Day 3: Mountain-bike ride from Mid Hills Campground through Wild Horse Canyon Road, Mojave National Preserve
It's nice to be here at Mid Hills Campground again. This was one of my favourite spots on last year's 1999 Mojave National Preserve trip, my first desert bicycle-camping trip.
Today is a day to sleep in late and recover from yesterday's exhausting ride up the long hill. I'm relieved to find that the water taps at the campground are functional this morning, after being apparently frozen solid overnight.
When I finally crawl out of my tent and expose myself to the flawless blue skies, I ride from here at 5500 down Wild Horse Canyon Road to Hole-in-the-Wall Campground at around 4200 feet, then return to Mid Hills Campground via Black Canyon Road. I did this ride when I was here last year and it is definitely worth repeating.
21.2 bicycle miles, 2:13 hours, 23.5 mph max speed, 9.5 mph average.
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Date: November 07, 2000
Size: 15 items
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Morning at Mid Hills Campground, Mojave National Preserve
I didn't take any photos when I got here last night, so it's time to catch up! Lots of pinon pines, banana yuccas, sagebrush and junipers up here.
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Huge old juniper tree near my campsite at Mid Hills Campground, Mojave National Preserve
One doesn't always associate juniper and pine trees with the Mojave Desert, but there are plenty of these trees up in the desert mountains here at Mid Hills Campground at 5500 feet.
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These mountain-desert trees don't provide as much shade as you might get from big trees in a moister climate
There's a singular beauty to the gnarled starkness of these old trees up in the Mojave Desert mountains.
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An old, crusty juniper by my campsite offers the perfect sit-down for a late-morning pipe
Coffee was good, my simple breakfast was good, and shortly I'll be heading down Wild Horse Canyon Road on a scenic, lightweight day ride.
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I ride southward down Wild Horse Canyon Road away from Mid Hills Campground, Mojave National Preserve
The dirt road winds around and over a series of hills as it descends 1000 feet, with sharp peaks of the Providence Mountains in the distance.
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Wild Horse Canyon Road meanders over the hills
There are plenty of little ups on the way down.
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I stop briefly at the top of Macedonia Canyon Road, though I won't be riding down that road today
Macedonia Canyon Road descends through the mountains down to the Kelso Depot area. I would like to ride down that route one day, but it looks sandy and is probably only feasible in the downhill direction with a 10-ton bike.
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The lower part of Wild Horse Canyon Road passes interesting geological features like Wild Horse Mesa
The scenery in this area looks like an excerpt from an old wild-west movie.
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Heavy sand appears on the lower parts of Wild Horse Canyon Road
Wild Horse Canyon Road is periodically graded, which gives the road the appearance having been carved out by a snow plow. Only two cars have passed me here on Wild Horse Canyon Road.
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A horse grazes at the bottom of Wild Horse Canyon Road
Some of the land around here is ranch land, so I'm guessing that this horse is not wild, despite the name of the road.
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At the end of Wild Horse Canyon Road, I start up Black Canyon Road, which is paved for half a mile or so
Hole-in-the-Wall Campground is just off to my left and I pull in there to fill up my water bottle.
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Just beyond the end of the pavement, Black Canyon Road crosses a cattleguard
I turn back here to take in the views of the valley below down in the direction of old Route 66. I'll probably ride down that way tomorrow.
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