Nipton to Brant Hills, New York Mountains, Mojave National Preserve (Day 13)
The dirt road on the southeast side of Ivanpah Valley turns out to be a great alternate bicycle route to Morning Star Mine Road. Peaceful, easier, and no traffic.
I've wanted to try biking this road for years, but was uncertain about conditions, since it's a very long way between water stops should I get mired down by a bad road. A fellow working at Nipton tells me that the road is in reasonable condition for a dirt road (thank you!), so off I go.
19 bicycle miles with over 1000 feet of elevation gain, plus 2 hiking miles.
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Date: May 28, 2010, 09h43
Size: 79 items
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I enjoy the morning shade at Nipton; it makes packing up so much easier
I slept well in last night's pleasant temperatures (except for the trains passing 100 feet away from my tent!) I drink coffee from the general store and eat a couple of their industrial muffins, which give me an unwanted sugar buzz.
Date: May 28, 2010, 09h43
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I roll the packed bike up to the store at Nipton and stop in for another bottle of iced tea before I leave
My heavy and full 10-litre black water bag is bungeed on to my front rack; I can't count on finding water again until I reach Baker tomorrow evening. The Cima Store may be open when I pass by tomorrow, but it's not always reliable.
Date: May 28, 2010, 11h17
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The day's travels begin as I ride south on Nipton-Moore Road, a dirt road that hugs the Ivanpah Valley train tracks for miles
Signs remind me that this road is not maintained and that I'm entering Mojave National Preserve again. Nipton is on the Preserve boundary, but is outside the Preserve.
Date: May 28, 2010, 11h19
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After close to three miles, I approach the power-line road that crosses Ivanpah Valley
This is the farthest up Nipton-Moore Road I've previously ridden. I was reluctant to go further due to the possibility of a poor road, but a fellow working at Nipton gave me the excellent advice that the road is quite passable.
Date: May 28, 2010, 11h43
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This route across the Mojave Desert gets a lot of freight-train traffic
The first of several trains of the day rolls by, slowly climbing the gentle one-percent grade.
Date: May 28, 2010, 11h44
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I take a look at the power-line road that heads southwest across the Ivanpah Valley
I haven't ridden this part of the power-line road yet, but I did ride the portion of it behind me during a day ride while camping at Nipton in 2008.
Date: May 28, 2010, 11h49
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About six miles down Nipton-Moore Road, near Moore siding, I look back and still see Nipton in the distance (the green patch)
A snow-topped peak, perhaps Mount Charleston near Las Vegas, peeks out above the mountains at the distant left.
Date: May 28, 2010, 12h25
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To the west, down in Ivanpah Valley, sits reclusively a lone habitation
A road from here leads down there, and another road, Saddle Horn Road, connects it to Ivanpah Road.
Date: May 28, 2010, 12h39
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Nipton-Moore Road is mostly straight and almost flat, but it occasionally dips down to cross drainage washes
The erosion shows that a lot of water passes down these washes during heavy rains.
Date: May 28, 2010, 12h45
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Large culverts beneath the raised train tracks in Ivanpah Valley prevent the tracks from washing out during heavy rains
This one, dated 1926, is in pretty good shape considering its vintage.
Date: May 28, 2010, 12h48
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Yellow creosote bush flowers, barbed wire, Ivanpah Dry Lake, and that white peak in the distance
I'm over eight miles away from Nipton now, and have risen just enough (400 feet) to have a good view across Ivanpah Valley. Elevation here is 3400 feet.
Date: May 28, 2010, 12h59
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I'm also just high enough now above Ivanpah Valley to see a few flowers in addition to the creosote-bush scrub
This tuft of buckwheat blooms is one of the first I've seen today, but I'll probably see many more as I gain elevation.
Date: May 28, 2010, 13h04
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Some yellow flowers add to the predominately dull-green landscape
These might be desert sennas.
Date: May 28, 2010, 13h15
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Another freight train passes by as I ride up Nipton-Moore Road, Mojave National Preserve
With the New York Mountains in the background, the train seems rather slow because it's climbing a one percent grade, but it's still faster than me on the 10-ton bike.
Date: May 28, 2010, 13h17
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This train is hauling an endless number of tanks of a presumably deleterious substance
"Vent tank when unloading" and "In case of emergency call Chemtrec" are ominous warnings concerning the tanks' contents. The generic "Renewable Products Marketing Group" label is especially unreassuring.
Date: May 28, 2010, 13h18
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