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- I arrive at the Mid Hills campground entrance kiosk; I'm happy to be back for yet another visit
- It was chilly again last night, and windy, but the sun is warm on my first morning at Mid Hills campground
- On the other side of my tent at Mid Hills campground site 9 is a wide-open space that burned in the 2005 brush fires
- Some of the juniper trees, like this one, at Mid Hills campground are quite old
- Here and there, an orange mariposa lily pops up among the banana yuccas, junipers, and pinon pines at Mid Hills campground
- I walk over toward the campground's overlook and stop at the campsite where "the other bicyclist" said he was camping
- From the Mid Hills campground overlook are open views across to Cima Dome
- I remember seeing patches of these small, daisy-like flowers when I was here last year
- It's time to prepare the bicycle for a ride down to Hole-in-the-Wall campground, where I can recharge my cell phone
- Just before noon, I leave Mid Hills campground and ride down Wild Horse Canyon Road without the weight of my camping baggage
- On the way down Wild Horse Canyon Road, I pass the little road that leads to the Eagle Rocks area
- After a couple of miles, I reach the smaller "Gold Valley Road" on my left and leave Wild Horse Canyon Road
- The first part of Gold Valley Road passes through a meadow thick with mature sagebrush
- I pass a herd of cows on Gold Valley Road, with Table Mountain in the background
- The bovines along Gold Valley Road look at me for a moment
- The upper part of Gold Valley Road rolls up and down over gently folding terrain
- I stop on a low bluff to try my cell phone and it works, so I take a short break and send a few text messages
- This old juniper tree was mostly burned, like everything surrounding it, during the 2005 brush fires, but its crown lives on!
- Gold Valley Road rises up a gentle hill and arrives at a higher area with nice views of the surroundings
- Desert mallows bloom in the middle of Gold Valley Road near its summit
- Also at the summit of Gold Valley Road is a scattering of boulders
- Finally, Gold Valley Road dips down into Gold Valley itself
- On the way down the hill, I stop at the windmill and water tank near Gold Valley Spring
- The Gold Valley water tank is overflowing
- A tank of deep blue fresh water in the desert?
- After my stop at the Gold Valley water tank, I still have a bit more downhill mountain-biking ahead
- The lower part of Gold Valley Road has more sand; I sometimes lose traction and need to walk the bike occasionally
- After crossing the valley, Gold Valley Road comes to an end and I join the larger Black Canyon Road
- At the Hole-in-the-Wall visitor centre, I recharge my cell phone and chat with Preserve staff and a couple of visitors
- Before leaving Hole-in-the-Wall, I refill my water bottles
- I ride a few hundred feet on pavement on Black Canyon Road before turning off toward Saddle Horse Canyon
- I start riding the lower part of Wild Horse Canyon Road and will park just before those hills almost two miles ahead
- I pull over at a turn-out on Wild Horse Canyon Road, stash the bicycle in the bushes and begin the hike
- A few desert sages (Salvia dorrii) are still blooming here on the approach to Saddle Horse Canyon
- On the approach to Saddle Horse Canyon, I pass another flowering plant that I like: Paper-bag bush (Salazaria mexicana)
- I walk over to some rocky outcrops along the way and see something that I thought I might see in an area like this
- Dramatic rock erosion at the entrance to Saddle Horse Canyon
- A few small holes in the rocks near the mouth of Saddle Horse Canyon
- At the mouth of Saddle Horse Canyon is a guzzler (a pad of concrete), dry right now due to lack of rain
- I pass a budding milkweed in Saddle Horse Canyon
- Quite a few Cliff roses (Purshia) grow in Saddle Horse Canyon
- I continue hiking around plants and rocks on my way up Saddle Horse Canyon
- Paper-flower bush (Psilostrophe cooperi) in Saddle Horse Canyon
- Buckwheat flowers pop out between dark rocks that absorb the hot sun in Saddle Horse Canyon
- The 2005 brush fires passed through Saddle Horse Canyon, but a few juniper trees survived
- Well, this is about as far up Saddle Horse Canyon as I'll go; I want to be riding up Wild Horse Canyon Road around sunset
- I turn around and start my way back down Saddle Horse Canyon, wondering if I shouldn't be turning around so soon
- This bushy desert oak shrub in Saddle Horse Canyon seems to have grown back despite being burned in the 2005 brush fires
- I take a closer look at that regenerated oak in Saddle Horse Canyon
- Purple four o'clock flowers poke through a Rhus trilobata bush laden with unripe berries in Saddle Horse Canyon
- I'm enjoying these parts of Saddle Horse Canyon where I can walk in the dry drainage channel
- Here's another part of Saddle Horse Canyon that allows me to avoid getting more grass stuck in my socks
