Home / Mojave Preserve and Desert bikepacking trips / 2007: Death Valley National Park bikepacking / Day 12: Bike ride from Tecopa Hot Springs to China Ranch date farm and bakery 23
A pleasant, hot day, with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees again. The short descent into the Amargosa River canyon is dramatic. Once at China Ranch, I eat some of their delicious date loaf and explore a couple of their hiking trails on a full tummy.
I go for a short hike down along the Amargosa River, where there's nobody around. The solitude and scenery are beautiful. I turn back earlier than I would like due to the heat of the day.
16-miles round-trip.
- Late morning at my Tecopa Hot Springs camp site by the mesquite bush
I've already had coffee, a light breakfast of sorts, and a long relaxing soak in the hot pool, complete with interesting chats with other guys enjoying the pool. I would like to have slept in later, but that's not usually possible in the desert in a tent due to the hot sun making the tent too hot by 7h30. - An old car and trailer near my camp site at Tecopa Hot Springs Campground
The 10-ton bike's tent sits in front of the mesquite bush in the background. - An old bus converted to camper at Tecopa Hot Springs Campground
The campground is mostly empty now that the hot weather is setting in, which adds to the serenity of the surroundings. One of the few remaining campers at the campground tells me that a couple in their 80s lives in the bus and has plans to get married soon. - During my ride to China Ranch date farm, I stop at the public water tank behind Tecopa School to refill my my water bottles
A faded sign warns that "water is not filtered," but it tastes fine. There's no drinking water available at Tecopa Hot Springs Campground, so this place, a couple miles away, is the place to fill up. Since the water tank sits out in the hot sun, the water is rather warm, but it's free! - I ride up the Old Spanish Trail Highway's gentle hill, which leads out of Tecopa toward the Kingston Range
Old Spanish Trail Highway rises slowly toward the Kingston Range. A sign to China Ranch directs me onto Furnace Creek Wash Road. I remember passing this sign last year coming down from the Kingston Range on the way to Tecopa Hot Springs during last year's Mojave National Preserve trip. It's interesting to see this road from the opposite direction. - I've read about the steep downhill on the China Ranch Road here, but I haven't seen it yet
I guess I'll see it in a moment. There's no visible civilization in the immediate area except for road signs and the signs to China Ranch. - I head downhill into the canyon toward the China Ranch date farm
Wow, this is interesting. - Farther into the canyon on China Ranch Road
The canyon walls have gotten higher. Dramatic! - The China Ranch bakery and store at the end of China Ranch Road
They grow many varieties of dates and I sample some of them. - The temperature exceeds 100 degrees F under the ramada outside the China Ranch store
I sit here and eat half of the date-nut loaf that I just bought. It's so good that I want to eat it all, but I'm already full, so I discipline myself to stop eating and save half of it for tomorrow's breakfast. I'm also having a great time with my new 1.5-litre bottle of cold water, my first cold water today. Though the heat is a bit oppressive (it feels somewhat humid down here in the canyon), it's liberating to be in such nice surroundings. - I walk down the short creek trail behind the China Ranch bakery and store
I'm surprised how lush this creek trail is. The small stream gives off a lot of humidity through evaporation and seems to attract lots of insects. - A cabin along China Ranch Road near the store
Apparently, this is being restored or rebuilt. There are several little buildings down here, presumably where the owners and staff live, as well as a small bed-and-breakfast, so the area has the feeling of a tiny village. - Standing in front of their extensive date-palm orchard
Since this orchard is well-watered, it feels hot and sticky here due to the moisture evaporation. - I begin a long walk down the Amargosa River
Despite the heat, I begin a long walk down the Amargosa River and enter the gate to the BLM-managed wilderness area called "Amargosa River ACEC" (Area of Critical Environmental Concern). As always, "take it slow, but take it." The ice-cold 1.5-litre bottle of water that I purchased at the store is already getting warm. I should have bought two of them. - An old truck near the Amargosa River
It looks like it's getting buried by the deposits of annual flood waters. - Walking along the Amargosa River trail
There's nobody around but me. - The trail on the east side of the Amargosa River heading south away from China Ranch
If you follow this trail for many more miles, you'll eventually arrive at the Dumont Dunes. - Over on the west side of the Amargosa River is the ruins of an old stone saloon from 100 years ago
My water is already starting to get low, so I backtrack on the trail on the east side of the Amargosa River and cross over to see what's on the west side of the river. The river here (which is just a stream at this time of year) still has some water in it. While crossing it, I stop and soak my hands in the cool water, which sends messages about pleasure to my hot brain. I'm surprised that the water is fairly cool, which I guess is because it's protected from the blasting sun by all the brush growing around it. - Cold storage behind the old stone saloon
I'm guessing that this is where they kept their beer, in the hope of keeping it cold, or at least not having it warm up too quickly. - An old automobile carcass near the 100-year-old saloon ruins
I walk down to the old car and crawl inside to get some temporary shelter from the blazing sun. The green bushes indicate exactly where the Amargosa River flows. What a contrast with the dry surroundings! - It's fun to pull gently at knobs on the old car's dashboard to see if they budge
The knobs barely move and don't control what they were supposed to control. Inside the old car shell, it actually feels hotter than outside because the roof intensifies the heat beneath it. - I walk back to the China Ranch store, rest briefly, drink two cans of cold Coca-cola, and begin the ride up out of the canyon
My two-litre bottle of water didn't stay cold for long in this heat, and it runs out just as I return to the China Ranch store. I buy another bottle of cold water for the ride back to Tecopa Hot Springs Campground via the scenic China Ranch Road. - Near the crest of China Ranch Road, I chat with another bicyclist before heading down to Tecopa Hot Springs to end the day
I'm not the only crazy guy on a bike out here. At the crest of China Ranch Road, I meet another cyclist staying around here, also from the Bay Area, who is heading down to China Ranch to buy some date loaf before the store closes. I'm out of disposable cameras, and there's nowhere around to buy another one. And the trip is almost over, with tomorrow's 55-mile-ride back to Baker marking the end of my desert pedalling. Tonight's moonlight and mineral water soaks remains, and one last instant backpacking meal waits for me back at the tent.