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Fonts Point, May 2019
Desert Badlands: A Photographic Log
22 May 2019, 8 miles

As part of my brief expedition to the desert, I intended to pedal the Ogre up to Fonts Point, reputedly offering a fine view of the badlands between the Salton Sea and the town of Borrego Springs. The turn from the paved road is marked with a small sign in the sand. Interestingly, whether configured for driving, biking, or walking, Google Maps refused to allow me to plot a route from the turn up to Fonts Point. Apparently that's because there's no road or trail. Although four-wheel drive vehicles can get through, it's really just a dry, sandy wash.

Well, if jeeps can get through, so can the Ogre and I, right? Conveniently forgetting some fairly recent experiences on sandy routes in Death Valley and Joshua Tree, I blithely drove from Borrego Springs, parked in the sand at the turnoff from the paved road, let some air out of the Ogre's 2.25" tires, and started pedaling up the dry wash in my lowest gear. With Fonts Point only four miles away, I figured it wouldn't take long to get there.

As it turned out, I faced deep, soft sand, a steady uphill ride, and a serious headwind all the way up. I spent far more time dragging the Ogre than I spent pedaling. Despite all the tire tracks, I never saw or heard another vehicle or another person, so I knew I was completely on my own. Several times I nearly turned around. Ultimately, it took me two hours to cover the four miles from the turnoff up to Fonts Point, mostly hoofing it. I could have hiked it faster if I left the Ogre in the Forester.

But Fonts Point turned out to be pretty cool despite howling wind and spitting rain. On the way back—with a mighty tailwind and a steady downhill—I stayed in the saddle and plowed through the sand about 95 percent of the time, and four miles required less than half an hour, which seemed by comparison like a new land speed record.


Sign right at the start. Soft sand? No kidding!

Soft sand, and deep, and plenty of it.


At the start, the wash was wide and the sand not too bad.

I was able to stay in the saddle for most of the first half mile or so.


Looking ahead.

I let even more air out of my tires, but it was tough going through deep sand.


Looking west, toward the mountains of Anza-Borrego beyond Borrego Springs.


By now I was pushing the bike, and wandering from one side of the wash to the other, looking for a firmer line.


After it rains, the mud dries out.

But this is on the walls of the canyon, not the floor.


What friggin' road?

This is nothing but a river of sand, and there's no way I can mount up and ride.


Looking back down toward the ground I've slogged up.


After three tiring miles of mostly hike-a-bike up the wash with shoes full of sand, with another mile to go, I stopped to take a break.

Climbed up a little hill to scout around while I wondered if it would be worth the effort to keep going.

Miraculously, I was able to get back in the saddle and pedal almost all of the last mile after I got out of this little sand trap.


Made it! This is the view east across the badlands from the top of the cliff at Fonts Point.

The wind was screaming so hard—25-30 miles per hour with stronger gusts, according to my weather app—that I had no choice but to lay the Ogre on the ground so it wouldn't blow away.


Old Grumble-Face butts into a photo looking down the cliff and into the badlands.

From that direction, no way to get up to Fonts Point.


The highest ground is the actual summit of Fonts Point.


Looking down into the badlands below the point.

Those are dry, sandy washes, much like the route I just ascended.


Looking toward the distant Salton Sea.


Zooming far off toward the east, across the badlands, all the way to the Salton Sea and the mountains beyond.

I rode a solo tour around the Salton Sea in 2016.


Another view toward the summit of Fonts Point.


Part of the cliff face. Think there's some erosion going on around here?


For a moment, the clouds parted and the sun shone on the badlands.


An eroded ridge separates two sinuous washes in the badlands.


From the summit, view of the Ogre at the edge of the cliff.


Looking west, where it's raining in the mountains beyond Borrego Springs.


I think I need to acquire an electric fat bike—have I ever said that before?—prior to tackling the badlands.


Old Grumble-Face and the Ogre standing at the edge of Fonts Point, with the badlands hidden down below.

It was worth the hard slog—four miles took two hours—to get up here.



Summary

Date: 22 May 2019
Time: 9:30 - 12:30
Weather: 65° F, partly cloudy, VERY windy, spitting rain
Route: Fonts Point, out and back
Distance: 8 miles
Bike: Ogre
Riders: Solo


Comments? Questions? Suggestions? I'd like to hear from you.


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