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- Elevation profile of bicycle route from Mid Hills Campground to Twin Buttes area
Easy day: 16.4 bicycle miles plus about 800 feet of elevation gain (and a fun 1700 feet of elevation drop). - Elevation profile of bicycle route from my Cornfield Spring Road campsite to Mid Hills campground, via Kelso-Cima Road (Day 3)
27.9 bicycle miles from my Cornfield Spring Road campsite to Mid Hills campground, rising from 2125 feet at Kelso Depot to 5600 feet. - Elevation profile of bicycle route from Nipton to Brant Hills
19 bicycle miles and over 1000 feet of elevation gain. - Elevation profile of bicycle route from Pine Spring, McCullough Mountains to Searchlight
19.2 miles and about 1500 feet of elevation loss. - Elevation profile of bicycle route from Primm, Nevada to Pine Spring area, McCullough Mountains
29.3 bicycle miles plus about 3500 feet of elevation gain. - Elevation profile of bicycle route from Twin Buttes campsite to Nipton via Cima: Day 15
50.9 often-downhill bicycle miles. High point of the day on Black Canyon Road: 5346 feet elevation; low point (near Nipton): 2624 feet elevation. - Elevation profile of bicycle route through Gold Valley to Saddle Horse Canyon from Mid Hills campground
19.7 bicycle miles plus 3.4 hiking miles. - Elevation profile of bicycle route to Castle Peaks, Mojave National Preserve from Searchlight, Nevada
26 bicycle miles and about 2000 feet of elevation gain. - Elevation profile of bicycle route, Piute Gorge to Hackberry Spring via Rattlesnake Mine
36.5 bicycle miles and about 1500 feet of elevation gain. - Elevation profile of Bull Canyon hike route from campsite on Kelso Dunes power-line road
11.5 hiking miles, 2140 feet elevation gain. - Elevation profile of Castle Peaks hiking route, Mojave National Preserve
10.1 hiking miles and about 2300 feet of elevation gain. - Elevation profile of Cave Spring hike, Mojave National Preserve
4.7 hiking miles. - Elevation profile of Copper World Mine hiking route from Pachalka Spring, Mojave National Preserve (Day 13)
2090 feet of elevation gain (and drop) over 7.4 miles with an average grade of ten percent. - Elevation profile of Cornfield Spring hiking route, Mojave National Preserve
9.5 miles round trip, 1839 feet elevation gain. - Elevation profile of Gold Valley bicycle ride
27 bicycle miles and about 2200 feet of elevation gain. - Elevation profile of hiking route in upper forks of Beecher Canyon from Blue Jay Mine
5.3 hiking miles with 2050 feet elevation gain. - Elevation profile of hiking route to Broadwell Natural Arch, Bristol Mountains, Kelso Dunes Wilderness Area
15.8 hiking miles with about 1300 feet of elevation gain. - Elevation profile of hiking route to Rex Mine and West Edgar Canyon #3 from Cornfield Spring Road campsite
10.8 hiking miles and 1575 feet of elevation gain. - Elevation profile of hiking route: Mail Spring, Lecyr Spring and Keystone Spring, Mojave National Preserve
9.7 hiking miles and about 1200 feet of elevation gain. - Elevation profile of Juniper Spring day hike from Malpais Spring, Mojave National Preserve
11 hiking miles round trip, over 2000 feet elevation gain - Elevation profile of Kelso Dunes Wilderness Area "South Broadwell Wash" hiking route
18.6 hiking miles plus approximately 1100 feet of elevation gain. - Elevation profile of McCullough Mountains hiking route from Pine Spring area
9.2 hiking miles plus about 2200 feet of elevation gain. - Elevation profile of Mojave National Preserve: Rings Trail and Barber Mountain Loop Trail day hike: Day 11
7.8 hiking miles and 11 bicycle miles. - Elevation profile of Nipton to Malpais Spring bicycle route via Walking Box Ranch Road
27.6 bicycle miles with 3500 feet of elevation gain, probably exaggerated by the Topo 7 software as usual. - Elevation profile of Old Government Road day hike to Piute Spring from Piute Gorge campsite
5 hiking miles and about 1000 feet of elevation gain. - Elevation profile of Pinto Valley to Primm, Nevada bicycle route via Ivanpah Road
46.5 bicycle miles and about 2700 feet of elevation loss. - Elevation profile of Piute Canyon/Piute Spring hike
3.6 hiking miles, about 600 feet of elevation gain. - Elevation profile of round-trip mountain-bike ride from Woods Wash, Mojave National Preserve, to Fenner and Essex, CA
73 bicycle miles and about 3500 feet of elevation gain. - Elevation profile of Route 66 Newberry Mountains bicycle route
40.5 bicycle miles plus about 1200 feet of elevation gain. - Elevation profile of short Cornfield Spring Road day hike, Mojave National Preserve (Day 2)
