After a second breakfast of blueberry pancakes at a local cafe, we drive our loaned jeep across the desert to nearby Black Rock and find a Cactus Wren before we are out of the car park.
Following a walking sand trail through the Joshua Trees to the top of the mountain gives us a view miles back down the sand valley. In the evening, sitting outside the cottage watching the sun go down, Gambels Quail run past, chattering away.
Just after dark a fire engine and ambulance, lights and sirens on, come flying past, over the sand into the hills. They come bouncing back minutes later, looking lost! We can't see flames anyway on the horizon.
In the morning, we push our bikes down the sandy road (alongside fresh coyote tracks) feeling so privileged to have been able to stay in the very heart of the desert.
Most villages have similar street names, eg Buena Vista, but around here they are more imaginative, we notice a Kickapoo Road and set out north on Old Woman Springs Road. There is sparse Sunday traffic so we can enjoy the desolate desert scenery. We complete 50 miles by lunch time but then the desert ends and we are slowed the next 27 miles by heavy traffic and too many traffic lights. Very tired , dusty and thirsty we gratefully book into a very friendly hotel at Hesperia. The top floor room gives panoramic views of the sun sinking over the desert hills we have just left (and is big enough to take our bikes as well!).
CNN are reporting non-stop on Hurricane Sandy which is battering the East coast USA.
They are predicting destruction as far north as NewYork. All flights on that coast are cancelled for tomorrow.
Tour miles to date: 3,029
Location:Yucca Valley to Hesperia
