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Home / Mojave Preserve and Desert bikepacking trips / 2009, Fall: Mojave National Preserve / Day 2: Old Dad Mountain Canyon and Idora Mine Canyon day hike, Mojave National Preserve /

I arrive at my tent to find that strong Devil's Playground winds have blown it during the day over while I was out hiking!

06764-tent.jpg Walking the last half mile up Old Kelso Road back to the tent at duskThumbnailsOld Dad Canyon and Idora Mine Canyon hiking routeWalking the last half mile up Old Kelso Road back to the tent at duskThumbnailsOld Dad Canyon and Idora Mine Canyon hiking routeWalking the last half mile up Old Kelso Road back to the tent at duskThumbnailsOld Dad Canyon and Idora Mine Canyon hiking routeWalking the last half mile up Old Kelso Road back to the tent at duskThumbnailsOld Dad Canyon and Idora Mine Canyon hiking routeWalking the last half mile up Old Kelso Road back to the tent at duskThumbnailsOld Dad Canyon and Idora Mine Canyon hiking route

It's going to be a windy evening! Everything in the tent has been rolled over and deposited into a big pile. After resetting the tent to an upright position, I place large rocks inside along the edges.

Due to the strong winds this evening, it takes 45 minutes to boil water for my evening meal. Finally, it boils and I enjoy my Mountain House Beef Teriyaki and Rice meal; yum. Watching the water boil is like meditation.

The wind makes being inside the tent really noisy, like living inside a flapping plastic bag. The wind dies down around 22h, thankfully.

I seem to be catching a cold: uh oh.

Imperceptibly, a dusting of sand is blowing into my tent and coating everything. I probably wouldn't notice this except that it has landed on my notebook while I write today's notes. Grit on paper.

After a couple of short, chilly walks outside in the cold silence to admire the stars, silence and the waxing half-moon, I manage to get to sleep fairly easily.