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- OK, it's time to come out from behind this big old barberry bush and walk up there to Cliff Canyon Spring Peak #2
- I come across another another one of those old rough-hewn wood fences that I always like
- The old range fence crosses the view back down toward my Pinto Valley campsite
- I keep looking back behind me at the saddle that leads down to Cliff Canyon Spring
- Just a little further until I reach the top...
- Up on Cliff Canyon Spring Peak #2 at about 6550 feet elevation is a claim marker and lots of low-growing cacti
- From Cliff Canyon Spring Peak #2 at 6550 feet, I can make out Brant Road along the train tracks below, despite the visiting smog
- From here, I could continue downhill a few hundred feet and then up over to that next ridge in the New York Mountains
- Up on Cliff Canyon Spring Peak #2 are a lot of ankle-high cacti
- These burned tree skeletons near Cliff Canyon Spring Peak #2 don't care much about the strong winds up here!
- Looking back toward my Pinto Valley campsite, I see a whole hillside that escaped the 2005 brush fires
- It's a clear sunny day above the smog layer that's blowing across the Ivanpah Valley below
- I keep looking across upper Fourth of July Canyon at the New York Mountains peaks
- This pinon pine tree appears to have burned a bit during the 2005 brush fires, but not enough for it to die
- Several Claret-cup cacti up here on the Cliff Canyon Spring Peaks are blooming
- I decide to follow the old range fence for a while as I start my way back down to Pinto Valley
- I pass by a few junipers and see that I'm descending into an unusually green-looking little upland valley
- At the bottom of the valley, an uninterrupted patch of grey-green bunch grasses grows
- On the edge of the now-dry wet area are lots of tiny yellow flowers
- A few larger flowers also grow in this valley, which I think are Desert dandelions (Malacothrix californica)
- After crossing the little valley, I take a look back up toward the Cliff Canyon Spring Peaks to look at its banded appearance
- Some yellow Groundsel flowers also decorate the saddle I'm following back down to Pinto Valley
- Well, I've just passed through some yellow; now it's time for some purple
- I'm not sure what these purple flowers are
- It's interesting to find so many of these purple flowers on just this one hillside in the New York Mountains
- I'm tempted to climb down into the sandy wash as I get closer to Pinto Valley
- As I hike downhill toward home, I see that some of the smog haze has blown into Pinto Valley as well
- I'm officially at the bottom of the New York Mountains foothills now
- One bush that I encounter occasionally in the Mojave Desert Mountains is the Barberry
- I'm back down in Pinto Valley earlier than expected, so I go for a walk up a barely visible old road on the way back to camp
- A few stretches of the old road here on the other side of Howe Spring are still well-defined
- I decide to go climb a few boulders over on the nearby rock pile
- It's fun to hike over the rocks in this quiet corner of Pinto Valley
- Looking back at the New York Mountains foothills, I realize that today's hike was not too difficult, and worth the effort
- As I walk around the rocks near Howe Spring, I reflect on how I haven't seen another human for almost 4 days
- This pile of rocks reminds me of a rabbit viewed in side profile, with its head facing toward the right
- Front-on, these rocks look like a twisted, drunken face
- Nearby is another interesting rock outcrop
- This part of Howe Spring Road follows a sandy, eroded wash
- I pass yet another sculptural pile of rocks in Pinto Valley on the way back to my tent
- As I get closer to my tent, I notice my tire tracks and footprints from the past few days here in Pinto Valley
- Arriving back at my tent, I take note of the patch of pink Desert primroses near the fire ring
- I'm going to boil water for supper on this side of the tent, to shelter my gas flame from the wind
- One last sunset at Pinto Valley
- High winds overnight at Pinto Valley kept me from getting much sleep on this final night of the trip: miserable
- I dig one final cat hole in Pinto Valley and no flies drop by to disturb me while I fill it up
- My tent threatens to blow away while I pack it up one last time (until the next trip, of course)
- Everything is packed up and I'm almost ready to leave Pinto Valley after four nights here
