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Home / Mojave Preserve and Desert bikepacking trips / 2009, Spring: Mojave National Preserve 1

This Spring's 16-day trip starts in late May, a month later than intended due to bicycle problems. I've never bikepacked Mojave National Preserve so close to summer for fear of the hot weather, so my goal is to spend as much time as possible at the Preserve's higher elevations to take advantage of the pleasant weather up in those parts.

During a pre-trip tune up at Bicycle Express, it was noticed that both of my wheels needed to be replaced. Worse yet, a last-minute visit to the bike shop three days before my original departure date revealed a crack in the frame of my aging Trek 8000; after 50000 miles, that's probably not so surprising. The good thing is that Trek bike frames have a lifetime guarantee, but I had to wait a few weeks for the replacement under warranty.

I camp two nights near Cornfield Spring, six nights at Mid Hills Campground, two nights at Nipton, one night at Sunrise Rock near Cima Dome, three nights at Pachalka Spring, and one night near Button Mountain.