5.1 hiking miles up Cornfield Spring Road and back with 650 feet elevation gain (and loss). - Elevation profile of Sleeping Beauty to Kelso Dunes Wilderness bicycle route
24.9 bicycle miles plus about 1200 feet of elevation drop. - Elevation profile of Table Mountain hike
9.8 hiking miles and about 1800 feet of elevation gain. - Elevation profile of today's hike to Malpais Spring, Indian Spring and Taylor Spring, Mojave National Preserve
7.9 hiking miles with about 1700 feet of elevation gain. Lots of little ups and downs along the way. - Elevation profile of today's ride from Mid Hills campground to Howe Spring and back (Day 6)
- Elevation profile: Baker, California to Cornfield Spring via Kelbaker Road and Kelso Depot, Mojave National Preserve (Day 1)
37.1 bicycle miles with elevation changing from 925 feet at Baker, to 3700 feet at the Kelbaker Road summit, to 2120 feet at Kelso, to 2300 feet on Cornfield Spring Road. Total elevation gain: about 2950 feet. - Elevation profile: Piute Gorge to Bathtub Spring by bicycle via Mojave Road and Ivanpah Road
26.3 bicycle miles and about 1500 feet of elevation gain. - Emigrant Campground as seen from the public washrooms down the road at the rest stop
Looking southwest on Highway 190 up toward Towne Pass. I consider riding in that direction today, as I'd like to see Panamint Valley on the other side. Or, I could just ride south up Wildrose Road. - Empty parking lot, weather too hot!
- End of day
- End of day
- End-of-day haze at 108 degrees F (42 C)
- End-of-day light hits the upper reaches of the canyon
- Energized by my chat with Brian, I start thinking about taking another short break, this time by the lava flows
I've heard there may be some Native-American rock art here that I missed when I've camped in this area in the past. - Energy-bar break above Watson Wash!
I have to cross over those hills up there to get back to the bicycle. - Enjoying desert gold as the mud flats go dry
- Enjoying the morning outside my tent at Providence Mountains State Recreation Area
Do I really have to leave today? I really enjoyed my leisurely stay here yesterday, not doing anything too strenuous for a change. My evening campfires, thanks to the boxes of firewood that they sell at the visitor center, were awesome, and gave off lots of much-needed heat! Though still windy and chilly, it's a beautiful, sunny day in the desert and I'm looking forward to the climb over Foshay Pass shortly. - Enjoying the sunset to the left of Cowhole Mountain as I walk down the bottom of the road from Idora Mine Canyon
A little further ahead, I'll turn right on Old Kelso Road for the final half mile walk back to camp. - Enjoying the view from Board Spring out across the Orestimba Valley.
Enjoying the view from Board Spring out across the Orestimba Valley. - Enjoying the views down to Cowhole Moutain and Soda Lake, I ponder camping another night here at Devil's Playground
It's quiet and still this morning. I have enough water to get me through the night, but there's nowhere around here where I would be able to refill my reserves tomorrow morning. Oh well, time to pack up and move on... - Enjoying the views up on Pacheco Ridge Road in the hot sun. My cell phone works here!
Time to check in for messages and to leave a new outgoing message to tell anyone who calls where I am. - Enough chatting; it's time to get on with the day's business of riding up out of Kelso Valley to Baker
It's just after 13h, so I should have enough time to get there by dark, unless a heavy headwind gets in the way. - Entering Foshay Pass now, the actual summit is still a little further ahead
I'm more or less on top now, and it looks like I might reach an overlook down the other side after I cross this less-hilly stretch. - Entering Jackass Canyon from Devil's Playground, Mojave National Preserve
This part of the Jackass Canyon Road is rideable, and there's even a bit of old pavement here and there, hiding under the dirt. However, I was here on my Xmas 2007 Mojave trip and know that a couple of miles of this road will be hike-a-biking. - Entering San Jose's suburban sprawl along Monterey Road for real now, passing by a street called Grandwell Way.
Entering San Jose's suburban sprawl along Monterey Road for real now, passing by a street called Grandwell Way. - Entering Tecopa Hot Springs after riding over the hill from Tecopa
The early-evening sun provides a nice glow for tourists wanting to see pretty things. - Entering the forested area, still above the canyon.
