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Home / Mojave Preserve and Desert bikepacking trips / 2009, Spring: Mojave National Preserve / Day 15: Pachalka Spring to Button Mountain, Mojave National Preserve via Aiken Mine Road /

The sun goes down, the moon rises, and everything is perfect tonight near Button Mountain, Mojave National Preserve

04392-button-mountain.jpg Red-yellow light is cast across the lower western flank of Cima Dome at sunset near Button Mountain, Mojave National PreserveThumbnailsBicycle route from Pachalka Spring to Button Mountain, via Aiken Mine Road, Mojave National Preserve (Day 15)Red-yellow light is cast across the lower western flank of Cima Dome at sunset near Button Mountain, Mojave National PreserveThumbnailsBicycle route from Pachalka Spring to Button Mountain, via Aiken Mine Road, Mojave National Preserve (Day 15)Red-yellow light is cast across the lower western flank of Cima Dome at sunset near Button Mountain, Mojave National PreserveThumbnailsBicycle route from Pachalka Spring to Button Mountain, via Aiken Mine Road, Mojave National Preserve (Day 15)Red-yellow light is cast across the lower western flank of Cima Dome at sunset near Button Mountain, Mojave National PreserveThumbnailsBicycle route from Pachalka Spring to Button Mountain, via Aiken Mine Road, Mojave National Preserve (Day 15)Red-yellow light is cast across the lower western flank of Cima Dome at sunset near Button Mountain, Mojave National PreserveThumbnailsBicycle route from Pachalka Spring to Button Mountain, via Aiken Mine Road, Mojave National Preserve (Day 15)

There's not a soul around but me. On this last of 15 nights of camping in Mojave National Preserve, I'll dine on my last two small pouches of add-boiling-water-to-bag Mountain House Beef Stew, my favourite of the instant meals.

I haven't seen a car since leaving Valley Wells earlier this afternoon. Loud winds occasionally pass overhead, but only touch down once in a while. It's probably quite windy over at Pachalka Spring tonight.

Several times during the evening, I step outside to walk around a little and enjoy the shadows cast by the bright moonlight. I read more of Edward Abbey's Desert Solitaire before going to sleep.