Day 24

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It's a pretty drive down to Baker, CA and the entrance to Mojave National Preserve. We saw more desert flowers blooming, pinks, yellows, and whites.
The cinder cones and lava beds were fascinating and the landscape everchanging. We stopped at the Visitor Center at Kelso Station and looked at the exhibits. The temperature was dropping and the woman at the Visitor Center said they were expecting snow storms overnight. We ate our lunch on the side of the road near the Kelso Sand Dunes. As we neared I-40 the dark clouds came closer. We heard on NOAA radio that the thunder storm warning for Mojave County (where we were headed) had been cancelled because the storm had moved off to the NE. Wrong!
It started raining just before we reached Kingman, AZ, then became mixed with snow as we drove through Kingman. We managed to get to our campground east of Kingman ahead of the storm, but just barely. When we got the camper unhooked, the sleet began. So we chocked the camper, hooked up the electric and drove down the hill to the truck stop for supper. After ordering our meals the snow came down harder, big floppy flakes, with thunder and lightning to boot. Then the lights went out and we ate in the semi-dark, watching the snow cover the cars and trucks in the parking lot.
So now it's 6:30 PM, dusk, and we're sitting in the car, watching big, wet snowflakes fall, waiting for a let up so we can set up the camper. Hopefully the power will be restored soon so we can turn on the heater, too.

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Photos

Desert in bloom
Mojave National Preserve

Lava beds and cinder cones
Mojave National Preserve

Kelso Sand Dunes
Mojave Natl Pres

From South Pass on I-40
Looking down on Needles, CA