Baker, California to Cornfield Spring, Mojave National Preserve (Day 1)
Yesterday, Amtrak train and bus rides took me from home in San José to Baker, California, just outside Mojave National Preserve, where I stayed at the Wills Fargo Motel waiting for my trip to start today.
Today I ride from Baker to Mojave National Preserve's Kelso Depot on the paved Kelbaker Road, and then a couple of miles up an old, rocky track toward Cornfield Spring.
I incur a bit of heat exhaustion along the way and need to take frequent rest stops all day long. The high temperature recorded today in Baker is 98F (36C), which is a bit much for a largely uphill first day during which I'm trying to acclimate to the 10-ton bike.
37.1 bicycle miles with elevation changing from 925 feet at Baker, to 3700 feet at the Kelbaker Road summit, to 2120 feet at Kelso, to 2300 feet on Cornfield Spring Road. Total elevation gain: about 2950 feet.
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Date: May 23, 2009, 08h11
Size: 46 items
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Yesterday morning I left home and rode to the San José Amtrak station for my rides to Baker, California
An Amtrak bus takes me from San José to Stockton, the Amtrak San Joaquin train takes me from Stockton to Bakersfield, then an Amtrak bus headed for Las Vegas takes me from Bakersfield to Baker, California, gateway to Mojave National Preserve.
Date: May 22, 2009, 06h29
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Another bike shared the bike rack with me aboard the Amtrak San Joaquin train yesterday
I didn't meet the owner of the other bicycle until the end of the train ride and wish I had met him earlier. He's from Sweden and is also doing bicycle touring in California.
Date: May 22, 2009, 09h38
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The Amtrak bus left the 10-ton bike and I in Baker, California, gateway to Mojave National Preserve, near the end of the day
I've never seen anyone else board nor leave the Amtrak bus at Baker, California. Let's see... how much gas should I put in the tank before heading over to a motel room across the road at the Wills Fargo Motel?
Date: May 22, 2009, 18h15
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The "world's tallest thermometer" displayed 93 degrees F (33C) when I got here yesterday
For the town of Baker at this time of year, this is a reasonable temperature; it is sometimes 10 degrees hotter than this.
Date: May 22, 2009, 19h22
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I stayed at the Wills Fargo Motel last night instead of at the tacky Royal Hawaiian Motel down the road
It turns out that the Wills Fargo is a better deal than the Royal Hawaiian. It costs roughly the same price, but is cleaner and not so dilapidated. True, the Wills Fargo is also blander, and lacks the weird 70s' styling of the Royal Hawaiian.
Date: May 23, 2009, 08h11
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I get up early this morning and walk down the road for the breakfast buffet at the Big Boy restaurant by the big thermometer
I stuff myself on a couple of big plates of scrambled eggs and fried potatoes. The Big Boy breakfast buffet isn't very exciting, but it's cheap and tasty.
Date: May 23, 2009, 08h11
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After breakfast, I walk over to the Starbuck's in town to pick up a pound of coffee for the trip
Well, it turns out that the Baker Starbuck's has closed. It was located in this brand-new building and was only open for a year or two. Since there's no other decent coffee in town, I decide that I'll just buy tea bags at one of the general stores.
Date: May 23, 2009, 08h16
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I also need to fill up on water before I leave Baker, so I make a stop at Alien Fresh Jerky
For some reason, Alien Fresh Jerky only stocks small bottles of water, not the 1.5-litre bottles that I want for my trip. So I go across the road to the "Country Store" instead.
Date: May 23, 2009, 08h20
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Non-descript Baker is mostly gas stations, fast-food joints and convenience stores, but here's an old boxcar in a vacant lot
On my previous visits here, I hadn't noticed this boxcar hiding away from the main road behind some athel trees.
Date: May 23, 2009, 08h23
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It appears that the old Baker boxcar is being used as a storage shed
I wonder how old this "building" is and how long it has been sitting here. I wouldn't be surprised if it served as someone's modest lodgings at some point during its history.
Date: May 23, 2009, 08h24
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The Baker Country Store ran out of tea bags, so I go to the ridiculously expensive Baker Market to see if they have any in stock
Baker Market is by far the most expensive establishment in town. But they do have the tea bags that I want. The small propane bottles that I buy at the Country Store for $4.99 ($3.75 in San José) are offered at Baker Market for $6.99.
Date: May 23, 2009, 11h12
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All stocked up, I get on Kelbaker Road and leave Baker, crossing the I-15 freeway before entering Mojave National Preserve
The Mojave National Preserve boundary is just a short distance beyond the freeway.
Date: May 23, 2009, 11h15
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Obligatory tourist photo at the Mojave National Preserve entrance on Kelbaker Road
The "world's tallest thermometer" in Baker is registering only 85 degrees this morning, and I've just started, so I'm still feeling fresh. But that may not last long.
Date: May 23, 2009, 11h18
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The first 10 miles of Kelbaker Road upon leaving Baker is long and straight and rises from 925 feet to 2000 feet
Noticeably, the dirty buzz of the freeway disappears behind me, replaced by silence and the sound of me pedalling. Visually, not much changes for a while on this stretch of road.
Date: May 23, 2009, 11h59
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It hasn't taken long for the hot sun to fry me; I stop for several short breaks on this nearly flat stretch of Kelbaker Road
My water was cold when I left Baker and it's warming up really fast.
Date: May 23, 2009, 11h46
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At the 10-mile point on Kelbaker Road, "the big curve," it's time for another break.
It's important to pace myself in this hot weather so I don't get too tired too quickly. Gee, I've only been on the road for 1.5 hours and I'm already feeling a bit beat down.
Date: May 23, 2009, 12h43
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At the Kelbaker Road curve, I pull out on a dirt road and suck back more of my warm water
While I sweat and rest here in the heat, two guys in a pickup truck pull over and ask if I know directions to the Lava Tube; they had missed their turn at the unsigned Aiken Mine Road nine miles earlier.
Date: May 23, 2009, 12h59
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A bit further up Kelbaker Road: near mile 12, an oncoming pickup brakes and its driver shouts, "I love your web site!"
I'm surprised, to say the least, and have a great conversation with Brian, who has read my travelogues and shares my interest in visiting off-the-beaten-track areas of Mojave National Preserve. I hope he'll post some of his trip photos on the internet.
Date: May 23, 2009, 13h12
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