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- Last night's winds surreptitiously blew a fine layer of sand into the tent which dusted everything laying flat near the door
- Outside in the tepid desert morning sun, I look at a still-life of those things that matter most right now
- The disorder inside my tent will be packed up shortly; perhaps I'll drink an extra cup of coffee as a way to procrastinate
- OK, enough procrastination after drinking extra coffee "Everything out of the tent!"
- The last job upon emptying the tent is to remove the large rocks I placed inside, in case the wind got really strong
- Everything has been packed into the saddlebags that will be attached to my bike, after I walk everything out to the road
- All packed up, I bicycle down the Bristol Mountains powerline road and reach the junction of the high road and the low road
- I look behind me as I push the 10-ton bike through the sand trap on the Bristol Mountains powerline road
- The sand accumulation comes to an end as the road rises up onto a firmer, more gravelly surface
- An hour later, past the bottom of the dip in the road, I look back at the Bristol Mountains powerline road
- A little further ahead, I'll make a left turn under the powerlines and ride the final two miles of dirt road back to Ludlow
- Approaching Ludlow again, the stop that I wish I didn't need to make today
- I ride up the subtle hill away from Broadwell Dry Lake, for my water stop at Ludlow, but I'll come back here around sunset
- Ludlow, California, seen from Crucero Road
- The 10-ton bike takes a rest behind the vacant outdoor seating (it's chilly today) at Ludlow's Dairy Queen gas station
- The Dairy Queen gas station doesn't have the large bottles of water that I want, so I visit Ludlow's other gas station
- It's the Thanksgiving holiday week, with an endless stream of cars and trucks racing past Ludlow on the I-40 freeway
- The Cady Mountains pick up the chilly orange-purple sunset glow on the other side of the freeway from the Ludlow Chevron station
- It's time for me to stop looking down toward Broadwell Dry Lake from the gas station parking lot and actually go there
- Here I am again, leaving the pavement of Ludlow on Crucero Road, just like I did two days ago
- Direct sunlight down at Broadwell Dry Lake (here I come) is already gone for the day, blocked by the surrounding hills
- I cross the powerline road that leads off to the right to my Bristol Mountains campsite of the past two nights
- I take a look behind me at the "city lights" of Ludlow, now two miles away
- I pass the Kelso Dunes Wilderness sign at dusk, enjoying the views toward the Bristol Mountains, where I hiked yesterday
- Darkness falls as I approach the southern tip Broadwell Dry Lake; it seems that the road is getting a bit better, not worse
- Crucero Road by the dry lake turns out to be firm-surfaced (but rough), so I happily ride the final 4 miles at a cool 7 mph
- 1/2 mile up the road to Old Dominion Mine, I start looking for a good campsite near another road that I also can't locate
- My flashlight and bicycle light headlight assist me in setting up camp in the dark valley; the almost-full moon hasn't risen yet
- Elevation profile of bicycle route from Bristol Mountains to Broadwell Dry Lake campsite via Ludlow
- Bicycle route from Bristol Mountains to Broadwell Dry Lake campsite via Ludlow
- Ugh, I can't wake up; I need more sleep, but I'm excited about today's hike to the Broadwell Natural Arch
- I drag myself out of my sleeping bag and step out into the cold sun to see where I am (I arrived here in the dark last night)
- While heating water for coffee, I walk around to familiarize myself with my new surroundings
- I notice a thorny pencil cholla cactus bush near my tent
- After a quick breakfast and coffee, I start hiking, anxious to locate the old road that I couldn't find last night in the dark
- I continue hiking down the old road toward Broadwell Dry Lake and see some of my bicycle tracks from last night
- I turn back for a last look at my tent against a Cady Mountains backdrop before it disappears for the day
- I notice a very weathered old fence post with a metal claim marker as I approach Broadwell Dry Lake
- Several old fence posts here delineate the JHJ claim near Broadwell Dry Lake
- I hike across Crucero Road near Broadwell Dry Lake, surprised that it's rougher than I thought
- I arrive on the shores of Broadwell Dry Lake and begin the hike across the lake
- Beginning the walk across Broadwell Dry Lake, I suddenly remember the sensation of walking across a big and empty dry lake
- A lone creosote bush pops out of the ground at Broadwell Dry Lake
- Someone drove across Broadwell Dry Lake a while ago when it was still a bit wet
- I sit down for a few minutes on the hard, crackled surface of Broadwell Dry Lake
- Running down the middle of Broadwell Dry Lake is the remains of the former Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad bed