Entering the forested area, still above the canyon. - Entering the next phase of today's hike, I start heading down toward Wildcat Spring, Mojave National Preserve
I pre-recorded a route through this area on my Delorme GPS and am also carrying a good topo map from mytopo.com to assist me. A couple of jackrabbits run away when they detect me. - Entering the Tough Nut Mine tunnel
The entrance appears to be made of some kind of poured concrete, which leads to the excavated tunnel into the earth inside. I wonder if that drum of acetone still contains acetone... I don't continue any further into the tunnel than this, as alluring as it may be. - Entering the valley, with the Avawatz Mountains in the background
Wind blowing against me is starting to feel hot. - Entrance to the small cave is via a narrow ledge
The ledge is just wide and flat enough for a human to use, carefully. - Entrance to the upper tunnel at the Bighorn Basin mine
The timbers look to be in pretty good condition. - Entwined Joshua tree
- Erosion along the walls of Indian Springs wash
This environment may be parched, but it's clear that torrents of water run down this wash from time to time. - This environment may be parched, but it's clear that torrents of water run down this wash from time to time. Desert soils don't absorb water very well, so you don't want to camp in a wash if there's any risk of rain, due to the potential for flash floods. - Erosion formation in "South Broadwell Wash"
This is another of those dry Mojave Desert places where a lot of water obviously flows at certain moments. - Erosion has exposed a series of small air pockets in one of the earth layers, and a few small bushes grow on up the crest
There are probably a few birds who really like those inaccessible spots up there! - Erosion in "South Broadwell Wash" exposes earth layers that would otherwise be hidden
It's hard to imagine a quantity of flowing water here high enough to scour that wall in such a way. - Erosion is so severe in a few spots on the old Castle Peaks road that the roadbed is almost unrecognizable
I can see why the road is closed to vehicles beyond my campsite, since spots like this are impassible to most vehicles. It still makes for a nice trail. - Erosion on the old road to Cottonwood Canyon has exposed some old rubber piping that had been buried under the road
These old pipes presumably once carried water to the corral at the bottom of Butcher Knife Canyon near my campsite (I had been wondering where water came from for the trough in the corral). - Erosion, Death Valley National Park, Fall 2020
- Essex Road has been rather desolate so far, so it's amusing to ride over the tube of civilization that is Interstate 40
I started at around 4500 feet elevation this morning and now I'm at 2100 feet. It doesn't seem like I've descended that much; none of this downhill has been steep, but it has been relaxing and enjoyable. - Essex, California has a school
Probably not many pupils attend, but I'm guessing that many are bussed in from the outlying areas. - Etched into the rock
- Etched into the sheet metal wall is an oil-change reminder
Someone decided that the larger reminder wasn't visible enough and re-etched a smaller, but deeper, version of it immediately underneath. - Eureka Dunes
- Even the message telling the visitor that this heater is no longer in use appears to be many years old
The tape attaching the message to the heater hasn't detached yet. - Even way out here in Bull Canyon, I again come across an old balloon; I doubt someone had a birthday party right here
I keep finding balloons in the most remote places! I stuff it in my backpack for later disposal in the trash. - Evening stroll, Death Valley National Park
- Every time I think the wind is lessening, and that the day will progress nicely after all, another big gust pummels my tent
Strong Mojave Desert winds are common and I expect to eventually encounter and tolerate them whenever I come out here. Wind in Mojave National Preserve's Butcher Knife Canyon bent my former tent's poles in 2008, but the fabric stood up (thanks REI). - Everyone loves a good historic desert can dump, don't they?
- Everything has been packed into the saddlebags that will be attached to my bike, after I walk everything out to the road
My campsite tonight will be somewhere just on the other side of Broadwell Dry Lake, that sandy patch down there. I'll make a short detour to Ludlow along the way to replenish my water supply. - Everything has been quiet, and I can see down to the tiny town of Kelso, when a low-flying helicopter passes overhead
After Mid Hills campground, I haven't seen anyone except for the pick-up truck on Wild Horse Canyon Road. The intrusion of a loud helicopter is weird, like surveillance. Flying low, I'm sure its occupants see me hiking, sole human here today. - Everything is nicely packed up into my saddlebags and attached to the 10-ton bike
And off I go... Gee, I'm sweating already. Another hot day. - Everything is packed up and I'm almost ready to leave Pinto Valley after four nights here
It's chilly enough this morning that I'm wearing my long underwear and bandana while packing, even though these activities generate heat. - Excellent end-of-day light on the Providence Mountains as I walk up a steep hill to avoid one of the switchbacks on the road
I have another hour of excellent end-of-day light ahead of me, which always makes for rewarding hiking in the Mojave Desert. - Excellent perspectives of the surrounding mountains come into view as one climbs higher up Kelso Dunes
Often in the desert, everything is gently tilted. The slope that Kelbaker Road slowly climbs for miles in front of the Providence Mountains behind me is quite evident here, exaggerated a bit by the camera angle. - Excellent views eastward from the ledge on which the campground sits
I spend some time trying to identify roads and features in the distance where I might have been. - Excellent views of the cinder-cone landscape from the road that links upper Jackass Canyon Road back to the power-line road
I haven't previously been on this short (1.5 mile) road that rises from 3200 to 3600 feet, I've decided to try it rather than returning to Kelbaker Road for the finale of today's climb. - Excelsior Mine Road rises up a short hill to cross a bridge over the I-15 freeway
Excelsior Mine Road becomes Cima Road on the other side of the freeway. Kessler Peak, near which I camped a few nights ago, is the outcrop in the distance. The gentle curve on the horizon at the right is Cima Dome. - Except for this campsite, Mid Hills campground is almost empty this morning, which is surprising for a Saturday morning
Mid Hills campground can be busy on weekends, but it looks like the cold weather system moving through the mountains here has kept people away. That's fine by me, and it's one reason I'm staying an extra night! - Exiting the manzanita tunnel.