- I leave my Pinto Valley campsite at 5650 feet elevation and start coasting down Howe Spring Road around 9h
- I keep looking back at the ominous clouds behind me as I ride down Howe Spring Road
- I stop to check out the remains of an old building along Howe Spring Road
- My route ahead will take me across Watson Wash
- I'm on New York Mountains Road now, and this part of it squiggles toward Drum Peak
- On New York Mountains Road, I notice strange noises coming from the 10-ton bike, so I pull over to see what's wrong
- I pass a few little roads in this scenic area at the foot of the New York Mountains near Carruthers Canyon
- I turn off on an unnamed road, which I'll call the Sagamore Canyon Cut-Off, and leave the better New York Mountains Road behind
- The Sagamore Canyon Cut-Off Road passes through a stand of juniper trees as it begins its gentle descent
- I reach a junction on the five-mile-long Sagamore Canyon Cut-Off Road
- Sagamore Canyon Cut-Off Road is rather rough in places
- Much of the landscape along Sagamore Canyon Cut-Off Road seems to be quite pristine
- I can see across the eastern end of Lanfair Valley over to the Castle Peaks area, where I spent a few days last week
- It's time for a short break to enjoy the solitude of Sagamore Canyon Cut-Off Road without the noise of the 10-ton bike
- Sagamore Canyon Cut-Off Road rolls over many low humps, since it cuts across drainage areas from the New York Mountains
- A few short slopes with loose rock on the Sagamore Canyon Cut-Off road force me to get off the bike and walk a bit
- Looking back behind me, I can see all the way across Lanfair Valley to flat-topped Table Mountain
- Great views from here across the joshua-tree forest to the New York Mountains peaks
- My five-mile ride across the Sagamore Canyon Cut-Off road comes to an end when I reach the bigger Ivanpah Road
- Ivanpah Road is wide and gravelly
- I pull over on Ivanpah Road to check out a couple of Phacelias (Desert canterbury bells) in bloom
- A couple of cars pass me along Ivanpah Road
- I turn down a side road, just to see what's there, and find this old shot-up car
- Not only is the old car (1940s?) well-shot-up, but it's well-buried in sand
- Nice view from the driver's seat!
- I walk over to that old headframe, or whatever it is, with the New York Mountains backdrop
- I spot a tiny bit of blue in the landscape!
- Some of the bunch grasses in this high valley are quite bushy
- I return to the task of riding back to Primm, Nevada and have views of the Castle Peaks from this part of Ivanpah Road
- As I ride past Barnwell, I have to take another photo of the lined-up junked cars
- This segment of Ivanpah Road follows the old railway grade from 100 years ago, and thus cuts right through the hills
- An uphill car passes me as Ivanpah Road begins its descent into Ivanpah Valley
- I recognize the Bathtub Spring Peaks area as I ride down Ivanpah Road
- I pause briefly along Ivanpah Road when I pass the dirt track leading up to Bathtub Spring, where I hiked on day 6
- In today's cool weather, I'm wearing my windbreaker over my sweater as I descend slowly into Ivanpah Valley
- On the west side of Ivanpah Road, I can see roads leading up the hillsides in the Slaughterhouse Spring area
- Downhill I ride toward Ivanpah Valley
- Buckwheats are still flowering along this stretch of Ivanpah Road
- I arrive at the beginning of the pavement on Ivanpah Road
- Down there in the middle of Ivanpah Valley is a homestead
- It's fun to be on pavement again for a change, even if it's only for 2.5 miles: especially since it's downhill
- As I approach the train tracks, I pass the old Ivanpah General Store
- At the Ivanpah Road railroad crossing, I make a right turn toward Nipton on the dirt road (Nipton-Moore Rd) that hugs the tracks
- Lonely Nipton-Moore Road dips down to cross numerous drainage washes as it crosses the desert alongside the train tracks
- I have almost 20 miles to ride on this road until I reach Primm and end the day (and this year's trip)
- I pass another of these railway bridges and this one has a sandy road running under it, toward Willow Wash
- Hmmm... it looks like some light rain is falling further over in Ivanpah Valley
- Nipton-Moore Road rises over a few mounds, and from this one, I can see over to a small outcrop I've nicknamed 'Black Palisades'
- This road is not maintained...
- I think I'm riding right into that cloudy area...
