h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

A California desert question or two. I just purchased a 20 mule team model. I know you live in the high desert, but Death Valley is, at least, in the neighborhood. First, what color should the sand be (light brown, dark, other, or something else altogether?) Second, the instructions in the kit said that, as these wagons never left the valley, any depiction of rust on the metal would be incorrect. is this true?
Any other comments you care to make? It is just a model, but when I share it with others I would like to share a few things that they may not know as well. No pressure for a reply, but I would love to read any ideas you might have.

I first saw a model of the 20 mule team at Knott's Berry farm about 1976 and it has always fascinated me. I found this one on line a week or two ago and had to order it! All of the contact links to the manufacture are about as dead as the original mules

Thanks

F S

Actually, I'm in the low dessert, the Salton sink is almost as deep as Death Valley at ~ 239'/73m below sea level.

I've been to Death Valley.

The salt pans and alkali flats are starkly white, seamed where cracked or fissured with thin streaks of black sulfur (or asphalt) bacteria and that, making a hard pavement, is the most archetypal Death Valley terrain.

The salt pans can be modeled in plaster of paris.

With respect to metalwork on the wagons, in that corrosive environment iron does rust slowly, but the teamsters driving the wagons were also charged with keeping the metal work clean to retard corrosion.

Still thinking, on the terrain surrounding the 20 mule team mine, the earth there is a muted, light yellowish brown, about like a half and half mixture of raw sienna and titanium white.

Its an immense open pit mine with immense piles of tailings all around.

The unbroken terrain does have drifts of grainy slightly pinkish sand on it about as dark as a flesh tone, but more muted.

https://www.google.com/search?q=twenty+mule+team+borax+mine&newwindow=1&client=tablet-android-verizon&prmd=msivn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiqrpSuy6vXAhVRzmMKHWgUC34Q_AUIFCgD&biw=962&bih=601

http://www.google.com/search?q=twenty+mule+team+borax+mine&newwindow=1&client=tablet-android-verizon&prmd=msivn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiqrpSuy6vXAhVRzmMKHWgUC34Q_AUIFCgD&biw=962&bih=601

The color photos near the top of the page are good ones.

Some them show alkali and salt flats.

Thank you very much ITIWBS That is most helpful! It will probably be be a few months before I have anything to display, but when I do, I will certainly send something to

F S