Home / Mojave Preserve and Desert bikepacking trips / 2010, Mojave National Preserve / Day 1: Baker, California to Kelso Peak area, Mojave National Preserve 31
My goal today is to ride up Kelbaker Road, get out of the valley of heat that is Baker and camp at cooler ground (high 90s forecast today), in preparation for tomorrow's hike to Kelso Peak. 24.7 bicycle miles, 2800 feet elevation gain.
- Yesterday, after an Amtrak bus ride from San José, an Amtrak train picked me up in Stockton, California
This is Amtrak's San Joaquin route, and you can bring your bicycle aboard (not all Amtrak trains accept unboxed bicycles). - After the Amtrak train ride to Bakersfield, an Amtrak bus dropped me off at Baker, California late yesterday afternoon
Baker is on the opposite side of the I-15 freeway from Mojave National Preserve. I stayed at the Wills Fargo Motel here last night so I would be ready to start the trip this morning. - Last night's sunset at Baker, California, home of the world's tallest thermometer, was a pleasant pinkish glow
It was still 92 degrees when I had supper at Los Dos Toritos, one of the only non-chain restaurants in this freeway-stop town with far more gas stations per capita than most towns. Great home-style meal as always. - This morning, after breakfast buffet at the Big Boy, I ride the bridge over the freeway and enter Mojave National Preserve
After filling up on food, I fill up on water from the Country Store, and am carrying a nice heavy load of about 18 litres, necessary in today's heat and to support my dry campsite tonight and tomorrow night. - Once across the I-15 freeway on Kelbaker Road, this Mojave National Preserve trip is really starting
The freeway noise is still nearby, but behind me now, as I start my way up Kelbaker Road, into the great expanse of unpopulated desert. It's a great feeling each time I begin a trip by riding up this road, slowly leaving the "real world" behind. Next services: 76 miles (I won't be going that far today). This sign is rightfully intended to scare you into a reality check if you haven't been out here before. Do you have water? Do you know where you will get your next water if you get a flat tire? - A few miles further up Kelbaker Road is the "watch for tortoises" sign; I still haven't seen one yet
Kelbaker Road is a slow, gentle uphill, and I'll rise 1000 feet during the first 10 miles to reach those low hills ahead. The rise is almost imperceptible to someone driving a car. With close to 100F forecast, I need to get to higher, cooler ground. - 10 miles up Kelbaker Road out of Baker, I stop for a break at "the big curve," where the road turns almost 90 degrees
I'm already hot and sweaty, after only 10 miles in the sun. It's getting hotter. At 1000 feet above Baker, a slight breeze blows now, not enough yet to cool me, but it's almost refreshing. My sweatband falls off my handlebars, which I'll realize later. - A while after my break at Kelbaker Road's 10-mile curve, I pause as I pass the dirt road that leads down to 17-Mile Point
I rode down this road to camp and hike in the Devil's Playground area last fall. A great place to visit, but I wouldn't do it today with the season's hot weather! - Oh look, my first balloon sighting of this Mojave National Preserve trip (that white thing)
I always find stray, deflated balloons in remote areas while hiking or biking, and here is my first of this trip. Just imagine all those frozen, festive, smiling faces while that balloon drifted away from their party. - One of my favorite moments of riding up Kelbaker Road is when I reach the edge of the lava, at left, about 13 miles out of Baker
The scenery is nice, and there is a historical site to be admired in the hills at my left. Perhaps more important is the slight downhill here alongside the lava, which only an overheating bicyclist would notice. - My next break along Kelbaker Road is near the road to the Rainy Day Mine site, with the cinder cones in the background
The faint cinnamon-clove scent in the air must be from all the yellow desert senna flowers. The day is getting warmer... - Looking behind me down Kelbaker Road, I've risen about 1500 feet over approximately 16 miles
I've done this long gradual climb many times over the years. It's relatively easy in cool weather, but on the first day of a trip, fully loaded down before I'm acclimated to 90-degree heat, it gets a bit slow and sweaty! - A bit further up Kelbaker Road, I stop again to refill my Camelbak, which has run dry again; any excuse for a break is good
I'm going through a lot of water in today's heat. I'm not in shape for this yet. I've ridden the 10-ton bike before in temperatures over 100F, but later in a trip when I was thus tougher, and acclimated to the heat. - More desert senna blooms, and sweet scent, along Kelbaker Road
As the road slowly rises, a few spiky Mojave yuccas, like the one in the background here, and joshua trees, begin to appear. - My next hot-and-sweaty break is an hour later at Aiken Mine Road, which leads off toward the cinder cones and the lava tube