- Looking north on the old T&T Railroad grade running down the middle of Broadwell Dry Lake
- After 100 years, the old T&T railroad berm running across Broadwell Dry Lake is still raised a couple feet above the lake
- I continue my walk across Broadwell Dry Lake toward the Bristol Mountains
- An anomalous row of bushes grows out into Broadwell Dry Lake near the eastern shore
- Hmmm... I think I'll call this row of brush "The Broadwell Dry Lake Pier"
- I reach the eastern shore of Broadwell Dry Lake and begin the hike up the fan toward the Bristol Mountains
- On the fan are a few fence posts, also from "JHJ claims," like the ones on the other side of Broadwell Dry Lake
- I take a look back at Broadwell Dry Lake and the Cady Mountains as I make my way up the fan
- Until now, I hadn't encountered a stray balloon yet today
- Like most alluvial fans, this one is a bit rocky, so hiking requires some attention to where one's foot goes with each step
- Approaching a rocky outcrop on the Bristol Mountains fan, I decide to check it out
- A little further up the fan, I join the wide wash that I'll follow into the Bristol Mountains
- This little guy might be a young barrel cactus sprout
- I come around a bend and a "gate" welcomes me back to the Bristol Mountains
- I pass through "the gate" and see a wider expanse beyond
- I decide to check out a narrow side wash that appears to run parallel to my route to the natural arch
- The erosion from flowing torrents of water in this little side wash is significant
- I climb up the little hill and look down to a small natural tank in the drainage, dry right now
- The dry stream that feeds the dry natural tank looks benign, despite the deep erosion that I just saw downstream
- I pause to take in the views from this berm above Broadwell Natural Arch Wash, spared from erosion
- I zoom in from my perch on the rock outcrop for a better view of Broadwell Natural Arch
- I turn around and realize that I'm looking at the Broadwell Natural Arch, so I climb a rocky outcrop to get a better view
- I have cell-phone reception here at Broadwell Natural Arch, so I check and send a few text messages
- I climb down from the rock outcrop and walk up the wash to check out Broadwell Natural Arch up close
- Inside this cavelet in the Broadwell Natural Arch formation is a ribbed ceiling
- It's time to climb up the rocks and poke around the Broadwell Natural Arch formation
- The Broadwell Natural Arch formation is full of eroded little caves in the rock
- A few Rush milkweeds are flowering here right now (Asclepias subulata)
- This cavelet in the Broadwell Natural Arch formation appears to be inhabited part-time
- I've just noticed that there are two little natural arches up in the rock here, not just the one
- Broadwell Natural Arch North
- Broadwell Natural Arch South
- If I stand back far enough, I can see both the north and south natural arches at the same time
- The Broadwell Natural Arch area is fun because of the mini-caves everywhere that invite exploration
- Close-up of the bird's nest high up in the rock wall in the Broadwell Natural Arch formation
- Birds use these two cavelets high up in the rock wall, and one of them is occupied by a nest
- I scramble around, checking out a few more mini-caves, then decide it's time to check out and resume my hike
- I climb back down and begin a clockwise loop around the Broadwell Natural Arch outcrop before hiking back to camp
- The Broadwell Natural Arch formation has the shape of a horse's saddle when viewed from the southeast
- Just beyond the natural arch is Broadwell Mesa and greyish-green minerals coming to the surface everywhere
- I circle the Broadwell Natural Arch formation and notice that the drop-offs aren't all as steep on the north side
- On the north side of the Broadwell Natural Arch formation, I notice a few holes in the rock that I didn't see earlier
- From the north side of Broadwell Natural Arch, I take one last look at the hike unhiked beyond
- The hike out of the Kelso Dunes Wilderness Area back down to Broadwell Dry Lake begins in earnest
- Smoke trees (Psorothamnus spinosus) seem to really like this Bristol Mountains wash
- This lone stem peering out from the gravel reminds me of a chia sage from last year
- These three holes in the wall look too regular to be natural
- Back at "The Gate," it's time for me to prepare for check-out from the Bristol Mountains
- I exit "The Gate" in the Bristol Mountains
- Beyond "The Gate," I begin the hike down the fan toward Broadwell Dry Lake
- Dry ivory tufts from last year dot a black volcanic outcrop in the Bristol Mountains foothills east of Broadwell Dry Lake
- The cold sun starts to set behind the Cady Mountains on the far side of Broadwell Dry Lake
- The Bristol Mountains behind me pick up the gorgeous gold of sunset as I hike down the rocky fan toward Broadwell Dry Lake
- Hmmm... this installation on the Bristol Mountains fan is interesting
