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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 /

At the bottom of the valley, I pass the Dumont Dunes parking lot, which is quiet today

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04546-dumont-dunes-parking-800px.jpg "Shoe tree" on Highway 127 across from Saratoga Springs RoadThumbnailsAfter crossing the valley, the climb up Highway 127 over Ibex Pass begins"Shoe tree" on Highway 127 across from Saratoga Springs RoadThumbnailsAfter crossing the valley, the climb up Highway 127 over Ibex Pass begins"Shoe tree" on Highway 127 across from Saratoga Springs RoadThumbnailsAfter crossing the valley, the climb up Highway 127 over Ibex Pass begins"Shoe tree" on Highway 127 across from Saratoga Springs RoadThumbnailsAfter crossing the valley, the climb up Highway 127 over Ibex Pass begins"Shoe tree" on Highway 127 across from Saratoga Springs RoadThumbnailsAfter crossing the valley, the climb up Highway 127 over Ibex Pass begins

I'm about 30 miles outside of Baker now, with about 25 miles to go to reach today's destination, Tecopa Hot Springs. I'm at the lowest elevation of today's trip: about 425 feet.

The valley is a few degrees warmer and the sun feels much hotter. I touch my black seat, and it's very warm. My handlebars feel hot.

Weekends at Dumont Dunes can get quite busy, but today is a Wednesday. The dunes are popular with off-road vehicle riders and a noticeable amount of weekend traffic on Highway 127 consists of vehicles carrying or towing off-road vehicles to the dunes.