- Just another three miles, and I'll arrive at Nipton for my rest stop
- My dirt road crosses the paved Nipton Road, where I get off to visit the general store
- I stop at Nipton for a relaxing 1.5 hours; I eat vegetable chips and have some liquid refreshment
- The café at Nipton is closed right now due to plumbing problems
- I guess I need to leave Nipton and get on with the final leg of this trip
- I'm back on the train-track road, but this time a few miles of it are paved, and called Nipton-Desert Road
- I cross the cattle-guard on Nipton-Desert Road
- It looks like a few rainy patches are moving around out in the middle of Ivanpah Valley
- I zoom in behind me for a final glance at the Castle Peaks area of the New York Mountains
- The pavement on Nipton-Desert Road ends at private property and the road turns sharply left to cross under the train tracks
- Nipton-Desert Road crosses under the train tracks at the one-house settlement of Desert, California
- I keep looking back at the murky clouds over upper Ivanpah Valley toward Cima and the New York Mountains
- Nipton-Desert Road comes out from under a few dark clouds as I ride toward Primm
- Vehicles on the I-15 freeway, on the other side of Ivanpah Valley, glisten as the setting sun peers through the clouds
- From here, I can see back to the New York Mountains ridge line where I hiked yesterday (Cliff Canyon Springs Peaks)
- It's always fun when a train passes by while riding these trackside roads in the Mojave Desert
- Well, there's Primm, Nevada just ahead; I guess this year's trip is officially over
- Back on the pavement of Primm, Nevada, where I started two weeks ago
- There's Whiskey Pete's Casino and Hotel on the other side of the freeway, where I'll spend this last night; trip over!
- Tomorrow morning, an Amtrak bus will deliver me to the train in Bakersfield, which passes through fields of roses in Wasco
- Bathtub Spring Peaks, New York Mountains hiking route elevation profile
- Bathtub Spring Peaks, New York Mountains hiking route
- Elevation profile of Castle Peaks hiking route, Mojave National Preserve
- Elevation profile of McCullough Mountains hiking route from Pine Spring area
- McCullough Mountains hike route from Pine Spring area
- Five-springs hike in the northern Mid Hills/New York Mountains: route
- Five-springs hike in the northern Mid Hills/New York Mountains: route
- Cliff Canyon Peaks hike, Mojave National Preserve, hiking route
- Elevation profile of Pinto Valley to Primm, Nevada bicycle route via Ivanpah Road
- Pinto Valley to Primm, Nevada bicycle route via Ivanpah Road
- Elevation profile of bicycle route from Primm, Nevada to Pine Spring area, McCullough Mountains
- Bicycle route from Primm, Nevada to Pine Spring area, McCullough Mountains, Nevada
- Elevation profile of bicycle route from Mid Hills Campground to Pinto Valley, Mojave National Preserve
- Bicycle route from Mid Hills Campground to Pinto Valley, Mojave National Preserve
- Elevation profile of bicycle route through Gold Valley to Saddle Horse Canyon from Mid Hills campground
- Route of Gold Valley bicycle ride from Mid Hills campground, plus a short hike in Saddle Horse Canyon
- Summit Spring hiking route elevation profile
- Summit Spring hiking route and Wild Horse Canyon bicycle ride
- Teutonia Peak Trail, Mojave National Preserve, elevation gain
- Teutonia Peak Trail, Mojave National Preserve, hiking route
- Elevation profile of bicycle route to Castle Peaks, Mojave National Preserve from Searchlight, Nevada
- Bicycle route to Castle Peaks, Mojave National Preserve from Searchlight, Nevada
- Elevation profile of bicycle route from Castle Peaks campsite to Mid Hills campground via Cedar Canyon Road
- Bicycle route from Castle Peaks campsite to Mid Hills campground via Cedar Canyon Road
- Elevation profile of bicycle route from Pine Spring, McCullough Mountains to Searchlight
- Bicycle route from Pine Spring, McCullough Mountains to Searchlight
- The Boulder
- Rock pile
- End of day
- Here I am yet again taking a break at Mojave National Preserve's Kelso Depot visitor center
- As I descend into the Kelso Valley, it's becoming noticeably warmer
- I start the 19-mile ride down Kelso-Cima Road to Kelso Depot and stop after 5 miles at the junction of Cedar Canyon Road
- I'm lucky again when I pass the Cima Store because it's open
- Yesterday morning I left San José and took Amtrak train and bus to Baker, California to start the trip
- My friend and housesitter hangs out on my front porch as I pull away
- I start this Mojave National Preserve trip by waking up in my kitchy 1980s room at Baker's deteriorating Royal Hawaiian Motel
