Home / Mojave Preserve and Desert bikepacking trips / Fall 2012: Mojave National Preserve bicycle-camping and hiking, Lanfair Valley loop / Day 7: Crossing Lanfair Valley: Piute Gorge to Bathtub Spring by bicycle via Mojave Road and Ivanpah Road 45
I ride (and walk) the bike over 10 miles on the Mojave Road and its sibling roads, and finish the day by riding up Ivanpah Road at sunset. Another perfectly sunny and warmish afternoon. High 75F, low 35F, at Lanfair. 26.3 bicycle miles and about 1500 feet of elevation gain.
- I'm up bright and early this morning to pack up camp and catch some sunrise glow on the Piute Gorge hills
It's a bit chilly this morning (in the 40s), but looks like it will be another nice day. I slept reasonably well last night and I'm ready for some instant coffee and granola breakfast. - I hate packing up, but it's always fun to see all my stuff packed into the relatively small size of my saddlebags
I wish I were able to carry some wood and have an evening campfire in this fire ring. - I pack up and begin riding westward on the old Mojave Road from Piute Gorge
This is the easy part of the Mojave Road, with nice firm ground. The road won't be quite so ridable further on, so I'm enjoying this time here. - On some parts of the Mojave Road, I have nice views across Lanfair Valley to familiar areas like Table Mountain
That little pointy guy at distant left is one of the Twin Buttes, near which I camped during my May trip a few months ago. The road is a getting a bit more sandy now in some places. - I ride past one of the many cairns that mark the Mojave Road
I'm back on a solid road surface again, at least for a few minutes. - I ride around a corner and discover more solid road surface on the old Mojave Road ahead
Good! I know this won't last for the whole 10-mile stretch! - I like these little rollers on the Mojave Road
...even though they're a bit sandy in the low spots, occasionally forcing me to stop. - I make a stop at one of several junctions on the old Mojave Road, another decision point
I rode past this intersection in the dark two nights ago on the way back to Piute Gorge from Hackberry Spring. It's nice to see it in daylight now. - A long straight segment of the road waits for me ahead
I stand here for a moment trying to guess where the really sandy part begins... I know it's not too far ahead. - OK, I'm now officially on the sandy part of the road; time to get off the 10-ton bike and push it!
I'm stronger now after being out here for a week, so pushing the bike here is much easier than it would have been on the first or second day of the trip. - Oh, I like this: I get out of the sand for a short stretch
It only lasts a few hundred feet, however. - I arrive at another 4-way intersection, thinking it's the Mojave Road, but it isn't
Which road should I take here? - I decide to try this rarely used road, but it quickly degenerates, so I turn back and decide to follow the main road again
I'm still off the Mojave Road, but I'll be back on it again soon. - I turn around for a moment to look at my tire and foot tracks in the sand
This is slow-going here. - Vietnamese-deer-jerky break on the old Mojave Road
I'm out of the sand for a moment and in the shade of a creosote bush. The sun is rather warm today. - I stopped at this old corral when I rode past here a few nights ago
Another short break from pushing the bike! I'm using almost every excuse I can find to take short breaks. - Here I pass the only motor vehicle I'll see between Piute Gorge and Ivanpah Road
It's a robust Toyota Tacoma, and they drive by as if it's just pavement. The occupants wave to me and I wave back. - I pass another intersection and I'm on the Mojave Road again (there's a bit of firm ground for me to ride on here)
...for a hundred feet or so. - I pass a few early Desert mallow flowers along the Mojave Road
I'm not expecting to see any of these at this time of year, and there are only a few. - A few segments of the Mojave Road, like this one, have essentially turned into a drainage channel
- I arrive at the junction of Lanfair Buttes Road, ride it a little, then turn back as soon as I reach more sand
I check my maps and find I still have almost 1.5 miles ahead before I reach the more ridable Ivanpah Road. - Another short break on the Mojave Road, to refill the water in my bottle
Good excuse to stop for a moment; besides, I'm having a few stomach muscle spasms. - I know I'm getting close to Ivanpah Road when I can zoom in for a close-up of a nearby radio facility
..at least that's what it's called on my maps. - I stop at the Mojave Road tollgate and deposit a few pennies
- This stretch of the Mojave Road provides an off-camber driving experience
High-clearance required! - I take at break at the junction of the Mojave Road and Ivanpah Road
I meet a couple of guys doing motorcycle dirt-bike touring and camping and we have a really great chat. I think that would be fun to try some day (except for the noise factor). - It's great to be riding up Ivanpah Road's smooth surface after walking the bike a few miles
This road must have just been graded; I don't recall it ever being so smooth when I rode here during previous trips. - It's always fun to pass by the old OX Ranch site on Ivanpah Road
- I ride over to the old windmill and corral at the OX Ranch site and spend a moment looking around
There's a large bird perched atop the windmill: a hawk, I think. - Therapeutic repetitious motion: riding into the Joshua tree forest on Ivanpah Road
- It's that great time of day in the desert when the sun starts to go down
The upper part of Lanfair Valley here on Ivanpah Road is nicely exposed to the sunset. - I take a break here to watch the Joshua tree forest on Ivanpah Road turn orange
- Looking behind me (south) on Ivanpah Road, the lighting is a bit pinker
- The sunset colors change subtly, minute by minute, at this time of day
The orange light is slightly deeper than it was a few minutes ago. - The orange light has just stopped lighting up the Joshua trees, but still casts a glow on the Castle Mountains over there
I remember being over in that area at sunset a few days ago, when I ended up at The Lost Campsite. - Two minutes later, the orange glow on the Castle Mountains is fading into pink as the belt of Venus forms
- A lavender glow continues to illuminate the Castle Peaks for a few more minutes
- On the Ivanpah Road, the belt of Venus has become the defining light
Sunset consummated. - It's so quiet up here on Ivanpah Road at sunset; I'm hoping the quiet lasts the whole night
I hear a few crickets, but there's no wind at all right now, and no cars on the road. Only two have passed me here on Ivanpah Road so far. - Five minutes later, the belt of Venus still persists, stolid, colorfast
I can see the area where I started this morning, the Piute Range: those flat hills over there beneath the belt of Venus. - I take one last look toward Hackberry Mountain into the fading sunset, put on my sweater, and ride away
The temperature has dropped a couple of degrees and it will be dark shortly. I haven't decided where I'll camp tonight, but I want it to be within range of Bathtub Spring, in case I need to get water there tomorrow morning. - In less than an hour, I complete the gentle climb to the top of Ivanpah Road (4900 ft elev.); I stop to change my GPS batteries
I should camp up here near Trio Mine; this would be a nice place to wake up tomorrow. Suddenly, I realize I can see my breath and it's much colder up here. I get back on the bike, and ride down Ivanpah Rd to a lower elevation, hopefully not quite so cold. - Almost 4 miles down Ivanpah Road, I pull into a wash and set up camp 1/10 mile in, concealed from the road; it's still cold here
I'm within walking distance of Bathtub Spring if I need more water tomorrow morning. It's noticeably chilly here too (in the 30s F), so I curl up in my sleeping bag early after making one last Backpacker's Pantry meal. I sleep well, happy day for me. - Route: Piute Gorge to Bathtub Spring by bicycle via Mojave Road and Ivanpah Road
26.3 bicycle miles and about 1500 feet of elevation gain. - Elevation profile: Piute Gorge to Bathtub Spring by bicycle via Mojave Road and Ivanpah Road
26.3 bicycle miles and about 1500 feet of elevation gain.