# An ancient lake's reappearance adds to the mystery of Death Valley

- URL: https://travelguysradio.com/2025/12/20/an-ancient-lakes-reappearance-adds-to-the-mystery-of-death-valley
- Image: https://travelguysradio.com/sites/default/files/2025/12/death-valley.jpg
- Audio (MP3): https://audio.travelguysradio.com/2025/12/travelguysshow122025.mp3

*On the Saturday, December 20th, 2025 edition of The Travel Guys…*

- In the **Travel Guys**, the San Francisco Giants have purchased a legendary theater in The City, an ancient lake's reappearance has added to the mystery of Death Valley, and American is cutting back the miles earned on cheap tickets.
- United Airlines has upgraded its already excellent app and we go over the changes in our **Smarter Traveler** segment.
- **Airport lounges** are all the rage these days, with even Southwest talking about adding places for travelers to escape within the airport. Why is that? We talk with our resident lounge lizard Clayton Whitehead to find out why they are so popular.
- In our **Odds and Ends** segment, Mark talks about how new Embassy Suites Hotels aren't so "suite-ish," and it appears hotel lobbyists are trying to curb vacation rentals. Updates on those and other "behind the scenes" stories.

## Highlights

- [United Updates Mobile App With New Flyer-Friendly Features](https://upgradedpoints.com/news/united-mobile-app-december-2025-update/)
- [Where to See Holiday Lights in California | Visit California](https://www.visitcalifornia.com/experience/where-see-holiday-lights-california/?utm_source=Industry+Email+Subscribers&utm_campaign=97d3b46657-dec+2025+trav+trade&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5c3e00e294-97d3b46657-76107415/)
- [Wreath Project - Early Placement & Laying Details](https://travelguysradio.com/sites/default/files/2025/12/2025-flyer.jpg)
- [David's satire attire](https://www.bonfire.com/store/dantos-tech-travel-perspectives/)
- [Northern California State Parks](https://dailywise.com/state/california/19-stunning-state-parks-to-explore-in-northern-california/?utm_source=california&utm_medium=wpnewsletter&utm_campaign=12pm&utm_content=1178818&utm_term=sl-2nd)
- [Pre-check touchless ID - not in Sacramento yet, but in many airports around the country](https://www.tsa.gov/touchless-id)
- [TikTokers are booby-trapping their hotel rooms in the name of safety](https://v19.tiktokcdn-us.com/3b0129700c95179e15dfbba75dbe3f2d/6924194a/video/tos/useast5/tos-useast5-ve-0068c004-tx/o4bXEQQcnIAeEydYAsegSKRzyBbclGDQD6gWEG/?a=1233&bti=ODszNWYuMDE6&ch=0&cr=3&dr=0&lr=all&cd=0%7C0%7C0%7C&cv=1&br=2218&bt=1109&cs=0&ds=3&ft=aEKfuqT0mIoPD12L9srs3wUQF7AbMeF~O5&mime_type=video_mp4&qs=0&rc=OGVkNzlkOThoOjo5OTVkOkBpM3NpNWg6ZmZqbjMzZzczNEAzLWMzXzIyNWIxNGAxNGE1YSMuYG1rcjRvYGBgLS1kMS9zcw%3D%3D&vvpl=1&l=20251122083707A10137C4827E223528E9&btag=e000b8000)
- [Preparing for your next trip? Check your travel requirements to know more before you go](https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/?_gl=1*a3l4q9*_gcl_au*MTMzNzQ1NDAyMy4xNzYyMjE4NDcz*_ga*MTY2NjgzNjg2Mi4xNzYyMjE4NDc0*_ga_PLLG1EY0X0*czE3NjIyMjA1NjYkbzIkZzAkdDE3NjIyMjA1NzIkajU0JGwwJGgyMDY0ODQ1NzAz)
- [Which 40 airports are facing flight reductions? Here's a full list, per reports](https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/which-40-airports-are-facing-flight-reductions-here-s-a-full-list-per-reports/ar-AA1PVW91?ocid=entnewsntp&pc=U531&cvid=dd86d64fae4e4c4f9c0c31b2f06a69a6&ei=38)
- [“Polite” Passenger Habits That Flight Attendants Secretly Hate](https://www.farandwide.com/s/habits-flight-attendants-hate/?fbclid=IwY2xjawNzIN5leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFLbWJicFZ1Yk00Z0h2NFRJAR5pPt2kXgVHK9o3KohSOjkbC-7ZS-sZENY621oV2tHaMXVYiIjUdJglVwlSVA_aem_SzCYvkKbrOawCEpcVYdpeQ)
- [2 for 1 deal on Amtrak's roomettes](https://www.travelpulse.com/news/car-rail/amtrak-s-latest-deal-allows-travelers-to-bring-a-free-companion-on-roomette-bookings)
- [RememberAVet.net Wreath Project](https://travelguysradio.com/sites/default/files/2025/10/rememberavet-net-wreath-project.pdf)
- [Ghostly Places to Visit Across the Country](https://familyvacationist.com/dont-believe-in-ghosts-you-just-might-after-visiting-these-haunted-destinations-around-the-u-s/)
- [A Fun Place in Weed for Great Diner Food](https://dailywise.com/state/california/this-retro-diner-in-northern-california-serves-a-legendary-breakfast/?utm_source=california&utm_medium=wpnewsletter&utm_campaign=12pm&utm_content=1178818&utm_term=sl-1st)
- [Hotel room safety? It's on you any time you travel! - Travelers United](https://www.travelersunited.org/want-hotel-room-safety-its-on-you-anytime-you-travel/)
- [Best Foodie Cities in America in 2025](https://wallethub.com/edu/best-foodie-cities/7522)
- [Robert Redford Yosemite story](https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/robert-redford-s-first-glimpse-of-yosemite-changed-everything/ar-AA1ML9gs?ocid=entnewsntp&pc=U531&cvid=68dd5e4dae384daca5573174ad4aabc0&ei=53&utm_campaign=as-npc105112516)
- [SMF Parking - Check parking availability at the airport by lot](https://sacramento.aero/smf/to-and-from/parking)
- [Words to our closing theme song, Days are Numbers (The Traveller), by the Alan Parsons Project](https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=ce44fb6aa5ce43e4&q=the+alan+parsons+project+days+are+numbers+(the+traveller)+lyrics&si=AMgyJEvqW5sXx7gcAsA_f6v6KBatNeP4fzAb4eYmkrh1_rMA4rPG1HDoeczUiuNSqqCSet_pII9bXOfAosllr_iFlFctsoHlhNYYeh19mb1L-b3Pkw0Xe4WiEnLhCGSxSP7-RGkUEcwEYN9YW5UuUE-ca0rzCiIzxW5LgvShgknLpJgvV5w4gDhCOyoPB4toLigAuhEUsHAe_qgdddQQ-aE6WFI8sPdvxw%3D%3D&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiA2fKB4p6PAxXzk2oFHYmzPNAQjukCegQIJhAC&ictx=1&biw=1440&bih=791&dpr=2)
- [Days Are Numbers (The Traveller) - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4F_K95ol8c)
- [Sacramento International Airport (SMF)](https://sacramento.aero/smf)
- [Chris Elliott's general info website](https://www.elliott.org/)
- [Chris Elliott's subscription newsletter](https://www.elliottconfidential.com/)
- [Hotelsfor18YearOlds.net](https://www.hotelsfor18yearolds.net/)
- [Cool Michigan song we used](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KB_lytx-i3I)
- [The Poodle Booked It](https://www.thepoodlebookedit.com/)
- [Locate a cruise ship anywhere in the world](https://www.cruisemapper.com/)
- [Renew your US Passport online here](https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/have-passport/renew-online.html)