On the way out of the manzanita tunnel, there are fewer trees, but they are larger and ganglier. - Exiting the mouth of Butcher Knife Canyon, erosion in the sand shows that there's quite a bit of water here from time to time
...but not today, not in late May. - Exiting the shaded part of West Edgar Canyon #3
I'm hiking downhill now, fairly quickly, but have to pay attention to the small rocks everywhere. Sprained or broken ankles not allowed! - Expansive views across to the Willow Ridge area on the right and far beyond as Mahoney Meadows Road descends
This gentle downhill is a lot of fun, and I rode this last year as well, but it probably gets tiring in the uphill direction, which I haven't tried yet. - Faded paint on this old truck behind the Cima Store labels it as a possession of Providence Land and Cattle
A Google search for "Providence Land and Cattle" turns up nothing. Best to ask some locals about the history of this truck; someone will know. - Fading petroglyphs
- Faint pink light in the wash
I'm marvelling at this place because I'm pretty sure that people rarely come back here. It feels untouched. The silence is broken occasionally by light gusts of wind blowing past my ears. - I'm marvelling at this place because I'm pretty sure that people rarely come back here. It feels untouched. The silence is broken occasionally by light gusts of wind blowing past my ears. I almost hate to leave footprints in these pristine suroundings. - False-teeth rocks on the plateau between Table Mountain and Barnett Mine
False teeth tend to fall out eventually. - Farther into the canyon on China Ranch Road
The canyon walls have gotten higher. Dramatic! - Fast-food break! Subway restaurant at the Newberry Springs gas station at the I-40 freeway
Meatball sub sandwich with tomato sauce with onions and lettuce, and Mountain Dew for some caffeine buzz. I need all of this! Route 66 crosses under the freeway here and I continue riding toward Daggett, and then Barstow after my meal break. - Faux wood paneling in the back of the old van, sagging a little
This looks like a kitschy update to the van during a later period of its life. Where's the fake brick that should accompany it? - Feathery pinks and blues dust the sky looking northeast
I get out my pot of water that I'll boil for my evening meal once the sun goes down. - Federal law prohibits sale
This intact bottle states "Federal law prohibits sale" and "half pint." What might have been in this that can't be sold? - Fenner Hills Road crosses a wide gravelly area thst was apparently once cleared of vegetation
Perhaps this was once a mining spot, or a landing pad? My maps don't offer any additional information. - Fenner, California is mostly just this big gas station serving freeway traffic from Interstate 40
I've read that there was once a small town here at Fenner, but it apparently faded away over the years as many desert towns do. I stop here to pick up a few overpriced supplies and carry on. - Fields of pinkish-white buckwheat flowers bloom along Walking Box Ranch Road, with Nevada's McCullough Mountains in the distance
I've been riding slowly up the gentle grade of Walking Box Ranch Road for almost half an hour now. - Filtering water from Cottonwood Spring, Mojave National Preserve
I've waited five minutes, and the silt in the depression that I dug in the stream has cleared away. I'm filling my half-depleted two-litre Camelbak and two empty 1.5-litre water bottles. - Finally I've made it to the top of Morning Star Mine Road
The road bears left here at the summit, then I'll have 3.5 miles of almost-flat downhill before I reach the Cima store. I've never been up the dirt roads that depart here to my right, one of which leads to the old Billy Boy Mine site. - Finally, Gold Valley Road dips down into Gold Valley itself
This downhill is a mountain-biker's dream (in the downhill direction). Not quite single-track, but that's unimportant. There are plenty of small obstacles to keep you awake, and great mountain views. - Finally, hiding in the "shade" of a few chamise bushes, I get enough of a signal to make a call on my cell phone
I call in to change my outgoing message so that callers know where I am, and I send a text message to the boy. I'm burning up in the hot sun, feeling a bit nauseous and out of breath, so my new outgoing phone message sounds like I'm on the verge of death! Maybe I am. My drinking water is hot to drink and my bike is hot to touch. This is my first phone reception in several days, so I hope nobody is worried about my temporary disappearance. Worst of all, my profuse sweating is making my sunscreen run off my face in the most unsightly fashion! - Finally, I arrive at my exit from Route 66, Hidden Springs Road, and turn left
