dryfj.com / drycyclist.com (kevin cook)

22/39
Home / Mojave Preserve and Desert bikepacking trips / 2008: Mojave National Preserve Mountain-Bike Camping and Hike / Day 1: Baker, California to Globe Mine Road, Mojave National Preserve /

As I reach the floor of Kelso Valley at 2100 feet, I focus on the small group of buildings ahead that is the town of Kelso

ThumbnailsPreviousNext
Photo sizes slideshow
07870-kelso-approach-800px.jpg Kelbaker Road drops down toward Kelso and the sand piles of the Kelso Dunes become visible in the distance down in the valleyThumbnailsI hang out at the Kelso Depot visitor centre for almost an hour, fill up my water supply, and ask rangers about area conditionsKelbaker Road drops down toward Kelso and the sand piles of the Kelso Dunes become visible in the distance down in the valleyThumbnailsI hang out at the Kelso Depot visitor centre for almost an hour, fill up my water supply, and ask rangers about area conditionsKelbaker Road drops down toward Kelso and the sand piles of the Kelso Dunes become visible in the distance down in the valleyThumbnailsI hang out at the Kelso Depot visitor centre for almost an hour, fill up my water supply, and ask rangers about area conditionsKelbaker Road drops down toward Kelso and the sand piles of the Kelso Dunes become visible in the distance down in the valleyThumbnailsI hang out at the Kelso Depot visitor centre for almost an hour, fill up my water supply, and ask rangers about area conditionsKelbaker Road drops down toward Kelso and the sand piles of the Kelso Dunes become visible in the distance down in the valleyThumbnailsI hang out at the Kelso Depot visitor centre for almost an hour, fill up my water supply, and ask rangers about area conditions

I'm having some problems with the strong crosswind here that has almost blown me out into the middle of the road a couple of times. I'm glad there's not much traffic along here, just a few cars per hour.

At Kelso, a formerly abandoned, but now refurbished, grandiose 1920s train station called Kelso Depot now serves as a Mojave National Preserve visitor centre.

I also keep looking off to the left at the base of the Providence Mountains, trying to figure out where today's destination is exactly situated. I know it's in that area somewhere, but I haven't been there before, so I can't quite place it.