It was time to fly out to Las Vegas and drive to Death Valley in mid-January. A group of my demographer friends whom I’ve known for the past 40-plus years had invited me to join them and be inducted into their not-so-secret society. I would be hazed, quizzed, and then become a member of the Kundalini sect of demographers. I would get a new moniker and an official hat. There would be a spiritual awakening as well. We would talk a lot about demography. I would be among my ilk.

The Quest 2024 began in Vegas at a nondescript Comfort Inn near one of the many casinos out there. The next morning my friend Bill and I drove up Las Vegas Boulevard, aka The Strip, admiring the unusual architecture and the efforts to hold on to the history of the place. Almost all of the old hotels and casinos have experienced the wrecking ball to be replaced by the shiny and new. Retained are the signs for some of the old places at the north end of Las Vegas Boulevard. At first, they look out of place. But the further we drove the more their presence made sense. I admire the effort and on my next visit will do a tour of all the signage.

After one night at the Comfort Inn and another at a Best Western in Pahrump Nevada, complete with a North Indian restaurant, we headed off to base camp at the Longstreet Inn and Casino near the Nevada/California border. It’s a quaint place, a collection of motel, casino, restaurant, and cigarette stink mixed together in a way so typical in this part of the world. It also has a chapel, a place suitable for initiations and such. The Longstreet is a fine jumping-off point for day trips to Death Valley.

I’ve read about and have been told stories concerning Death Valley, but I’ve never been there until now. It is stunning in part because some of its volcanic and other geologic history is relatively new, the last 2,000 years. Badwater Basin is the lowest point in the U.S., 282 feet below sea level. While not as low as the Dead Sea, 1,358 feet below sea level, Lake Assal in Djibouti (-509), and Turpan Pendi in China (-505), it is nonetheless impressive. It’s also the hottest place on the planet, and in 1913 the recorded temperature reached 134 degrees. The salt flats and multi-hued hills surrounding the flats are unlike anything I’ve viewed before, making return trips a must.

I was initiated as a Kundalini Demographer January 14, 2024 at 8:30 pm in a chapel a short walk from the Longstreet Inn. I cannot disclose any of the details regarding the initiation other than to report my inclusion in this august group is now official. I can share my official moniker. I am now Lord Sith, the Traveling Dean Emeritus. Think about that one.