I'll follow this road under the freeway and up into the Newberry Mountains foothills. What will I find there? - Finally, I reach the end (for me) of the Powerline Road where it crosses Kelbaker Road and I get back on pavement. I look back
It seemed like I would never make it to the end of those rollers! Gee, looking back, the road doesn't look too unfriendly at all... I consider riding over to Kelso Dunes and camping there one last night as planned. However, I'm running very low on food and that makes me uncomfortable. I would love to eat a snack right now, but all I have left is another add-boiling-water-to-pouch meal. So I decide to keep on going toward Baker and end the trip a day early. It's only another 40 miles further... and there's food in Baker waiting to be eaten! - Finally, I reach the Mid Hills campground entrance road; those final two miles always seem to last forever
My rear wheel has started rubbing against the frame like it did a couple of days ago. Oddly, when I walk the bike, the wheel almost locks up, but if I ride, it just rubs. Huh? Since I'm almost there, I don't bother fixing it immediately. - Finally, I've come out of the mountains enough to see the entire Powerline Road and Kelso Dunes ahead of me
But I also see that I have more rollers to negotiate on the way down! At least I'm getting that great anticipated view of the Kelso Dunes now. From this vantage point, it's clear that this road is just cut across the terrain instead of following the natural contours of the land, which would have created an easier road with switchbacks. - Finally, I've reached the flatter, upper part of Ivanpah Road, still with blurry shadows due to the eclipse
I'm exhausted, but I can pedal a bit more now with the lower sun and slightly cooler air. Some phony positive-packaging folks would call this moment a renaissance; I call it running on empty with stamina. - Finally, the tent comes down and my departure from Paradise Lake is now imminent
The sun has come over the hill and the day is heating up quickly, even at this early hour. Sweat drips off my face as I pack my saddlebags and assemble the 10-ton bike. - Finally, we start our long descent into Death Valley on Hunter Mountain Road, through the pine trees
This corner of Death Valley National Park actually has a forest of pinyon pines due to its high elevation (7000 feet). It's also a lot cooler here up high. Our long slow descent down the washboarded Hunter Mountain Road is bumpy. The sun sets behind the pine trees, and the hills sometimes block the sunset and many of the views of the Panamint Valley below. No more photos for the day, due to lack of disposable cameras and the darkness encroaching! The lower part of the drive, on Saline Valley Road, is also rough, due to the old damaged pavement on the road. There are damaged-pavement areas, and potholes to be avoided, if you can be bothered dodging them all. We make it back to the smooth pavement of Highway 190 just after dark and stop at Panamint Springs Resort for an expensive (but good) hamburger and beer to go back to our camp sites at Emigrant Campground. We're all tired and Renée isn't feeling well from all the bouncing around in the back seat, but we've created a day to remember after driving 160 miles, much of it on backroads. - Finding a campsite is tricky in this area above Ivanpah Valley because there are hardly any open spaces between plants
I end up cautiously pitching my tent tightly between two yuccas and try not to crush the flowering buckwheat in front of my tent as I go in and out. - Fine gravel!
Ugh, loss of traction. off the bike for a few feet again! - Fire ring along the former road to Bolder Spring
With grass growing in it, and no ash residue from previous campfires, it doesn't look like this fire ring has been used in quite some time. - Fire ring at a roadside campsite on Jackass Canyon Road about 1.75 miles in from Kelbaker Road
A scenic location for a short break. I need some calories (a Clif bar) and it's time to put my winter coat and scarf back on before starting the downhill into the canyon. I didn't know that this informal campsite exists and haven't seen it mentioned in any of the material I've read. The views of the cinder cones and a scattering of Joshua trees behind me make for a nice campsite, but it's a bit chilly and exposed to the cold wind up here today at 3200 feet. - Firecracker penstemon (Penstemon eatonii) in the wash below Silver Lead Spring
I planted a couple of these in my San José garden and they grew for one season only; they prefer life out here in the desert. - First order of this sunny morning is to dig a desert cat hole since I don't have access to a toilet out here!
