Home / Mojave Preserve and Desert bikepacking trips / Fall 2010: Route 66 and Kelso Dunes Wilderness Bicycle Camping / Day 1: Route 66: Barstow to Ludlow 47
Today I pedal 56 miles from Barstow to Ludlow on old Route 66 to position myself for a bit of exploration in the area of Broadwell Dry Lake and the Kelso Dunes Wilderness. A strong tailwind today, and pleasant temperatures in the 60s, after the morning rain ended, which I managed to avoid.
I haven't visited this stretch of old Route 66 before, so I'm looking forward to it. Ludlow was once a budding small town and boasts a few crumbling old buildings to prove it, but today it is little more than a freeway truck stop.
- Yesterday, I took the Amtrak San Joaquin train with my bicycle down California's Central Valley
Many Amtrak trains do not accept unboxed bicycles, but this one does, and it even has a nice rack. This makes a bicycle trip so convenient. - The Amtrak bus deposited me yesterday at Barstow Station, just before sunset
After a relaxing day of train and bus travel, I reassemble the 10-ton bike and ride a couple of miles up Barstow's main street (old Route 66) to an inexpensive old motel, passing numerous more modern establishments along the way. - Route 66 Motel, Barstow, California
It rained here in Barstow just before I arrived and more cold rain was forecast for the overnight hours. Upon checking in, I was given a bottle of drinking water because the city's water supply has been contaminated. - My cabin room at the Route 66 Motel is small and a bit run-down, but the round bed adds unique character
I like the worn-in feel of this place, despite the leaky sink and layers of visible plaster repairs. I hope the rain does stop by early morning as forecast... I rarely watch TV, so I do that here tonight, to see how the other half lives. - Several old cars and other antique Route 66 paraphenalia decorate the grounds of Barstow's Route 66 Motel
The rain seems to have stopped. Now I'm waiting for the sun to come out before I pack up and start this bicycle trip. - Another old car in the courtyard of Barstow's Route 66 Motel
In the background at centre-right is a sign for the motel next door. There are many motels along this strip of Route 66 in Barstow. - Among the many antiques on the Route 66 Motel property is this cigarette machine
I remember these, but there's already a whole generation of people who haven't ever seen one of these vending machines operational. - Barstow's downtown area has many older, modest dwellings built along desert hillsides
These older areas are picturesque compared to the bland suburban tract housing that surrounds them, and which dominate most of this small city. - A 24-hour donut shop on Barstow's Route 66 is closed due to the water contamination
You can't make donuts or coffee without potable drinking water. - El Rancho Barstow is one of many older motels along Route 66 in central Barstow
Unfortunately, a sign here offers "move-in specials," so I passed it up. - I grab some breakfast at Barstow's Village Café, which is probably cooking with the bad city water, since they're still open
I like the old cash register in this Chinese-American establishment. I've only been out of San José for a day and I already miss Asian food, since it's what I eat most. - Bummer, no Chinese breakfast on the menu (who would order such "weird stuff"?), so I order scrambled eggs and bacon
The otherwise unremarkable breakfast gets a kick when the waiter asks me if I like it "really hot" (I asked for hot sauce, expecting Tobasco). His "really hot" sauce is Chinese chili paste: nice, tasty, and fortunately not as hot as the chili oil I make at home! Thanks! - The rain stopped, the sun shining, I leave Route 66 Motel and detour a mile up Barstow Rd to the Mojave River Museum
Wow, this short ride up the hill, only a mile with 200 feet of elevation gain, is killing me! How will I make it the rest of the way to Ludlow today, 50 miles away? - Outside the Mojave River Museum in Barstow is an old exterior cage-style jail cell
One of these old jail cells is also on display outside Kelso Depot in Mojave National Preserve. - I stop in at Barstow's Mojave River Museum for a quick visit before riding on toward Ludlow
I spend about 15 minutes here, but could easily spend longer. I grab a book on old desert water sources to amuse me, and head on, hoping to return for a longer visit later. - Before leaving Barstow, I make a quick stop at Food For Less to buy a couple of propane bottles
I hate these mall-like places with endless ugly parking lots. Water runs across the pavement here, like everywhere in Barstow today, because fire hydrants have been opened in an effort to drain the contaminated water from the city's supply. - I ride back to Barstow's Route 66 through residential areas and coast down a nice hill on my way out of town
Along the way, I stop at Barstow Station to pick up a bottle of cognac to keep me warm during the cold nights ahead. There's even a begrudgingly skinny bike lane for a few blocks on Barstow's Route 66. - On the outskirts of Barstow, the road dead-ends at a Marine Corps base, so I turn back and get on the freeway for a few miles
A friendly guy at the entrance to the Marine Corps base gives me directions, reassuring me that I only have a few freeway miles to ride. He probably gets several people every day who are lost when their road unexpectedly ends up at the base entrance. - I enter Interstate 40 eastbound, riding on the shoulder of course
I haven't ridden on a freeway before, so am not sure what to expect. The shoulder is generous and I have the strong wind behind me, so all is well, except for the loud noise of all the freeway traffic. - After approximately 2.5 miles on the freeway, I reach Nebo Street and one of those "bicycles must exit" signs
Upon leaving the freeway, a "Historic Route 66" sign points me in the correct direction. - As I approach the Daggett area, I notice this crumbling concrete structure not far from old Route 66
The Newberry Mountains, much of it federally designated Wilderness, sits in the background. - Route 66 reaches a stop sign as it passes through the little town of Daggett, California
Every now and then, one comes across a big Route 66 logo painted on the pavement. Supposedly, it's mostly Europeans who come here to see Route 66, not Americans. - Mugwumps? I pass a former old gas station labeled "Mugwumps," near Daggett's stop sign
