Home / Mojave Preserve and Desert bikepacking trips / 2000: Mojave National Preserve Bicycle Camping Trip #2 / Day 2: Leaving Kelbaker Road campsite and riding to Mid Hills Campground, Mojave National Preserve 8
Today's ride is more ambitious. From here at 2000 feet, I'll ride over the crest of Kelbaker Road at 3800 feet, down to Kelso Depot at 2100 feet, then up to Mid Hills Campground at about 5500 feet.
The final 10 miles or so are on gravelly and sandy dirt roads: Cedar Canyon Road, Black Canyon Road, and Wild Horse Canyon Road.
50.6 miles, 6:15 hours, 34.1 mph max speed, 8.1 mph average
- A few miles up Kelbaker Road, I stop for a short break along the edge of the lava beds
Nice boulders all over the place. I'm still trying to get used to the unwieldiness of the 10-ton bike. - A little further up the road, I climb up the edge of one of the lava flows to get a better view of the area
Last night's campsite is just off the left edge of the photo by those nearby hills. - I make another stop in the lava-flow area, this time at Black Tank Wash
I'm intrigued by this area, but I'm not carrying enough water to dry camp in a place like this tonight. - Beyond the old lava, Kelbaker Road continues to rise slowly
Looking back at the long, gentle hill that I've climbed, and am still climbing. - Looking back down behind me on Kelbaker Road as I approach the summit at 3800 feet
I'm well past the lava beds now, and I have a good view of the cinder cones off Aiken Mine Road in the distance. I take a water-and-snack break at the Kelbaker Road summit. - Once over the 3800-foot summit of Kelbaker Road, I start the 12-mile glide down to the abandoned Kelso Depot at 2100 feet
Though long, this downhill isn't steep. It winds around some hills (Marl Mountains and Kelso Mountains) that block what would otherwise be big views into Kelso Valley at the bottom. It's a fun ride down, as I still have a tailwind. I ride for extended periods at over 30 miles per hour. - At Kelso Depot, I turn north on Kelso-Cima Road and ride 14.4 miles: more slow uphill, back up to 3800 feet
I took another break at the abandoned Kelso Depot at 2100 feet before heading up Kelso-Cima Road. I was going to eat some dried apricots there, but a bee was buzzing around me and I didn't want a repeat of last year's experience here of being literally chased by a bee. While at Kelso Depot, I had an interesting chat with a local area woman (not everyone out here in the desert is a tourist). Now heading up the slight hill of Kelso-Cima Road, I'll turn off on Cedar Canyon Road and ride up into the Mid Hills when I reach 3800 feet. The Marl Mountains stand out on my left; I just passed the other side of them on the way down into Kelso Valley. - Continuing uphill on Kelso-Cima Road, looking ahead
Kelso-Cima Road is one of those typical desert hills that are so subtly uphill that you'd barely notice the rise while driving a car, but when you are pedaling it, it seems to go on forever. I have a major headwind here, so the subtle uphill is proving to be demanding. Mid Hills Campground, today's destination, is up near the top of those mountains to the right. It gets dark while I'm still on Kelso-Cima Road, with a dozen miles to go. I turn on my headlight once in a while if I see a car coming or if I need to see a sign; otherwise I'm riding mostly by moonlight. The Cedar Canyon area is really pretty by moonlight! I'm focusing on the slow, uphill ride and won't take any more photos until tomorrow morning. I'm exhausted and sweaty as I slip-slide up the final few sandy miles of Black Canyon Road, then Wild Horse Canyon Road in the dark. I'm happy that there's no traffic whatsoever because I'm often riding in the middle of the road to avoid the sandiest areas. I grab site #5 at Mid Hills Campground and change into a dry T-shirt (it's cold and windy up here, and I'm suddenly shivering!) I boil some water and get my instant meal (Mountain House beef teriyaki with rice) steeping while I set up the tent. The high winds make trying to fall asleep in the noisy tent impossible until they die down around midnight. I wake up several times during the night from the cold as the moon gets brighter. I go for a walk to check the thermometer at the park entrance, which reads 31 degrees F (-1 C). I'm thirsty and try to fill my water bottle from the tap, but nothing comes out; it must be frozen. I retreat to the tent for more sleep.