Actually, this toilet is more scenic than most. - First, I go for a short walk around my Keystone Canyon campsite
A rocky road behind my campsite, which I didn't notice last night, leads to another campsite in a hidden hollow just behind the juniper trees. - First, I ride down the bumpy powerline road 1.7 miles back to Crucero Road
I'll make a left at Crucero Road toward Broadwell Dry Lake and Ludlow, but I'm looking at the Cady Mountains further ahead where I'll do a hike a couple of days from now. - First, I think I'll ride the couple of remaining miles into Newberry Springs and refill my water supply
I see another dust trail crossing Route 66 not too far ahead. If you're a dirt biker, this would be a great environment to have right outside your front door... - Fist rock, with New York Mountains in the background
- Five minutes later, the belt of Venus still persists, stolid, colorfast
I can see the area where I started this morning, the Piute Range: those flat hills over there beneath the belt of Venus. - Five minutes later, the pink sunset light has dimmed a little
Instead of taking the sandy wash road that I used to get here, I'm going to stay on this road an extra mile or so to reach paved Kelbaker Road for a faster return to my campsite near Kelso Dunes. - Five years after the 2005 brush fires here, many of the burned trees are finally falling down
Is there anybody around to hear the sound of the trees falling down? - Five-panel wooden doors inside the Aguereberry cabin
Just like the ones that my circa-1900 house was equipped with when it was built. - Five-percent grade ahead
Woo hoo! - Five-springs hike in the northern Mid Hills/New York Mountains: route
12.2 hiking miles and about 2300 feet of elevation gain. - Five-springs hike in the northern Mid Hills/New York Mountains: route
12.2 hiking miles and about 2300 feet of elevation gain. - Flood markers along Highway 127
Flood markers indicate the height of the Amargosa River, which runs along the other side of the highway. This part of the Amargosa River is mostly dry right now. A SUV slows down while passing me and asks for directions to Baker, so he can get back home to Southern California. - Flower
- Flowers growing in the middle of the old road
Orange desert mallow and blue Mojave aster. - Fluffy clematis post-flower seed heads along White Tank Spring Trail, Henry Coe State Park
This clematis was intertwined with a patch of poison oak, as is often the case. - Fluffy in the breeze
- Fluffy post-flower residue along Slaughterhouse Road
I wonder if this is a "winterfat" bush. - Fluffy white stuff on a small barrel cactus at the top of Malpais Spring Road
A few wands of grass poke through. - Fluorescent bulbs above the beds (and almost everywhere else) create a retro 1970s fashion
The symmetrical arrangement is further complemented by the landscape painting hung above the beds. It has been a long day of travelling and I fall asleep easily in this quiet place. (Who else spends Xmas Eve in a motel?) - Foggy day, 2315-29 Creighton Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Fall 1982
- Foiled! I reach a barbed wire fence across the wash below Taylor Spring
This must be the Mojave National Preserve boundary. There's enough room for me to crawl under the fence, but it might be hard to get back across the fence further along. Hmmm... - Follow the animal trail, follow the animal trail!
The trail leaves the burned area and passes through blackbrush and cholla scrub on the way down to Black Diamond Spring. - Footprints on Old Kelso Road, Devil's Playground, Mojave National Preserve
I'm obviously not alone out here, though I haven't seen another human since meeting the dirt bikers on Mojave Road yesterday afternoon. - For a change, my first concern of the morning is not boiling water for coffee or digging a cat hole
Instead, I walk over to the general store, pay for another night of tent camping and get some coffee and packaged junk food to nibble on (cinnamon rolls, apple turnover, blueberry frozen juice bar, Arizona iced tea). A big orange van has just arrived at the campground to receive a group of dirt bikers that will be living here for a day or two. - For a few minutes, that famous orange light of desert sunset oozes across the land
I'm inching my way closer to the New York Mountains ahead. There's a little less sand in places, which is encouraging. Now I occasionally get to walk the 10-ton bike instead of drag it through sand. - For a moment, I think I've noticed a post way up on top of the canyon walls, but conclude that it's probably an agave plant
It's fun to just stand here and look around at the mesmerizing array of lines, textures and colours on all sides. - For a while, Barber Mountain Loop Trail follows an old road
I like this part of the hiking route on an old ranch road as much as I like the preceding segment which was a foot trail. I like the variety. Obviously, not many motor vehicles use this road. - For about six miles, Cedar Canyon Road heads straight westward, after which several sharp corners appear in the road
This short stretch of Cedar Canyon Road points north toward the New York Mountains before turning sharply left and aiming west again. - For further information on the review process for the proposed hazardous-waste site at Broadwell Dry Lake...