- Hmmm... I see nothing about an old grave, despite the weathered cross, and the plastic post looks very recent
- The fence post here is clearly old, but the adjacent upright plastic pipe clearly is not
- I continue hiking down the Bristol Mountains alluvial fan toward Broadwell Dry Lake; it's a beautiful, peaceful world out here
- I walk into the sunset as I head toward Broadwell Dry Lake
- Behind me, the Bristol Mountains pick up a nice orange glow
- In just a few seconds the orange glow on the Bristol Mountains has melted into pink
- It's almost 17h, and a little sunlight still remains as I begin the hike back to camp across Broadwell Dry Lake
- The hike across Broadwell Dry Lake in the still darkness is really pleasant; then I settle in for a cold evening in the tent
- Elevation profile of hiking route to Broadwell Natural Arch, Bristol Mountains, Kelso Dunes Wilderness Area
- Wow, I've really overslept this morning, just woke up at 11h30 after a rather sleepless (and cold, low 20s) night
- I'm hearing noises, not too distant, and notice that it's coming from vehicles riding on Broadwell Dry Lake
- If I zoom in on Broadwell Dry Lake, I see a number of ant-like items on the playa that might be a convoy of 4WD vehicles
- I've already made two cups of hot coffee, but I decide that I need a more substantial breakfast today
- The wind has picked up, and my water just won't boil, so I bring my propane burner closer to my tent, hoping to block the wind
- I'm about to start packing up when I hear the two vehicles from last night driving down the road away from Old Dominion Mine
- I don my hiking gear and go for a short walk toward the Old Dominion Mine site
- I decide that it might be best to turn back since there were no gunshot sounds until I reached this area
- I start walking back to my tent, wondering if maybe I should have ignored the gunshots and continued with my short hike
- OK, there's my tent, today's abortive one-mile hike to Old Dominion Mine comes to an end
- It's not my routine to be breaking camp late in the afternoon, but here I am
- It's almost 16h and I'm just now starting today's bicycle ride out of Broadwell Dry Lake?
- We're ready to ride the half mile down from the Old Dominion Mine area to Crucero Road
- I ride down the faint road from the Old Dominion Mine site at sunset
- Back down on "the main road," I look north on Crucero Road near Broadwell Dry Lake
- I pull over to allow a car to pass by, the first one I've encountered down here by Broadwell Dry Lake
- I watch the sun go down on the Bristol Mountains while I ride alongside Broadwell Dry Lake
- This stretch of Crucero Road looks like it gets mighty muddy during rainy times
- I see some pipes sticking out of the surface of nearby Broadwell Dry Lake, but I don't stop to investigate
- What could this old sign be out here in the middle of nowhere by Broadwell Dry Lake?
- Ha! This old sign announces a former proposal (from the 1990s) to place a toxic-waste site here at Broadwell Dry Lake
- For further information on the review process for the proposed hazardous-waste site at Broadwell Dry Lake...
- Relieved that I don't have to pass a toxic-waste dump here, I get back on the 10-ton bike and pedal onward toward Ludlow
- Oh, another stray balloon to collect for disposal!
- These last few miles up the gravelly slight incline toward Ludlow are slow, but I'm enjoying it
- The sun has gone down for the last mile or so of the trudge up to Ludlow
- I decide to spend another night at the Ludlow Motel to catch up on some needed sleep and avoid the cold
- I slept so well last night here at the Ludlow Motel: the breakfast menu in my room invites me over to the café for FLUFFY
- Ludlow Motel, in the heart of the Mojave Desert, has soap in the bathrooms called "Coastal Breezes"
- Between the Ludlow Café and the Ludlow Motel rests a former gas station, decorated with a couple of old vehicles
- Please, have a seat
- Loadmaster
- The two antique vehicles are protected from sun and rain under the old gas-station canopy
- Interesting switches on the dashboard panel of the old van
- Faux wood paneling in the back of the old van, sagging a little
- I'm out of my motel room by 10h30 and start my way up the first 8-mile segment of Route 66 toward Barstow from Ludlow
- After almost six miles, I notice a little sign for "Sleeping Beauty Road"
- I stop at Sleeping Beauty Road for a very short break; it occurs to me that I could ride up this road and do a nice hike
- Old Route 66 makes a couple of 90-degree turns in order to cross the I-40 freeway
- As old Route 66 crosses the tracks just after an I-40 overpass, I'm briefly facing Pisgah Crater
- Not long after I cross the tracks, another one of those endless freight trains passes by
- I'm on that rough part of old Route 66 again between Newberry Springs and Pisgah siding
- I cross the powerline road that cuts through the Cady Mountains just a few miles north of my campsite at Broadwell Dry Lake
