Home / Mojave Preserve and Desert bikepacking trips / Fall 2011: Route 66 bicycle-camping—Cady Mountains, Sleeping Beauty and Kelso Dunes Wilderness / Day 6: Ludlow to Cady Mountains bicycle ride 17
The thermometer reaches a balmy 70F today for today's fairly easy 20-mile ride from Ludlow to the Cady Mountains.
- Morning at the Ludlow Motel is nice and quiet; I walk over to The Café next-door for a home-cooked breakfast
The Sleeping Beauty mountains where I hiked a few days ago sit in the background. After breakfast at The Café, I'll be headed up that way again today, to the Cady Mountains, just behind there. - The morning after Thanksgiving, Ludlow Café is almost deserted, which is unusual
I decide to try the "house omelet" (chili, ground beef, mushrooms and tomato). Tasty, but perhaps a bit heavy before a day of bike-riding. Oh well, too late now! As always, the homemade biscuit on the side is my favourite part. - Crap! I have the dreaded headwind while riding westward out of Ludlow alongside the I-40 freeway
The road only rises 550 feet in elevation over 8 miles here, but it feels steeper than that due to the strong wind pushing me back. It's a nice day though, so I simply enjoy the scenery. - I take note of a makeshift land-for-sale sign while riding past Sleeping Beauty
Nice idea, but the I-40 freeway is right behind me. I continue riding slowly up the gentle hill, enjoying the great scenery. - Old Route 66 crosses over the I-40 freeway
Having reached the high point of Route 66 in this area, I take a break here to watch the busy people driving by beneath me. There's almost no traffic on my road, so it's been a really relaxing ride so far. My GPS unit keeps rebooting here for some reason. - As I approach the Pisgah Crater area along Old Route 66, I take note of the many pink plants growing on the shoulder
I've seen these many times out here, at first not knowing they are a member of the buckwheat family, native to the area. - Here's one of those photos that I have to take each time I pass by here: Route 66 crosses the train tracks at Pisgah siding
The ground between here and Pisgah Crater looks rather black because it's a lava field. I'm struggling a little as I ride into a strong headwind, but that's to be expected out here sometimes. - 5 miles later, it's time to cross I-40 again, this time by crossing under it
I've just left Old Route 66 and am on my way into the Cady Mountains toward tonight's campsite. This is my first time up this road. Will it be rideable after the pavement runs out ahead? - My gears are acting up still, so I pour more lubricant onto them
Perhaps I have a different problem and some sand has gotten deeper inside? Seems like there's plenty of lube there on the outside... - This short worn-out paved road (perhaps once a part of Old Route 66?) has a gouge down the middle where the yellow line would be
I'm expecting a sharp right turn (and end of pavement) in the road almost a mile ahead when it reaches the power lines just ahead. - OK, the pavement has departed, and I'm headed up into the Cady Mountains on dirt and gravel
Desert dirt roads are sometimes easy, but sometimes nearly impossible to ride, so I'll find out now which category of road this one falls into. I seem to have some of the wind behind me now, which should help. A 4WD vehicle passes me. - I pause on the way up the gentle hill leading into the Cady Mountains to look back on the sandy road
It's not steep at all, but I walk the bike occasionally along here due to slippery sand. I'm guessing that the sand will subside as I get higher into the hills, which is often the case. A lone dirt-motorcyclist passes me. - More loose rock along the road as I slowly rise and enter the Cady Mountains
There's enough rock along here that my traction is improving, though I still need to occasionally walk the 10-ton bike. - As hoped, the road surface is firmer as I get higher into the Cady Mountains
I can ride again now! I'll camp somewhere up here in the pass tonight. Time to start looking for a campsite, but I have plenty of time left. I haven't been up here before, so I'm getting excited. - As I ride though Cady Mountains pass, I start looking more seriously for a campsite for the next two nights
I don't want to start riding down the other side of the hills, down toward my Kelso Dunes Wilderness campsite from a couple of days ago! I want a campsite with a view of the area, but not too visible to any vehicles that might drive by. - I check out the side roads as I ride through Cady Mountains pass and find a great campsite for two nights, before sunset even
I'm far enough back that I'm not too visible to anyone driving the road, and I'm just high enough to have some views in this upland valley. Shortly after setting up camp, a group of 4WD vehicles drives by on the road below. A large fly (a yellow-jacket?) buzzes around my tent much of the evening. Yes, I'm carrying my epi-pens... During this very dark evening (no moon), the wind increases, but not violently so. It dies down by the time I go to bed around 23h30 after a meal of Mountain House Sweet and Sour Pork with Rice, but boiling water for my meal in the wind was really slow. I hear no military explosions tonight, but I do hear a few trains of course, and a few airplanes. I sleep really well, looking forward to tomorrow's hike up into the Cady Mountains. - Ludlow to Cady Mountains bicycle ride, elevation profile
20.4 bicycle miles and about 1000 feet elevation gain.