For some lucky reason, the proposed hazardous-waste site at Broadwell Dry Lake didn't happen; maybe they were unable to frame it as another "green" project. - For inspiration, I look down across the valley I just crossed on the way up to Ibex Pass on Highway 127
Dumont Dunes are off to the left. Saratoga Springs Road heads off to the right in front of the mountains in the distance. I've just realized that I had the wind behind me as I rode across the valley. However, I no longer have that assistance, and am on my own again. Any overconfidence I had about how easy this little climb would be has been neutralized. - For safety reasons, I give up on the idea of hiking up Robison Mountain and continue backtracking along Orestimba Creek Road
This hike is still really enjoyable, but it's always disappointing for a hiker to not reach a foreseen destination. Then again, that leaves a goal to reach during the next trip! - For some reason, I always enjoy the climb out of Kelso toward Baker on Kelbaker Road
Part of the reason for this may be that I usually ride this hill at the end of a trip, when I'm at my strongest and most enthusiastic. - For some reason, this meadow near Butcher Knife Canyon is resplendent with small white flowers
I haven't seen any of these flowers in the area except at this location. - For the return hike back to my tent, I follow a different wash down to the powerline road from Hyten Spring
My tent is behind that part of the Bristol Mountains ahead (which I wish I had time to explore), so I'll walk around them to the right. I've seen no people today, but a few cairns and faded footprints say that the area is visited occasionally. - For three miles, I skirt the western edge of Ivanpah Valley on the paved Ivanpah Road
Ivanpah Road rises behind me into the east end of the New York Mountains; I hope to ride up that way before the end of the trip. - Former ranger station next door to the Crowbar Café in Shoshone
After eating lunch, I walk over here, thinking that it might be open. However, it's no longer used as a ranger station for Death Valley National Park. - Four creosote bushes on a dry lake
- Four miles up the sandy Aiken Mine Road from the Valley Wells store, I reach the abandoned settlement at Rock Tank
I get off the 10-ton bike and go for a short walk to explore what's here at Rock Tank. I'm curious about the dirt mound in the middle of the photo which, I discover, protects a dugout that was probably used for food storage. - Fragments of old pavement on Walking Box Ranch Road
I rode Walking Box Ranch Road once before, back in 2000. Due to the spongy texture of the pavement, mostly gone today, some called it a "molasses road." - Freeway traffic behind me now, I enter Mojave National Preserve
The freeway is still not far away, but it's suddenly already much quieter here. I'm starting to get that jittery feeling of freedom that I always get when I start heading out into the vastness here. - Fresh juniper berries
No patch of blue phacelias is flowering in the shade of this juniper, unlike some of the others I've seen today - Fresh snow
- From "downtown" Goffs, California, a dirt road called Mountain Springs Road runs south, connecting to Essex
A sign warns that the road is not maintained. - From "10-mile bend" on Kelbaker Road, I can see the dust from four-wheel-drive vehicles travelling the old Mojave Road
I'll be riding down that way shortly. The old Mojave Road crosses Mojave National Preserve and has become quite popular for four-wheel-drive excursions, especially on weekends. - From a distance, I thought the rock in the foreground might be a natural arch, but the hole doesn't penetrate completely
What I didn't see from the other side of the canyon is the small eye-hole in the rock on the ridge above it with blue sky shining though it. - From almost 400 feet above Cedar Canyon Road, I have a nice view to the north across to Seep Canyon, which I just hiked down
Seep Canyon is the downward indentation straight ahead and a bit to the left in the green hills in the background. Live Oak Spring is beyond that, at the bottom of the other side of the hill. - From another rock shelter in the area, I peer out into the sunshine
I look around for snakes, but don't see any. - From behind the old miner's cabin, I look across the highway to last night's Searchlight motel
Nice cholla-cactus and creosote-bush garden! - From Cliff Canyon Spring Peak #2 at 6550 feet, I can make out Brant Road along the train tracks below, despite the visiting smog
I've explored a little down in that area in the past; very nice! - From here, I can also see beyond the hills to Ivanpah Dry Lake
Primm, where I started this trip, is at the far end of that "lake." One of the great things about travelling by human power is getting views of the distances covered. - From here, I can clearly see the trail up the Robison Mountain ridge line whose beginning I didn't see down below
It does look like it would be an awesome trail to hike, maybe on my next visit. Or maybe tomorrow? - From here, I can see all the way to the Providence Mountains if I zoom in hard enough
I was hiking down there a few days ago. - From here, I can see back to the New York Mountains ridge line where I hiked yesterday (Cliff Canyon Springs Peaks)
I was up on one of the high points in the right third of this photo. - From here, I could continue downhill a few hundred feet and then up over to that next ridge in the New York Mountains
I think I'll leave that until next time. And no, I wouldn't have enough to go all the way to the New York Mountains peaks in the distance, even if this vertigo-man had enough daylight for that... - From here, I get a northeast view toward the highest peaks of the New York Mountains
