Got out of LA  by noon yesterday (3/11), smooth sailing down the freeway. Stopped in Barstow at Walmart to buy groceries, then on to the Mojave National Preserve to camp.  Right beside Kelso Dunes in the Preserve there is a dispersed camping area with a couple of vault toilets and lots of fire rings spread out over a large area.  We parked beside one fire ring.  There were maybe a half dozen other campers around.  Plenty of space between everyone.  When the sun went down there was a bottom sliver of the moon in the western sky and the constellation Orion seemed so clear and so close.  I could see the stars of Orion’s sword hanging from his belt.  Normally I only see the belt.  A couple of groups had campfires going.  Smelled good and was comforting to see the distant flicker of it.  Fell asleep with the sound of insects chirring outside.  Had thought we might spend two nights here, but the forecast starting tomorrow afternoon is for 50 mph wind gusts.  Don’t want to be camped next to sand dunes with that kind of wind blowing  sand around.  So we’ll pull out in the morning before the wind builds up.

In the morning I walked out of camp toward the bigger road and walked for about a mile before Dave caught up with me in the van.  I’m working on increasing my exercise activity.  We drove a couple hours and pulled into a BLM dispersed camp area south of Needles.  We’ve been here before and have named it Pointed Rock.  Plan to sleep here two nights.  Dave finished hooking up the rechargeable water faucet we bought and now I have running water and a double sink in the new kitchen cabinet he built.  Living high on the hog!  As I write, I’m sitting outside in the sunrise, drinking my hot chicory/mushroom drink.  Very pleasant and satisfying.