Mark,
Your Monache/Grants Pass idea will have to wait another month or two. Most of the forest roads on the Kern Plateau will be closed. On the other hand, DV is in primetime. Or, head out to Mojave Preserve and do some toodlin'. Most of the feature packed portions of the Mojave Road are on the east end in the upper elevations. Kelso Dunes, Kelso Depot, Mitchell Caverns, Hole-in-the-Wall, Caruthers Cyn, Government Hole, Rock Springs, Fort Piute, Piute Springs are all in this area....and keep an eye out for petroglyphs/pictographs they are all over the preserve. Here's a website for some ideas, check the "trips" link and look for trips in the MNP.
http://www.dzrtgrls.com