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Bill Bikes My bicycling expeditions and jaunts |
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Death Valley, April 2018: Ride 2: Mustard Canyon
19 April 2018
After the rainy, windy ride to Badwater this morning, the weather improved and I was ready for another excursion. I had a quick, nearby route in mind, including a few miles off pavement, so I ate a second lunch at the aluminum picnic table next to my tent at the Furnace Creek campground, downed about a gallon of tea, and climbed back aboard the Ogre.Small wheel turning by the fire and rod
Big wheel turning by the grace of God
Every time that wheel turn round
Bound to cover just a little more ground
The wheel is turning and you can't slow down
You can't let go and you can't hold on
You can't go back and you can't stand still
If the thunder don't get you then the lightning will....
--- JerryThis was an enjoyable little jaunt just about any bike could undertake, even the off pavement segment, except those with the skinniest tires. At one time there was a bicycle rental shop at Furnace Creek, which would make the ride available even to visitors without their own wheels. However, that shop seems to have disappeared during the big remodeling project.
Anyway, I ended up pedaling about ten flat miles around the vicinity of Furnace Creek, the old Harmony Borax Works, and Mustard Canyon.
For tomorrow I have considerably more ambitious plans.
This bumpy but welcome bike path parallels the road between the Furnace Creek Visitor Center and the Harmony Borax Works, a distance of a mile or two. In all the time I was there, I never saw anyone else use it.
The ruins of the Harmony Borax Works are a popular spot in Death Valley. This site also helped make Death Valley famous with its "Twenty Mule Team Borax" brand.
Harmony Borax Works. Interesting cloud cover in different directions.
While I was snapping photos, a couple of bicyclists (sans bikes) approached me to ask about the Ogre. They knew about Surly LHTs, but weren't familiar with Surly Ogres. They recommended I should ride through Mustard Canyon. That's exactly where I was heading. You can see the thin, light-colored line of the road to Mustard Canyon against the darker sand.
It took a team of twenty mules to pull this rig out of Death Valley. Not sure how many Ogres would be needed for the job.
Here's the unpaved, one-lane, one-way road into and through Mustard Canyon. The Ogre is happy to be off pavement.
I only saw one car on the road, and it was going the wrong way against one-way traffic, meaning me.
Looking south from Mustard Canyon Road. Still some weather in that direction.
The Ogre hangs out in a wash, which is not a great place to stay if rain pours down.
Hill on the way into Mustard Canyon.
The road into Mustard Canyon.
Entering the canyon.
The Ogre and the canyon wall. Grey Poupon?
Mustard Canyon. Very nice. Next, Ketchup Creek. Kidding.
The Ogre pauses at the exit from the one-way road through Mustard Canyon. Now it's about three miles back to the Visitor Center via Furnace Creek road.
I aimed my telephoto at the fancy "Inn at Death Valley" resort on the hillside a few miles away.
I've never been willing to part with the coin required to stay there.
Closer, that's the back side of the Visitor Center with the grove of date palms beyond.
Fortunately, the Ogre needs none of this stuff.
These relics don't need any of that expensive fuel either.
This and the next few shots snapped at the Furnace Creek Borax Museum.
More mule-powered borax wagons.
Old Dinah, the steam-powered tractor, was supposed to put the mules out of business.
Eventually, some of the mining operations in parts of the valley were serviced by short-lived narrow gauge rail lines, including the Death Valley Railroad.
There's enough water at Furnace Creek to support this grove of date palms, not to mention the "Ranch at Death Valley" resort (now being completely remodeled) with its golf course.
I spent some time nosing around the construction area, which no longer resembles the old Furnace Creek village. And the little bike rental shop was gone.
Away from the busy construction zone and back to the Visitor Center.
Much warmer than this morning, but not bad. Only five or ten degrees warmer than the forecast I saw.
Note elevation at Visitor Center: 190 feet (58 m) below sea level.
View east from my camp chair.
View east from my camp chair.
View west from my camp chair.
Summary
Date: 19 April 2018
Time: 2:30 - 4:00
Weather: 80° F, partly to mostly cloudy, breezy
Route: Furnace Creek - Harmony Borax Works - Mustard Canyon - Furnace Creek
Distance: 10 miles
Bike: Surly Ogre
Riders: Solo
Comments? Questions? Suggestions? I'd like to hear from you.
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