I'd like to spend another day hiking and exploring this area, but only two more nights in Mojave National Preserve remain before my trip ends. In case I run into more unforeseen problems, it's best that I begin the 75-mile trek back to Baker tomorrow.
This will leave me with more flexibility should my repair not prove to be stable and sufficient.
I don't intend to cover all that distance in a day, though I could if needed. After a few miles, I'll be back on smooth pavement again, but I'm really not sure at this point what my bike can and cannot tolerate.