Mojave National Preserve Bicycle Camping and Hiking 2008
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Mojave National Preserve Mountain-bike Camping (Bikepacking) and Hike 2008 Day 6: Coyote Springs to Butcher Knife Canyon via Kelso Depot and Death Valley Mine Road, Mojave National Preserve
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Mojave National Preserve Mountain-bike Camping (Bikepacking) and Hike 2008

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I leave Kelso Depot and begin the trudge up Kelbaker Road toward Coyote Springs

I leave Kelso Depot and begin the trudge up Kelbaker Road toward Coyote Springs

Date: April 26, 2008, 15h45

Day 6: Coyote Springs to Butcher Knife Canyon via Kelso Depot and Death Valley Mine Road, Mojave National Preserve

I haven't seen any people in the Coyote Springs area since leaving the pavement of Kelbaker Road two afternoons ago.

The day's bicycle travels include a bit of everything to keep things interesting and test my physical and psychological ability to switch from mileage-covering road cyclist to mountain biker to backpacker-like hiker dragging a 10-ton bike. 38.8 bicycle miles.

After a few miles of mostly ridable dirt and sand upon leaving Coyote Springs near 3200 feet, I get 8 miles of paved downhill highway biking on Kelbaker Road to Kelso Depot at 2100 feet. Then I will climb 14.5 miles of gentle uphill on paved Kelso-Cima Road to 3700 feet, followed by a couple of miles of steeper climbing on the paved part of Cedar Canyon Road to reach 4500 feet.

Mountain-bike mode and hike-a-biking alternate during the final slow, rolling, nine miles on sand and dirt roads to the old corral below lonely Butcher Knife Canyon at 4600 feet. I won't see any people after I leave the pavement of Cedar Canyon Road.

Date: April 28, 2008, 09h00
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Dragging the 10-ton bike through the sand is quite tiring and I'm expending a lot of energy here

Dragging the 10-ton bike through the sand is quite tiring and I'm expending a lot of energy here

This provides a perfect excuse to stop often and turn around to watch the gorgeous sunset over Cima Dome behind me.

Date: April 28, 2008, 19h07
For a few minutes, that famous orange light of desert sunset oozes across the land

For a few minutes, that famous orange light of desert sunset oozes across the land

I'm inching my way closer to the New York Mountains ahead. There's a little less sand in places, which is encouraging. Now I occasionally get to walk the 10-ton bike instead of drag it through sand.

Date: April 28, 2008, 19h11
The orange light of sunset vanishes as quickly as it appeared

The orange light of sunset vanishes as quickly as it appeared

This road is still a hopeless sand pit, but I've decided that it doesn't matter if it gets dark. I have a good headlight on my bike to guide me through the darkness to Butcher Knife Canyon.

Date: April 28, 2008, 19h17
Dusk at the top of Cima Road

Dusk at the top of Cima Road

I've just hiked the bike more than a mile up the sand of the old Cima Road beyond Death Valley Mine. I don't have much energy left, but I've survived just fine. I turn left at the road to Butcher Knife Canyon and I think I'm out of the sand, finally!

Date: April 28, 2008, 19h27
On the last leg of the trip toward Butcher Knife Canyon, I can actually ride some of the road

On the last leg of the trip toward Butcher Knife Canyon, I can actually ride some of the road

After dragging the bike through sand the last hour or so, walking the bike on packed earth now feels easy, and riding occasionally on the bumpy road at 8 miles per hour feels incredibly fast! Those lights way off in the distance: Las Vegas?

Date: April 28, 2008, 19h44
It's too dark now, so I ride and walk the final couple of miles slowly by headlight

It's too dark now, so I ride and walk the final couple of miles slowly by headlight

I arrive at the old corral below Butcher Knife Canyon at around 20h45, hungry and exhausted. I can't figure out where to set up camp because goathead thorns and rabbit droppings are everywhere. My tires get encrusted with the thorns.

Date: April 28, 2008, 19h54
Mojave National Preserve map, Day 6: Coyote Springs to Butcher Knife Canyon corral

Mojave National Preserve map, Day 6: Coyote Springs to Butcher Knife Canyon corral

Continue to Day 7: Mojave Desert springs: Butcher Knife Spring and Cottonwood Spring day hike, New York Mountains, Mojave National Preserve.

Date: July 23, 2008, 20h04
   
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Other bicycle camping trips on drycyclist.com:
  • Mojave National Preserve Lanfair Valley Loop Bicycle Camping, Fall 2012 (8 days)
  • Mojave National Preserve Hiking and Bikepacking, Spring 2012 (15 days)
  • Cady Mountains, Sleeping Beauty and Kelso Dunes Wilderness Bicycle Camping, Fall 2011 (8 days)
  • Mojave National Preserve and Area Hiking and Bikepacking, Spring 2011 (15 days)
  • Route 66 and Kelso Dunes Wilderness Bikepacking, Fall 2010 (eight days)
  • Mojave National Preserve Bikepacking and Hiking, Spring 2010 (14 days)
  • Mojave National Preserve Bicycle Camping and Hiking, Fall 2009 (eight days)
  • Mojave National Preserve Bikepacking and Hiking, Spring 2009 (16 days)
  • Henry Coe State Park Bikepacking 2008 (eight days)
  • Mojave National Preserve Xmas 2007 Mountain-Bike Camping (one week)
  • Henry Coe State Park Mountain-Bike Camping 2007 (eight nights)
  • Death Valley Bicycle Camping 2007 (two weeks)
  • Henry Coe State Park Bicycle Camping 2006 (four nights)
  • Mojave National Preserve Bicycle Camping 2006 (two weeks)
  • Mojave National Preserve Bicycle Camping 2000 (11 days)
  • Mojave National Preserve Bicycle Camping 1999 (one week)
Contact mojave2008 at priss dot org