Instead of heading in that direction, I'll hike off to the left (north), toward the lower New York Mountains peaks that overlook the Cliff Canyon Spring area. - From here, I'll start winding my way downhill toward the Piute Spring area
I can see some of the Old Government Road ahead of me that will serve as my downhill trail. - From here, the high point of the day, at about 4925 feet elevation, it will be mostly gentle downhill until I reach Searchlight
Searchlight is down around 3550 feet. On the way, I'll cross that expanse of joshua tree forest ahead, the right portion of which is the Wee Thump Wilderness. The road here has a fair amount of loose rock. - From Hill 1114, I get my last glimpse of the Providence Mountains before I head down into Devil's Playground Wash
My campsite is down there somewhere in front of that boulder pile in the centre of the photo. - From Hill 1625 in the Providence Mountains I look down a wash that leads into Beecher Canyon
The high points of the Providence Mountains loom in the distance: Edgar Peak and Fountain Peak. I haven't hiked up to those places yet. - From Hill 1713 in the Providence Mountains, I can see Macedonia Canyon Road down below to the northwest
I did a short hike down there in Macedonia Canyon two years ago. A couple of Mariposa lilies bloom here on the summit. - From Hill 1713, I can see across Gold Valley to Twin Buttes and the Woods Mountains
The hill is steep enough that I can't even see where I left my bicycle below. - From Kelbaker Road's 10-mile curve, the town of Baker doesn't look like it's still 10 miles away
It also doesn't look like I'm still 1000 feet higher than Baker because the downhill slope is so gradual. - From Kelso Depot, view northeast up Kelso-Cima Road from the door at the end of the second-floor corridor
The Mid Hills, my destination tomorrow, are straight ahead in the distance. The small building to the left is the old post office, which was apparently an old market before that, complete with a covered porch out front, since removed. - From McCullough Mountains Peak 6425, I look back at where I was earlier, on Peak 6557, center
The higher peak further left is probably the one called Peak 6841 on my maps and GPS. One could spend a lot of time hiking the many peaks in the McCullough Range. - From my balcony at the Royal Hawaiian, I can see Kelbaker Road heading into the cherished emptiness of Mojave National Preserve
After my huge meal at the breakfast buffet, I return to my motel room to pack up and get going. - From my campsite on the Sleeping Beauty foothills, I can zoom in on a long freight train down by the freeway
I slept really well last night, though it was chilly. I have instant coffee while packing up, and I nibble on a bit of my dried food, but I don't eat a lot since I'll be eating at the Ludlow Café while on the road. - From my perch near the top of the dry waterfall, I look down at the tiny pool of water remaining amongst the rocks
It's not much water, but perhaps enough for now to support the owl that I just saw, and the bobcats I saw earlier just down the canyon. - From my privileged position on Hill 1713, I take a short break to enjoy the vistas on all sides; this view looks southwest
In the distance at the right I can see the Kelso Mountains, where I hiked a few days ago. At left in the distance is the Kelso Dunes. - From my tent on Cima Dome, I watch a jackrabbit hop around a lot, digging small holes along the way
The jackrabbit doesn't notice me at first. I'm not sure what he was looking for, but it doesn't look like he found it. - From Nevada 164, I zoom in across the valley and see some rain clouds over the Castle Peaks, my destination today
The wet-weather system looks like it's moving off to the right (north). Good! - From Nipton campground, I look across the train tracks and up Ivanpah Valley toward Cima
Wide-open space for miles... I was up there just yesterday. - From Nipton, I see rain clouds over the area of Morning Star Mine Road, site of my nice downhill ride a couple of hours ago
I wonder if it's really raining over there, or if it's just a "dry rain" (virga) passing through. Even rain in the desert is sometimes dry! - From Nipton-Desert Rd, I can see across Ivanpah Dry Lake to the huge BrightSource solar plant under construction
The BrightSource solar plant is plowing down quite a big chunk of Ivanpah Valley here, transforming it from wild land to an industrial park. What a waste. - From Pinto Mountain, I can see the jagged edges of the Providence Mountains in the distant blue
I'll be hiking in that area tomorrow or the next day (I haven't decided yet). Just below me here sits a low mesa with an outline like a limp pancake. - From Rock Springs, I walk back down to my bike parked in Watson Wash
Rock Springs is one dirty water hole. Perhaps it's not so bad earlier in the year when there's more surface water to disperse the animal droppings. - From Teutonia Peak are views over to the "summit" of Cima Dome
It's about 1.5 miles from here to there, but it looks much closer. - From the canyon, I climb up a short, steep hill of loose rock and take a 1/2-hour break to soak up the views from 6350 feet
I drink water and eat another Clif bar while quietly looking down on the low Mesquite Mountains nearby and the Kingston Range (behind my hat). After an enjoyable break, I carefully walk back down the slippery hill to the canyon. - From the Castle Peaks saddle, I can zoom in across the valley and just barely make out the Searchlight area
It's fun to just sit here and stare into the distance.