- Baker's "world's tallest thermometer," next to the Big Boy restaurant, registers a balmy 71 degrees this morning
- Roadside view of the Royal Hawaiian Motel, my home last night while waiting to begin the bikepacking trip
- From my balcony at the Royal Hawaiian, I can see Kelbaker Road heading into the cherished emptiness of Mojave National Preserve
- The 10-ton bike is now packed and assembled, ready to leave the Royal Hawaiian and spend two weeks in Mojave National Preserve
- Leaving Baker, the 10-ton bike and I cross the I-15 freeway and head toward Mojave National Preserve
- A quarter mile or so beyond the freeway crossing, I reach the Mojave National Preserve entrance marker and leave the past behind
- Almost 13 miles up Kelbaker Road, I stop briefly at the rough dirt road to Indian Springs, Mojave National Preserve
- I always enjoy passing the lava flows along Kelbaker Road just beyond the road to Indian Springs
- Time for a break: I pause for a Clif bar at Black Tank Wash along the lava flows adjacent to Kelbaker Road
- I'm noticing a lot of white-flowered buckwheats along Kelbaker Road on the way up toward the summit
- I keep pedalling slowly up Kelbaker Road, Mojave National Preserve
- I'm almost at the Kelbaker Road summit now, which is marked by the power lines crossing the road
- I take another break when I reach the coveted Kelbaker Road summit at about 3800 feet
- Orange desert mallow flowers at the Kelbaker Road summit, Mojave National Preserve
- Banana yuccas getting ready to flower at the Kelbaker Road summit, Mojave National Preserve
- Mojave aster flowers at Kelbaker Road summit, Mojave National Preserve
- Replenished, I begin the slow 12-mile descent to the Mojave National Preserve Kelso Depot visitor centre 1700 feet below
- Kelbaker Road drops down toward Kelso and the sand piles of the Kelso Dunes become visible in the distance down in the valley
- As I reach the floor of Kelso Valley at 2100 feet, I focus on the small group of buildings ahead that is the town of Kelso
- I hang out at the Kelso Depot visitor centre for almost an hour, fill up my water supply, and ask rangers about area conditions
- Just before I leave Kelso Depot, I stop to visit the ruins of a house across the road
- I begin wobbling up the gentle grade of Kelso-Cima Road away from Kelso Depot up to Globe Mine Road
- I exchange waves with the conductor of a passing freight train that rises slowly on the tracks along Kelso-Cima Road
- I've been riding on pavement all day (almost 40 miles), but this will end now that I've reached the sign for Globe Mine Road
- I cross the tracks at Globe Mine Road and it's official: I've just left pavement for a couple of days
- Just beyond the railroad tracks, Globe Mine Road splits into three unnamed roads
- I choose the right (south) fork of Globe Mine Road
- A garden of white buckwheat flowers and cholla cactus along the south fork of Globe Mine Road, Mojave National Preserve
- This clearing along the south fork of Globe Mine Road is obviously an old site of something and well-used
- After about two miles, I reach the "shortcut" from the south fork of Globe Mine Road to the middle fork
- Diminutive phacelia flowers grow in the road on the "shortcut" between Globe Mine Road's south and middle forks
- The "shortcut" road dips down into a wash as it connects from the south fork to the middle fork of Globe Mine Road
- The "shortcut" ends at a junction with the middle fork of Globe Mine Road
- I follow tire tracks up a wash that seems to be the middle fork of Globe Mine Road and drag the bike through the deep sand
- I decide that I don't really need to camp right next to that old mine site, so I pull over here and choose a campsite nearby
- Mojave National Preserve map, Day 1: Baker to Globe Mine Road
- Making coffee outside my tent near the end of the middle fork of Globe Mine Road, Mojave National Preserve
- A bluish-grey moth with subtle peach trim visits my cup while coffee is steeping
- Red cactus flower buds near my tent
- Paper-bag bush (aka salazaria mexicana, bladder sage) growing near my tent
- It's 13h and I finally get started on today's hike to Tough Nut Mine
- This shaft at the mine site has concrete walls
- I see what looks like an old road up on the hill above, which is not on my maps
- The old remnant of a road ends here on the crest of the hill at a small mine shaft; I continue walking cross-country
- From the top of the next low ridge, I look for an easy descent down to the next wash
- I walk a quarter mile up the wash, looking for signs of the old road to Tough Nut Mine