The 10-mile crossing of Ivanpah Valley—seven miles on Nipton Road, then three more on Ivanpah Road—is uneventful and all backtracking yesterday's route to Nipton. I admire the tapestry of colour variations in the pavement repairs along the way.
Turn here for Morning Star Mine Road toward Cima and other higher areas of Mojave National Preserve.
I begin the long 13-mile trudge up Morning Star Road's slow incline to the powerline road. After I reach the top, I'll have another five miles to reach the summit of Cima Road near Teutonia Peak. I expect to continue beyond that and go mostly downhill thereafter to reach the Clark Mountain area over on the other side of Interstate 15.
The sun is geting hotter. Nipton Road and Morning Star Mine Road have more traffic than I've experienced during the past few days, and cars pass by me in each direction now and then. The drivers of several of these vehicles have waved to me while going by.
A large San Bernardino County truck slowly coming toward me as I trudge on upward is grading sand off the edge of Morning Star Mine Road. He gives me a big-five honk of the horn as we pass each other. I can't believe how many positive gestures like this I've received on this trip so far, and of course I hope that there will be more.
A San Bernardino County truck grading sand off the road honks his horn five times at me and waves enthusiastically as he passes.
I'm about halfway up the hill on Morning Star Mine Road now and it's time for yet another water-and-Clif-bar break. My water is already warm. Blech, but I'm getting used to that.
I take photos of the views of the mountains to my right, where there are some mines, and then notice an old corral of the road to my left. What's more, I notice a camper trailer parked back there and a man is walking out toward the road.
He reaches the edge of the road and starts talking to me as I approach him at a slow uphill 6 mph.