Tags: [air travel](https://travelguysradio.com/tag/air-travel), [airlines](https://travelguysradio.com/tag/airlines), [airports](https://travelguysradio.com/tag/airports), [American Airlines](https://travelguysradio.com/tag/american-airlines), [Clayton Whitehead](https://travelguysradio.com/tag/clayton-whitehead), [Death Valley](https://travelguysradio.com/tag/death-valley), [hotels](https://travelguysradio.com/tag/hotels), [lounges](https://travelguysradio.com/tag/lounges), [Odds & Ends](https://travelguysradio.com/tag/odds-ends), [San Francisco](https://travelguysradio.com/tag/san-francisco), [smarter traveler](https://travelguysradio.com/tag/smarter-traveler), [travel news](https://travelguysradio.com/tag/travel-news), [United Airlines](https://travelguysradio.com/tag/united-airlines), [vacation rentals](https://travelguysradio.com/tag/vacation-rentals)

Previous Episode: [What is one gate in a big airport worth to an airline? We have an answer.](https://travelguysradio.com/2025/12/12/what-is-one-gate-in-a-big-airport-worth-to-an-airline-we-have-an-answer) — December 13, 2025
Next Episode: [Delta Airlines makes a big offer to get a flyer to give up his seat](https://travelguysradio.com/2025/12/27/delta-airlines-makes-a-big-offer-to-get-a-flyer-to-give-up-his-seat) — December 27, 2025

## You Might Also Like…

- [United and JetBlue form an interesting partnership](https://travelguysradio.com/2025/05/30/united-and-jetblue-form-interesting-partnership) — May 31, 2025
- [Tariffs are not only impacting vacationers from other countries, but business travelers too](https://travelguysradio.com/2025/05/23/tariffs-are-not-only-impacting-vacationers-other-countries-business-travelers-too) — May 24, 2025
- [Removal of Yosemite’s reservation system creates hellacious parking situation](https://travelguysradio.com/2026/07/10/removal-of-yosemites-reservation-system-creates-hellacious-parking-situation) — July 11, 2026