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Home / Mojave Preserve and Desert bikepacking trips / 2007: Death Valley National Park bikepacking / Day 1: Baker to Tecopa Hot Springs, California, mostly on Highway 127 /

Baker's "world's tallest thermometer" registers a comfortable 61 degrees Fahrenheit this morning

04388-thermometer-60s-550px.jpg Baker Market, the town's only mom-and-pop store, carries a small vegetable selection and even propane bottlesThumbnailsBaker's lone four-way intersection has a four-way stop, which is great when you want to cross the roadBaker Market, the town's only mom-and-pop store, carries a small vegetable selection and even propane bottlesThumbnailsBaker's lone four-way intersection has a four-way stop, which is great when you want to cross the roadBaker Market, the town's only mom-and-pop store, carries a small vegetable selection and even propane bottlesThumbnailsBaker's lone four-way intersection has a four-way stop, which is great when you want to cross the roadBaker Market, the town's only mom-and-pop store, carries a small vegetable selection and even propane bottlesThumbnailsBaker's lone four-way intersection has a four-way stop, which is great when you want to cross the roadBaker Market, the town's only mom-and-pop store, carries a small vegetable selection and even propane bottlesThumbnailsBaker's lone four-way intersection has a four-way stop, which is great when you want to cross the road

I don't expect to see such cool temperatures often during the next two weeks while I'm out here, except perhaps if I make it up to some higher elevations. (Baker is situated at about 900 feet elevation.)

A heat wave out here a few weeks ago had daytime temperatures in the high 90s and caused me to consider postponing or cancelling this trip if temperatures didn't drop somewhat.

The building attached to the giant thermometer is currently vacant. It was formerly used as the visitor centre for the adjacent Mojave National Preserve, which has since moved to the recently restored Kelso Depot train station inside the Preserve.