- I'm back in an open, grassy area as I hike out of Saddle Horse Canyon
- A few small barrel cacti are on the side of Saddle Horse Canyon, some living, some burned
- This charred barrel cactus is slowly resprouting after being burned in the 2005 brush fires
- Near the mouth of Saddle Horse Canyon is a small stand of Desert trumpet buckwheats
- Thamnosma montana (Turpentine-broom) in Saddle Horse Canyon
- On the way back out of Saddle Horse Canyon, I decide to walk along the rock walls
- Bubbles in the rocks
- I've passed through the Hole-in-the-Wall area here so many times without stopping to take it in on foot
- A bush of some kind manages to grow up on top of these rocks at the mouth of Saddle Horse Canyon
- More big bubbles and fractures in the rocks
- One of several rock shelters in the Hole-in-the-wall area
- Camouflaged in the rocks is a small concrete dam to retain water running down from the hills
- From another rock shelter in the area, I peer out into the sunshine
- The rocks at the mouth of Saddle Horse Canyon are more interesting than further up the canyon
- It's time to walk back to the 10-ton bike, parked half a mile away over by Wild Horse Canyon Road, just over there
- I pass a tangle of white and purple flowers on the way back to the bike near Wild Horse Canyon Road
- I'm back at the bike, which is hiding in the bushes just off Wild Horse Canyon Road, ready to ride home to Mid Hills campground
- Before I start the ride up Wild Horse Canyon Road, I pick out some of the annoying stickers in my socks and shoes
- I start riding up Wild Horse Canyon Road, the lower part of which is washboarded and sometimes sandy
- I look behind me as I climb up the lower part of Wild Horse Canyon Road
- Wild Horse Canyon Road pops out of the canyon and onto higher ground, where I catch the beginning of sunset
- I enjoy the impending sunset as I slowly ride up Wild Horse Canyon Road
- The Wild Horse Mesa area picks up a warm glow as I ride past
- A car passes me along this stretch of Wild Horse Canyon Road, the only one I'll see on the way back to camp
- Bovines along Wild Horse Canyon Road
- This bull poses for a portrait along Wild Horse Canyon Road
- I turn back for another look at the Wild Horse Mesa area, which is still picking up a bit of sunset light
- The sun hides behind Columbia Mountain as I ride up Wild Horse Canyon Road
- Wild Horse Canyon Road dips down into the upper part of Macedonia Canyon as I ride back to Mid Hills campground
- After passing Columbia Mountain, I look back at what remains of sunset and ride on to Mid Hills campground
- Another beautiful morning at Mid Hills campground; it's nice to have a water supply, so I heat up water to wash myself
- I stop at the water tap near my campsite at Mid Hills campground and fill up; I won't be passing any water holes today
- After leaving Mid Hills campground, I ride down Wild Horse Canyon Road and cross over this cattle guard
- A pick-up truck passes me on Wild Horse Canyon Road, a major event
- As I ride down Wild Horse Canyon Road, a few cows start to cross, but I end up inadvertently chasing them
- After 5 minutes, the cows are still running down Wild Horse Canyon Road, with me chasing them on my bicycle
- We come around a bend by Macedonia Canyon Road and start heading uphill; the cows aren't running quite so quickly anymore
- I continue riding down Wild Horse Canyon Road toward the Wild Horse Mesa area, watching for the easy-to-miss Bluejay Mine Road
- And there it is: Bluejay Mine Road; I leave Wild Horse Canyon Road here
- A short stretch of Bluejay Mine Road is in a sandy wash, and I'm glad it doesn't last too long
- Bluejay Mine Road gets a bit better after rising out of the sandy wash
- Like so many desert backroads, Bluejay Mine Road deteriorates as it approaches its end
- Bluejay Mine Road ends here, so I stash my bike in the brush, lock it up, and begin today's hike
- I take a look into the old entrance to the Bluejay Mine before I start climbing up the hill
- A yellow-chested bird watches me begin the hike up the steep hill above Bluejay Mine
- My first stop on the way up the hill is the upper shaft opening to the Bluejay Mine
- Because the upper opening to the Bluejay Mine is treacherous, it's surrounded by barbed wire
- I soon make it high enough up the hill to have a view across the Providence Mountains to the subtle curve of Cima Dome
- This hill in the Providence Mountains is a steep way to start a hike
- A quick look back down the hill behind me confirms why my heart is pounding
- I'm at a false summit here, with another 125 feet or so of climbing to reach this Providence Mountains summit
- I arrive at my Providence Mountains summit (Hill 1713) and take inventory of the 360-degree views
- From Hill 1713, I can see across Gold Valley to Twin Buttes and the Woods Mountains
- I turn on my cell phone up here on Hill 1713 in the Providence Mountains and get a signal, but...
