No sign of last night's rain; I'm up around 7h, have breakfast, then pack up leisurely for today's ride to Mid Hills campground

I didn't sleep well last night due to the howling winds. The sun is hot, but the cool wind up here at 3700 feet keeps me refreshed while packing up. Still, I feel tired by the time I'm ready to leave!

I walk my packed saddlebags back to the powerline road, assemble the 10-ton bike, then ride a short distance to reach pavement

When camping off-road like I did here, I always carry my bike so as to leave footprints, but no bicycle tracks.

Once back on the pavement of Kelbaker Road, I begin the always-wonderful 12-mile downhill to Kelso

The descent on the pretty patched pavement begins quite gradually; an occasional automobile passes by.

As I coast down Kelbaker Road, I glance often at Kelso Peak, where I hiked yesterday

There are plenty more hills in the Kelso Mountains to climb besides that one I went up. Maybe on a future visit...

An old-style power line follows Kelbaker Road as it descends past the Kelso Mountains toward Kelso

Usually I just ride down this hill non-stop because it's so fun, but I've decided today to stop and smell the desert a couple of times on the way down (as hard as it is to interrupt the descent).

I pull over on Kelbaker Road, with Kelso Peak still in view, and go for a short walk

A few cars pass by, and I make sure I have my camera out so that nobody thinks I've stopped here because of a mechanical breakdown.

I look across a patch of yellow desert senna flowers at the Mid Hills area in the distance, my destination today

I recognize many landmarks in the Mid Hills, such as Eagle Rocks, the sharp points in the distant centre of this photo. The Mid Hills campground, where I'll camp during the next few nights, sits just behind that.

A little further down Kelbaker Road, I stop again to look at a desert senna with dodder growing in it

Dodder is a parasitic plant that looks like a bunch of orange string tangled up on its host (it looks more yellow-brown than orange in this photo).

Across the lower, southeastern end of the Kelso Mountains are nice views to Kelso Dunes and the Granite Mountains beyond

Kelso Dunes make for an excellent short day hike. I climbed the 600 feet of sand there during my Xmas 2007 Mojave National Preserve trip. Well worth your visit!

As I reach the bottom of this stretch of Kelbaker Road, the hamlet of Kelso keeps getting closer

The next segment of Kelbaker Road, where it rises into the Granite Mountains, is visible from here, but I'll make a left at Kelso and head up Kelso-Cima Road. It's warmer down here in the Kelso Valley, but not as hot as I was expecting.

Approaching Kelso, I spot a mine tunnel on a hillside that I didn't notice before

This might make for a good hike destination if I camp in the Kelso area again one day (there's no camping allowed at Kelso, but backcountry camping is feasible a couple of miles away).

Coyote melon grows on the shoulder of Kelbaker Road just north of Kelso

The melons are small and apparently not edible.

I break for 60 minutes at the Kelso Depot visitor centre to refill my water supply and enjoy an iced tea at the lunch counter

It's not as hot (only mid 80s) as I was expecting here in the Kelso Valley. I am told that it was very windy last night, but they didn't experience any of the rain here that I had up on the ridge above.

After my break at Kelso Depot, I begin the gentle 15-mile uphill ride on Kelso-Cima Road

From here at 2100 feet elevation, it will be uphill until the end of the day when I arrive at Mid Hills campground at 5600 feet, in those hills at the distant right. A few old buildings remain along the road here.

My favourite old house here at Kelso, the one with the rounded roof, isn't doing so well

The front porch has fallen off since I did a walk-through of this Kelso house during my 2006 Mojave National Preserve trip.