002, when Walt and I went to Death Valley again after our 1999 trip, we drove through the little settlement called Darwin, population less than 50. I was surprised to see the épave (wreck) of an old Renault Dauphine car on the side of the road. Maybe you remember the Dauphine. It was built by the French car company Renault from 1956 until 1967. The Dauphine was sold in the U.S. back then, and I remember seeing them on the road in North Carolina. The car wasn't a success in the U.S. because of quality issues and a scarcity of spare parts. I have no idea how this one ended up in Darwin, which is at an elevation of nearly 5,000 feet about a two-hour drive west of Death Valley.
It looks like like Darwin is some kind of semi-ghost town waiting for the evolution of the épaves?
ReplyDeleteWas it used as a movie set at some point? It's so hard to believe this stuff would still be sitting here :)
ReplyDelete(And, no, not I... never heard of the Renault Darwin!)
ReplyDeleteThese photos are so clear. Beautiful ghost town!
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