- From Hill 1713 in the Providence Mountains, I can see Macedonia Canyon Road down below to the northwest
- Also up here on Hill 1713 in the Providence Mountains are a few blue delphinium flowers
- My route ahead is the Providence Mountains saddle to the right; I pass through an old range fence here
- When I hiked here last year, I dropped down into Beecher Canyon, below at left; but not this time
- On this saddle in the Providence Mountains, I find the remains of a balloon
- Beecher Canyon, scenic and tempting, but I'll stay up here on the saddle a bit longer so I can hike down into Globe Canyon
- Hill 1624 in the Providence Mountains boasts a robust rock outcrop stacked in layers
- Hiding in the rocks on Providence Mountains Hill 1624 is a crushed "Bud Light" can
- Everything has been quiet, and I can see down to the tiny town of Kelso, when a low-flying helicopter passes overhead
- As I descend into Globe Canyon, I can see over to the high points of the Providence Mountains
- A few bright-pink dudleya stems brighten up the landscape as I follow the ridge down into Globe Canyon
- I reach the bottom of one of the forks of Globe Canyon and look up at an old tailings pile
- As I arrive in Globe Canyon, I notice a few black-striped birds flitting about in a catclaw bush
- I pass a small mine opening in Globe Canyon
- Nearby in this fork of Globe Canyon is a small can dump
- A short distance further down Globe Canyon is another old mine hole
- I continue down this fork of Globe Canyon and exit the Wilderness markers
- It's also time for a chocolate energy bar in Globe Canyon while consulting the GPS
- I climb over a small hill to reach the main Globe Canyon Road, and discover a rock cairn on the hill
- I'm on Globe Canyon Road now, starting the uphill hike toward Summit Spring, and pass a couple of old trees, still alive
- I pass an old sink while hiking up Globe Canyon Road
- I pass another tailings pile along Globe Canyon Road
- Globe Canyon Road becomes rather indistinct after a while
- I turn a bend on Globe Canyon Road and have a short and steady uphill in front of me
- Under a burnt tree, two plants try to trick me: the yellow flowers don't belong to the the green patch of foliage
- Approaching Summit Spring, the now-faint Globe Canyon Road levels out
- I'm almost at Summit Spring, but I notice a couple of stray balloons nearby; I take a short detour to look at them close-up
- Next to Summit Spring are the remains of a concrete foundation and, presumably, a building
- I see a moist drainage channel nearby, which I presume comes from Summit Spring
- Well, here it is, Summit Spring, Mojave National Preserve, a disgusting concentrate of cow shit and water
- I'm thirsty, but I wait until I get up the hill away from stinky Summit Spring before guzzling more water
- I'm on the Providence Mountains ridge again, so I look to the south toward a hiking route as yet unexplored
- I'll follow the Providence Mountains ridge line to the left, then head right later to that high point at centre (Hill 1713)
- Numerous rock outcrops dot the Providence Mountains ridge line
- I get a good view of Globe Canyon Road from above, which I just hiked on the way to Summit Spring
- The little rock outcrops on the Providence Mountains ridge keep attracting my attention
- I take a look behind me at one of the spikes on the Providence Mountains ridge line that I just hiked over
- Over at the far right below Wild Horse Mesa is a thin line of trees where I hiked last year to get out of Beecher Canyon
- This outcrop on the Providence Mountains ridge line harbours a little cave
- Another little cave on the Providence Mountains ridge line...
- As I hike over another hump on the Providence Mountains ridge line, I arrive at a herd of resting cows
- The cows saunter along the Providence Mountains hillside, toward where?