At 3100 feet elevation and past the 20-mile point now, I munch on another Peanut Toffee Buzz Clif bar that wants to be chewed but not swallowed. Ugh, early sign of heat sickness. Just a few more uphill miles to go. I explored some of the Aiken Mine Road area during last spring's trip and it's worthy of a return visit one day. Not today, but maybe on the way back to Baker later in the trip. - I take note of some blooming indigo bushes as I get closer to the powerline road
The intense blue blossoms are so darkly coloured that you would probably never notice them when driving by in a car (or on a downhill bicycle ride). A few joshua trees sit quietly in the background. - Just ahead of me, the power lines cross Kelbaker Road at about 3700 feet elevation; the powerline road is my goal for the day
I'm still feeling overheated, but there is a slightly cool breeze up here, now that I'm 2500 feet above the heat of Baker back in the valley. - Riding around the bend toward the power lines at a blazing 6 miles per hour, I interrupt the supper of two vultures and a crow
They fly away before I'm able to take portrait photos, but I do get to see the former jackrabbit (?) upon which they were dining. They wait for me to leave before resuming their meal. I apologize for the interruption and continue onward. - I stop at the Kelbaker Road summit and junction with the powerline road to look at Kelso Peak, tomorrow's hiking destination
I've stopped at this pull-out almost every time I've passed it during previous trips, but have never camped out up on this ridge nor explored any of the area on foot. That is about to change. - I ride down the powerline road a short distance and begin looking for a campsite; wow, the heat has really fried me today
Only a few cars per day drive the powerline road, but I don't want to be too close to it, nor do I want to be too visible from nearby Kelbaker Road. On the other hand, I'm too lazy to ride too far down the powerline road, since I'll just have to ride back the day after tomorrow. - I park the 10-ton bike and go for a walk when I see some openings in the landscape that might make for a good campsite
I do like a campsite with a view (of the cinder cones in this case), which may put me under the rather ugly power lines. Oh well... I went through 4.5 litres of water getting here today. - I set up my tent, then go for a walk; Mojave asters along the powerline road near Kelso Peak
More flowers populate this area than in the drier creosote-bush landscape that I passed through during much of the day. - Orange desert mallow flowers and dark-blue indigo bush near my powerline-road campsite near Kelso Peak
I'm seeing more desert mallow flowers in this area than I did last year, and I will see many more in profusion later during this trip. - I think it's time to wash off the bits of salt that have formed on my face during the day's sweating
I don't want to use too much of my water for "frivolous" things like washing however, since I drank more than expected today. I won't have any more water until I pass by Kelso Depot visitor centre the morning after tomorrow. - More Mojave asters along the powerline road near Kelso Peak
I try taking a few more close-up photos, but the light breeze keeps the flowers moving just enough to make focusing with a cheap camera impossible. - I chuckle when I find a Budweiser-decorated cap on the powerline road
Birds have probably been pecking away at this to get some soft fluffy material for their nests. - Indigo bush blooms near my tent close to the powerline road
Kelso Peak, tomorrow's hiking destination, sits in the background. As slightly cool evening winds pick up, my mild heat exhaustion subsides and I start urinating frequently; my body no longer needs all that extra water it was holding. - One of two major powerline routes that cut across Mojave National Preserve
You can't go too far in the Preserve without running across one of these. - A nice sunset and views of the cinder cones end my first day of this trip
The day's heat has left me a bit nauseous, but I'm hungry anyway, and make tonight's supper as soon as the sun goes down (Mountain House Sweet and Sour Pork with rice, yum). I enjoy the quiet evening, hearing an occasional car on nearby Kelbaker Road. I'm glad to be up here where the breeze is slightly cool, 2800 feet above Baker and its valley-floor heat. Still, it's warm enough that I go to sleep on top of my sleeping bag and not in it. After a few birds chirp around sunset, the night is quiet, except for the light breeze making my tent walls flap a little. A few shots of brandy cancel that unwanted noise. It hasn't been a super-strenuous day, but I'm not in shape for this yet, and not yet acclimated to the heat. Also, I started the trip a bit sleep-deprived, so I sleep beautifully tonight. - Baker to Kelso Peak powerline road elevation profile (Day 1)
24.7 miles, 2800 feet elevation gain - Baker to Kelso Peak powerline road route (Day 1)
24.7 miles, 2800 feet elevation gain