Mojave National Preserve: Cornfield Spring Road to west of Kelso Dunes by bicycle (Day 6)
I haven't seen people or pavement for a couple of days. That will change today as I move my campsite to somewhere west of Kelso Dunes, with a nice social stop at the Kelso Depot visitor centre along the way. A laid-back easy day with just only 16 bicycle miles and 900 feet elevation gain.
I drank two litres of water and ate no energy bars (but I did have homemade iced tea and crappy instant burritos at The Beanery in Kelso Depot during my break).
Temperatures recorded in Baker, CA: high of 72F, low of 35F.
|
Date: November 27, 2009, 10h43
Size: 27 items
|
|
OK, everything out of the tent, it's time to pack up and leave!
I've been awake since 8h, taking the morning slowly and lazily. After three enjoyable nights here on Cornfield Spring Road, I don't feel much like leaving. There are certainly more hikes I could do from here.
Date: November 27, 2009, 10h43
|
Despite the near-freezing overnight temperatures, I'm shirtless and sweating a bit as I pack up in the warm morning sun
Everything is nicely crammed into my saddlebags and I'm ready to reassemble the 10-ton bike and move on.
Date: November 27, 2009, 11h25
|
The 10-ton bike slithers down Cornfield Spring Road at 5-7 miles per hour toward Kelso Depot
It's an easy, slightly downhill ride, not quite two miles long, but rocks and stretches of loose gravel require that it not be taken too quickly with a loaded-up bike.
Date: November 27, 2009, 11h56
|
|
As I approach Kelso, I see an RV driving up the paved Kelbaker Road
Cornfield Spring Road almost joins Kelbaker Road just ahead, but it instead turns right and parallels it for the final quarter-mile to Kelso Depot.
Date: November 27, 2009, 12h13
|
The final part of Cornfield Spring Road, which is shared with the road to Rex Mine, is quite sandy
I see some footprints here, and they might be mine from when I walked the 10-ton bike up this stretch three days ago.
Date: November 27, 2009, 12h17
|
Just before reaching the real pavement near Kelso Depot is an old washed-out road that was once paved
Perhaps this was one of the original roads in the town of Kelso, no longer needed.
Date: November 19, 2009, 12h19
|
|
I spend two hours at Kelso Depot, longer than expected, chatting with staff and a couple of bicyclists on their way to Las Vegas
It's always good to speak to Preserve staff to see what they can share about areas you plan to visit. I refill my water supply from the basement utility closet, browse the art exhibit in the downstairs gallery, and buy a local history book.
Date: November 29, 2009, 13h53
|
My long stop at Kelso Depot was a lot of fun, but now it's time for the gentle 8-mile climb up Kelbaker Road to Kelso Dunes Road
I'm feeling fresh because I haven't been on the bike in a couple of days. The uphill grade is mostly 2-4% and I ride most of it at about 7 miles per hour with a slight tailwind to help me along. I've ridden this stretch of road several times.
Date: November 27, 2009, 14h55
|
On my left as I climb Kelbaker Road are the Providence Mountains, where I hiked the past two days
If I have my bearings correctly... Cornfield Spring Canyon is at the left where the ridgeline dips a little; Rex Mine is the tiny hill in the middleground; and West Edgar Canyon #3 enters the mountains at a slightly dark area to the right.
Date: November 27, 2009, 15h02
|
|
On my right as I climb Kelbaker Road, the usually vivid Kelso Dunes pale in the murky light of the cloudy afternoon
I'll camp somewhere beyond the dunes tonight. On this busy holiday weekend (by Mojave National Preserve standards), I expect the three official campsites near Kelso Dunes will have been taken by the time I get there.
Date: November 27, 2009, 15h21
|
It looks like a tarantula was run over by a car here on Kelbaker Road
I wonder where the rest of it ended up... This road gets a fair amount of traffic, and it does move quickly.
Date: November 27, 2009, 15h36
|
My 8-mile climb up Kelbaker Road ends when I reach Kelso Dunes Road, at about 2800 feet elevation, and turn right
A few miles straight ahead are the rocky and scenic Granite Mountains. I'll be visiting a new-to-me canyon in the lower Granites tomorrow (Bull Canyon), but I haven't explored much in the upper part of those mountains yet.
Date: November 27, 2009, 15h50
|
|
As I start down Kelso Dunes Road, I pause for the views across to Devils Playground and the Old Dad Mountain area
I camped over there almost a week ago. In a few minutes, a view of the Kelso Dunes will replace this one. My cell phone works here, so I send a text and change my outgoing message so people know I've made it this far.
Date: November 27, 2009, 15h55
|
With the setting sun in my eyes, I ride more quickly than usual down Kelso Dunes Road because the surface has just been graded
I've never seen Kelso Dunes Road so smooth; it's usually quite washboarded with a bit of surface sand. It is slightly downhill, but due to the bad surface, I never come close to reaching 20 miles per hour like today.
Date: November 27, 2009, 16h11
|
It's that time of day again when the Mojave Desert sunset briefly illuminates everything in its own special way
Riding down the freshly graded Kelso Dunes Road with the Providence Mountains behind me...
Date: November 27, 2009, 16h12
|
|
