East,
southeast,
over
the
Tehachapi
Range --
Bear Mountain
Caliente
Canyon,
Murray Ranch,
bouldery
foothills,
oak
valleys
stretching
up
to
Bealville
junction,
Keene
Butte,
the
long
grade,
railroad-paralleld,
toward
the
summit
plateau,
other-
worldly
Monolith,
horribly-
prolific
windmills,
cliffs,
Joshua
trees --
into
the
twilit,
moonish
Mojave,
a warning from a law-enforcer re a burned-out tail-light,
Barstow for the
night.
148th day of summer, high locally an 8-degree relative-plummet to 88 (97th beyond 80),
with peaks respectively at 89 and 105, re Tehachapi and
journey's end.
