Home / Mojave Preserve and Desert bikepacking trips / 2009, Fall: Mojave National Preserve / Day 3: Devil's Playground to Cornfield Spring Road via Jackass Canyon by bicycle 34
It will be a long day, with several tiring miles of walking the bike in parts of Devil's Playground and scenic Jackass Canyon—more hike-a-biking than I've ever done in a single day.
The cold I caught last night is pretty bad, but I'm up by 8h making coffee anyway; today I pack up and leave Devil's Playground
Enjoying the views down to Cowhole Moutain and Soda Lake, I ponder camping another night here at Devil's Playground
The last items to remove are the large rocks that I placed inside the tent last night to keep it from blowing over again
I like the patterns that my sleeping pad has imprinted on the sand through the floor of my tent
The bike all packed up, I begin the 5.5-mile trek down Old Kelso Road along the east side of Devil's Playground
Old Kelso Road occasionally crosses dry washes where it is suddenly rocky instead of sandy
I pause on Old Kelso Road to admire the views back toward Cowhole Mountain, Soda Lake, and my campsite of the last two nights
I like this slightly downhill part of Old Kelso Road that heads toward the Old Dad Mountain block
Long and straight, Old Kelso Road heads toward the power lines that I can see three miles ahead, where I'll enter Jackass Canyon
I stare intently at the Old Dad Mountain block as I pass by, wishing I had enough time and water to do a day hike here
A bit further down Old Kelso Road I notice another Wilderness marker that people drive around and ignore
Old Kelso Road has proven to be more rideable than I expected, but this final part before the power lines is a bit rough
Near the end of the slow 5.5 miles on Old Kelso Road, I stop for an energy bar and take in a final glance at Devil's Playground
Tire tracks go everywhere at the end of Old Kelso Road where it meets Jackass Canyon at the power lines
Entering Jackass Canyon from Devil's Playground, Mojave National Preserve
Nice wiggly tire track behind me as I ride slowly up Jackass Canyon Road from Devil's Playground
A final glimpse of the Old Dad Mountain block as I get on with the trudge up Jackass Canyon
I try riding the worn-out paved track along the wash to avoid the deep sand and gravel in Jackass Canyon
The faded paved track to the left is rather washed-out and grown-in, so I abandon it and return to the gravel of Jackass Canyon
Another old residual-pavement road rises out of Jackass Canyon, this time on the south side of the wash
At the top of my little hill, I now get to ride back down the old paved road and return to the gravel of Jackass Canyon
Back in the wash of Jackass Canyon: more sand and gravel ahead!
I take a lot of short 30-second breaks to stop and enjoy the scenery in Jackass Canyon
After another half hour, the gravel is finally thinning out and it looks like I can try getting on the bike and riding again
Approaching the top of Jackass Canyon, finally!
Up out of Jackass Canyon for good, I'm now on the plateau, heading toward Mojave National Preserve's famous cinder cones
Hey, sunset is spinning its wheels faster than I'm spinning mine, and I haven't quite reached Kelbaker Road yet
Here it is: Kelbaker Road, Mojave National Preserve, approximately 3100 feet elevation; pavement again, I'm so excited
Riding up Kelbaker Road in the sunset is pleasant; of course, it helps that there is no traffic, which is often the case
My cheap digital camera picks up some of the glowing pinks and blues of this Mojave National Preserve sunset
I'm enjoying the fleeting sunset along Kelbaker Road as I slowly approach the summit, looking back to the cinder cones
Darkness sets in as I arrive at the summit of Kelbaker Road at 3700 feet, ready for the 12-mile descent to Kelso in the dark
Bicycle route from Devil's Playground to Cornfield Spring Road via Jackass Canyon and Kelso Depot
Elevation profile of bicycle route from Devil's Playground to Cornfield Spring Road via Jackass Canyon and Kelso Depot