- Now that I'm getting closer to the town of Newberry Springs, I'm starting to see a few more cars on this part of old Route 66
- I begin the slight downhill on old Route 66 into the town of Newberry Springs, with the Newberry Mountains in the background
- Hector Road here provides an opportunity for cars to get off old Route 66 here and get back on the freeway
- This abandoned property at the east end of Newberry Springs has a commanding view of the Rodman Mountains in the background
- East of Newberry Springs, the freeway is really close to old Route 66
- This lava outcrop along old Route 66 glistens in front of its Rodman Mountains Wilderness Area background
- Perhaps the biggest no-trespassing sign I've seen on this trip, just east of Newberry Springs
- Now that I'm closer to town (Newberry Springs), I'm starting to pass more properties that are occupied
- I see another motor-created dust cloud traversing the desert in front of the Rodman Mountains Wilderness Area
- I stop to take a look at Gasco Road, which cuts across the salt pan on its way up to the Rodman Mountains Wilderness Area
- First, I think I'll ride the couple of remaining miles into Newberry Springs and refill my water supply
- Here's another old business on Newberry Springs' Route 66 that didn't make it: "Rocks 'n' Stuff"
- Newberry Springs: dirt-bikers paradise!
- This old property on Route 66 in Newberry Springs is nicely maintained
- Old public toilets on Route 66, Newberry Springs
- Bagdad Café: I'm hungry (again), so I order a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon
- Bagdad Café: I begin to notice that most of the business cards and other paraphenalia on the walls are from France
- Bagdad Café: business cards, welcome signs (bienvenue) and personal messages everywhere, le tout en français
- Bagdad Café: a French Harley shirt, mounted high on a wall
- I figure I might as well stop in at the famous Bagdad Café since I'm passing by
- I take a quick glance at the old Henning Motel next door to the Bagdad Café as I get back on the road
- I ride through another dirt-bike dust cloud as I head west on the way out of Newberry Springs
- The Newberry Mountains briefly come right up to old Route 66 along here
- Westward on Route 66 I go, crossing under the I-40 freeway and leaving Newberry Springs
- Another Route 66 sunset as I ride west from Newberry Spring
- I ride by the California Agricultural Inspection Station, closed in 1967, which I passed on the first day of this trip
- Finally, I arrive at my exit from Route 66, Hidden Springs Road, and turn left
- I look for the dirt road to follow after pavement ends at the foot of the Newberry Mountains, a short distance from the freeway
- Hmmm.... The city lights of Barstow are not so far away as I start my way up the road into the Newberry Mountains foothills
- In darkness, I head up the dirt road about a mile, set up camp, then an unexpected rain and wind storm descends upon me
- Route 66 Newberry Mountains bicycle route
- Elevation profile of Route 66 Newberry Mountains bicycle route
- Last night's wind storm, which is still alive, blew a dusting of sand into my tent overnight, and kept me from sleeping well
- I step outside to take care of morning business and it's just as windy as I thought here in the Newberry Mountains foothills
- This desert wind storm seems to be getting a kick out of playing with my flexible tent, just to see what shapes it can make
- I've been up for an hour and a half now, and spent much of that pacing around outside, hoping that the wind will die down a bit
- Coffee time, I hope: I try heating some water and shelter the burner a little by placing it behind the tent
- The problem now is that if the tent does fail and blow over, it will surely land on the flame of my propane burner
- Every time I think the wind is lessening, and that the day will progress nicely after all, another big gust pummels my tent
- After more than 30 minutes, my lukewarm water makes a good cup of Starbuck's instant coffee, the only instant I find acceptable
- I stand in the wind on the Newberry Mountains foothills, thinking (wishing) that the wind is dropping to an acceptable level
- I retreat to the tent and consider packing up and skipping today's Newberry Mountains hike as the tent walls blow down at me
- I hate my decision: I'm going to pack up and cancel my hike into the Newberry Mountains, even though I'm camped at my trailhead
- The Mojave Desert is a dry place, but I see a lot of green sprouts, happier than me about last night's rain storm
- While packing up, the tent wants to be a kite; I discover that one of my tent poles has been bent by the wind
- OK, I'm leaving my Newberry Mountains campsite, but maybe I shouldn't wimp out like this
- I start riding down the Newberry Mountains wash road that I came up last night
- It's a winding, gravelly road; no wonder I had to walk the 10-ton bike up this hill last night in the dark