- These two juniper trees on the Providence Mountains ridge survived the 2005 brush fires, just barely
- A few Desert trumpets (Eriogonum inflatum) grow on this part of the Providence Mountains ridge overlooking Beecher Canyon
- I look ahead and scope out my route along this part of the Providence Mountains ridge
- A turkey vulture, one of my favorite birds, flies overhead, reminding me that I'm alive
- As I climb a bit higher above Beecher Canyon, I pass through a field of Desert marigolds
- As I rise, I enjoy the views across Macedonia Canyon over to Cima Dome in the distance
- Ooops! A yucca stabs me as I walk past it, the result of sloppy hiking!
- Atop the steep hill I'm climbing is a piece of old range fence that I passed earlier today
- Zooming in really hard, I can see some of the rock turrets at Eagle Rocks, not far from tonight's home at Mid Hills campground
- No, that's not a thin woman standing there taking in the views from the Providence Mountains...
- I stumble across another rock cairn on my way back down to the Bluejay Mine area
- On the descent to Bluejay Mine, I run into a patch of Groundsel flowers
- Another flowering plant I notice on the way down to Bluejay Mine is Rock pea (Lotus rigidus)
- I arrive back at my bike by the old Winkler's Cabin site by Bluejay Mine and find that it has a flat tire
- My flat tire fixed, I start riding down Bluejay Mine Road on the way back to Mid Hills campground
- Bluejay Mine Road improves as it rolls downward, a most excellent mountain-biking road
- I ride up Wild Horse Canyon Road toward Columbia Mountain, just like last night, as the sun starts to dip behind the hills
- A rabbit darts across Wild Horse Canyon Road and then stands still near the brush
- As I climb Wild Horse Canyon Road, I turn back for a look at the Providence Mountains peaks before they disappear
- I know I'm getting close to home when I ride past the right-turn sign on Wild Horse Canyon Road
- A sunset ride up Wild Horse Canyon Road isn't complete without a glance over to Twin Buttes and Table Mountain
- I'm back at the Mid Hills campground entry kiosk at sunset, perfect timing!
- The sun goes down at nearly-empty Mid Hills campground and I meet my new neighbors, Heather and Sarah
- The morning sun at Mid Hills campground is warm, but it was really chilly overnight, one of the coldest nights of this trip
- We drive in Sarah's minivan over to the Teutonia Peak trailhead from Mid Hills campground for our end-of-day hike
- As we start up the Teutonia Peak Trail, we're greeted by some Indian paintbrush
- Some of the open areas between joshua trees are lightly carpeted with tiny white and yellow flowers
- Heather stops to check out a joshua tree on Teutonia Peak Trail
- A soft, furry cactus (one of many) invites passers-by along the Teutonia Peak Trail
- I spot another "pineapple cactus" near Teutonia Peak Trail
- Here's a colorful Hopsage (Grayia spinosa) along Teutonia Peak Trail
- A blue delphinium adds a spike of colour in the joshua-tree forest
- Sarah and Heather check out a really huge "pancake cactus"
- The Mojave Desert is most known for its spiny and tough plants, but graceful bunch grasses are also to be found
- The area here below Teutonia Peak is also known for its big boulder outcrops
- I've been seeing desert sages along this trail (Salvia dorrii) and this is one of the better ones
- An elderly juniper tree picks up the late afternoon sun along Teutonia Peak Trail
- Heather pauses in the middle of the Teutonia Peak Trail to contemplate the awesomeness of the area
- We start seeing the occasional Desert four o'clock bush with its intense magenta flowers
- As the trail rises toward Teutonia Peak, we pass through a patch of junipers
- A Banana yucca sends out a fresh bouquet on the way up Teutonia Peak Trail
- Sarah moseys around in the rock outcrops as we get close to the top of Teutonia Peak Trail
- Heather climbs up the top of the Teutonia Peak Trail past another patch of "pancake cactus"
- Near the top of Teutonia Peak Trail, we get a good view across to nearby Kessler Peak (at left)
- On Teutonia Peak, we linger and enjoy; Heather looks across the valley to the Mid Hills, where we're camping
- Heather walks between some of the boulders strewn about on Teutonia Peak
- Sarah takes a break on Teutonia Peak, overlooking the subtle curve of Cima Dome
- We're all taking photos of each other; Sarah sits on one of the Teutonia Peak ridges
- Sarah discovers a rock shelter at Teutonia Peak and tries it out
- Heather stands on a Teutonia Peak "balcony" overlooking the Cima Dome curve
- From Teutonia Peak are views over to the "summit" of Cima Dome
- As we start our way back down from Teutonia Peak, Heather takes the lead