The Secret of Death Valley: The Mystery of Racetrack Playa

Death Valley is a remote desert area located in eastern California. Situated within the Mojave Desert region, it features the lowest, driest, and hottest locations in all of North America. Badwater, a basin located within the Valley, is the specific point of the lowest elevation, at 282 feet below sea level. This area is only 84 miles east-south-east of Mt. Whitney, the highest point in the contiguous United States, with an elevation of 14,497 feet.One of the most interesting and challenging mysteries of Death Valley is the sliding rocks at ’Racetrack Playa’ (a playa is a dry lake bed). These rocks can be found on the floor of the playa with long and distinct trails behind them. Yes, that’s right-and no one knows for sure how these rocks move, and no one has ever reported actually seeing them move-but they do move great distances, some of them weighing several hundred pounds!Treasure hunter Rod Florea and tracker/cartographer Mitch Holland are about to confront this mystery-as they go in search of Spotted Elk, a Native American friend (The Secret of Monument Valley), who while on a personal quest has suddenly turned up missing in the far reaches of Death Valley-somewhere within the parched and desolate region known as Racetrack Playa...Are you ready? Hang on tight! The greatest thing about this particular author is that as you turn the pages, you will find yourself right there in the middle of it all-living and breathing the story!

Mark Stephen Taylor is the author of ’Hiking the Trail of Truth’, an award winning autobiography. He has also authored ’Hiking Life’s Difficult Trails’, an in depth look at life’s spiritual dilemmas, now in two editions. ’Knowing Just Who You Are’, is the latest in this ’self-help category’, and is for sure an eye-opening look at ourselves as individuals-a treatise on body, mind and spirit. Mr. Taylor has in addition produced books that he labels, ’a bit of fiction and reality’. Among his bestsellers in this category are, (1) ’Lone Pine’; a story of love undying, (2) ’A High Sierra Christmas’; an untold tale of Jeremiah Johnson, (3) ’Three Days in Lone Pine’; and untold tale of the High Sierra 1873, and a latter western, (4) ’Still Waters’; legend of the white wolf. (Note: 2, 3, & 4 are now part of the new ’Lone Pine Western’ series. Moon of the White Wolf, an untold tale of the High Sierra, 1874, is now the newest release in the Lone Pine Western series.) ’The Sun, The Glass, and The Leaning Rock’; the secret of the lost Dutchman’s gold (also published under the 1984 title, ’A Second Chance’; a daring tale of high adventure), kicks off an exciting mystery series involving characters Rod Florea and Mitch Holland, whose expertise in treasure hunting and route finding are unmatched anywhere in the country. The second book in this series is ’The Secret of Monument Valley’; the Trail of the Anasazi, which solves the mystery surrounding the disappearance of the Anasazi people of the desert southwest. In the third book of the mystery series, ’Treasure of the High Sierra’; Dead Men’s Gold, their treasure hunting and route finding experience leads them on a most enlightening but dangerous journey, where they come to the aid of two teenagers in their quest for old, hidden pirate treasure. Unfortunately they must deal with the ghastly spirits of long dead buccaneers! Expect more great stories in both this mystery series and the new Lone Pine Western series. Coming soon in the mystery series: The Secret of Death Valley, (late 2014).