Apparently, there was a printing business here for some time. - While riding through Daggett, I stop to check out the old sign for the now-defunct Sportsmans Club
That nice, frothy mug of beer once had a light bulb poking out of each hole, presumably twinkling after dark. A few bulbs remain. - Although it's mostly sunny, some dark clouds are still floating around and mistly lightly upon me from time to time
Luckily, it's not enough rain that I get wet, or need to put on my rain gear. - Also on Route 66 near Daggett is an old California Agricultural Inspection Station, long abandoned
It was built in 1953 and closed in 1967. - Riding east on Route 66 away from Daggett, one of many long freight trains passes by
With strong winds pushing me along, cool weather, and hardly any traffic on this road, it's a great ride today. Most of the traffic is on the freeway that runs in front of the Newberry Mountains at my right: just far enough away that I can't hear its roar. - After several long, straight miles, old Route 66 curves and ducks under the freeway as it enters Newberry Springs
I pass a recently closed gas station just before the freeway, but there's another one coming up just after the underpass. - I take advantage of the gas-station store at Newberry Springs for welcome a caffeine boost: a can of Mountain Dew
The temperature is cool enough that I don't really need to drink something cold. I get an odd sense of déjà vu here, like I've been here before, perhaps because freeway gas stations all feel the same. - Route 66 in Newberry Springs sports a number of old buildings, some abandoned, some not: welcome to "The Barn"
"The Barn" is a bar that is still operational, and is for sale for a price in the $500,000 range. The strong wind blows against the palm tree, indicating its (and my) eastward direction. - Riding down Route 66 through Newberry Springs, a tour bus that just passed me has pulled over on the side of the road
Hmmm... there are people in the middle of the road up there. It looks like they might be photographing something. - As I pass the little crowd of people by the tour bus, I realize that the thing they are photographing is me
I guess they haven't seen any bicycle-tourers on their trip yet. Nor have I. The tour bus proceeds to stop at the famous Bagdad Café. I consider stopping there too, but decide to check it out on my way back to Barstow instead, at the end of this trip. - Next to the Bagdad Café in Newberry Springs is the abandoned Henning Motel
In disrepair now, this motel was in the Bagdad Café movie, but that wasn't enough publicity to keep it going. - I stop to take a quick look at an abandoned gas station in Newberry Springs, which also once housed a restaurant
Faded paint on the front of the building says, "Italian and American Dishes." This was once part of an old chain of gas stations called the "Whiting Brothers." - Newberry Springs has a lot of abandoned houses, but the presence of many newer houses shows that the town is not dead
This house on Route 66 used to have open desert as its backyard, but now it has a freeway with an endless stream of big rigs flowing past, like the one seen here. - Just east of Newberry Springs are several dry lakes with white minerals coming up to the surface
In today's chilly air, the white surface almost registers as snow, or snow-coated ice. - Route 66's road surface gets really rough east of Newberry Springs; I'm glad I'm riding a mountain bike with suspension!
I've been making excellent time so far today due to the rather flat terrain and strong tailwind, often riding 20 mph. However, the miles of rough pavement here, in addition to a slight uphill, are slowing me down considerably. - It looks like these two abandoned and semi-demolished trailers near Route 66 east of Newberry Springs have been visited often
There's very little human habitation once one gets well east of Newberry Springs. - Route 66 closely parallels the I-40 freeway the rest of the way to Ludlow, my destination today
It's 16h20 and the sun is already starting to go down. I love the late fall sunlight, but not the short days. I still have about 15 miles ahead until I reach Ludlow. - The clouds to my right and behind me are picking up some nice lighting as the sun starts to set on Route 66
There's a lot of old lava in this area, but this creosote bush seems quite happy. - The sun fades away as old Route 66 crosses the train tracks at-grade near Pisgah siding
The freight trains here are long and frequent, but I've arrived at a train-free moment . - Well, I can't deny any longer that it's about to get dark here on Route 66
I pull over to attach a couple of little red lights to my sleeping-bag bungee cords, since my main seatpost rear flasher is obscured by my sleeping bag. - I pedal the final 10 miles to Ludlow in darkness, quite enjoyable with the almost-full moon peering through the clouds
I lose 600 feet of elevation on this final stretch: nice downhill. The road is a bit bumpy, but not like it was east of Newberry Springs. I enjoy not sharing the road with any other vehicles while I watch headlights on the adjacent I-40 freeway fly by. - I check in at the Ludlow Motel: bland, but cleaner and more spacious than last night's accommodations in Barstow (and $10 more)
Several other rooms here appear to be occupied tonight, most likely weary freeway travelers. I doubt many people are using Ludlow as a destination like I am. - The water-stained menu in my room at the Ludlow Motel advertises the offerings of the Ludlow Café next door
I'm too late to enjoy the Ludlow Café today, but I'll stop in for one of their well-known breakfasts tomorrow. I walk over to the Dairy Queen, the only other restaurant at this truck-stop village, for a hamburger and fries (not my usual kind of food). I fall asleep easily tonight after watching some TV. Highway bicycle touring was nice today, but I'm looking forward to camping tomorrow, away from electricity and well-traveled roads. - Barstow to Ludlow bicycle route on old Route 66
56 bicycle miles with about 1200 feet of elevation gain (exaggerated GPS elevation claims 1700 feet). - Barstow to Ludlow bicycle route elevation and speed profile
56 bicycle miles with about 1200 feet of elevation gain (exaggerated GPS elevation claims 1700 feet). Speed recorded is the overlaid jagged blue line.