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Home / Mojave Preserve and Desert bikepacking trips / 2007: Death Valley National Park bikepacking / Day 2: Tecopa Hot Springs to Greenwater Valley (upper Gold Valley Rd) /

Still rising slowly, I know for sure now that I won't make it over the mountains before dark

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04916-full-burn-rising-800px.jpg There are many pockets of unburned plants within the burned areaThumbnails Rising out of the burned area at dusk, I look for somewhere decent to set up camp for the nightThere are many pockets of unburned plants within the burned areaThumbnails Rising out of the burned area at dusk, I look for somewhere decent to set up camp for the nightThere are many pockets of unburned plants within the burned areaThumbnails Rising out of the burned area at dusk, I look for somewhere decent to set up camp for the nightThere are many pockets of unburned plants within the burned areaThumbnails Rising out of the burned area at dusk, I look for somewhere decent to set up camp for the nightThere are many pockets of unburned plants within the burned areaThumbnails Rising out of the burned area at dusk, I look for somewhere decent to set up camp for the night

I'm so close to the summit of Gold Valley Road, and the downhill into Gold Valley that follows. However, dusk is arriving and I prefer to set up camp before dark in an unfamiliar area. I do have a strong battery-powered headlight and can ride for a while after dark if necessary.

But I'm concerned about the possibility of descending the steep hill into Gold Valley, having a second breakdown and getting stuck there, and running out of water in the middle of nowhere, with nobody around. (No, cell phones don't work here, so you can't call anyone.)

When travelling in remote areas like the Mojave Desert, especially when travelling solo, concerns like these are very real and must be respected if potentially threatening circumstances arise.

Willow Spring in Gold Valley probably has water, and I'm carrying a water purifier so that I can drink from places like that, but the ranger station in Shoshone was closed, so I couldn't confirm if there is water there right now or not.