Up
earlier
than
ever --
somewhat
car-
lagged
in
a positive way,
since we are now in a time zone two hours later than yesterday morning.
So,
here
we
go!
South
and
on
40,
in the Mojave (Mohave / Sacramento Valley),
between the Hualapai and
Black Mountains,
past Yucca,
and
curving
west
in
the
sunrise
and
on
towards
the
Colorado
River
Badlands
and
Chemehuevi Mountains.
Topock
Bridge!
California!
More
erosion --
Black Mountains,
Needles,
upslope
in
the
Sacramentos,
a
world
apart
to
South
Pass --
Ward
Mountains,
Piute
Valley,
Homer
Wash --
Mountain
Springs
Summit,
Fenner
Junction (Hi Sahara Oasis)
and
a
meditative
stop
at
the
Rest
Area...
All
these
wonders
near
the
East
Mojave
National
Preserve:
Brown Buttes,
Kelbaker Road,
Old Dad Mountains,
Willow Springs Basin.
A
long
downslope
to
the
relative
civilization
of
Ludlow,
then,
in
relative
short
order,
Newberry
Springs
to
Barstow (briefly on 15 South),
peeling
off
on
the
comparatively-
newly-upgraded
58 towards
Kramer
Junction.
On!
On!
Boron,
across
the
stretch
of
Mojave, in sight of the Southern Sierra,
up
Grade (last Joshua trees!),
Cache /
Cameron /
Sand
Canyons,
Monument --
the
Valley,
Summit,
and
town --
descending
into
the
Canyon
towards
Bear Mountain,
the Loop,
Keene
Buttes,
Caliente
Ridge
and
the
Bena
Boulder
Grade
into
the
San
Joaquin
Valley.
Bakersfield
environs,
99
North,
eucalypti,
oleander,
distant Sierra and
Coast Ranges
the
approach to
Sacramento,
palms,
U.S. 50,
I-80,
Yolo,
Bypass,
Homeward
70th
day
of
summer,
high
up
4
to
75...
Kingman, 94
Needles, 107
Barstow, 94
Tehachapi, 73
Bakersfield, 89
