Mojave National Preserve Bicycle Camping and Hiking 2008
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Mojave National Preserve Mountain-bike Camping (Bikepacking) and Hike 2008 Day 2: Eight-mile day hike from campsite on middle fork Globe Mine Road to Tough Nut Mine via Good Hope Mine and back
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Mojave National Preserve Mountain-bike Camping (Bikepacking) and Hike 2008

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I assemble the 10-ton bike just beyond the goathead-infested meadow at the Butcher Knife corral

I assemble the 10-ton bike just beyond the goathead-infested meadow at the Butcher Knife corral

Date: April 30, 2008, 12h55

Day 2: Eight-mile day hike from campsite on middle fork Globe Mine Road to Tough Nut Mine via Good Hope Mine and back

I won't see any people today. Perched on a hill at 4100 feet in the shadow of the Providence Mountains, about 4 miles from my campsite at 3000 feet, the old Tough Nut Mine sits in a Wilderness area and can thus be reached only by foot or horse.

I fumble cross-country over hills and into washes and eventually find the old grown-in road leading to Tough Nut Mine. However, I only have enough time to visit the lower mine ruins when I get there.

The round-trip hike will take a little more than six hours. Distance is estimated at eight miles, but is probably longer than that because of constant zigzagging to avoid often-spiky plants while hiking cross-country.

Unfortunately, some of today's photos are overexposed due to a camera-setting error.

Date: April 24, 2008, 10h00
Size: 58 items
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Making coffee outside my tent near the end of the middle fork of Globe Mine Road, Mojave National Preserve

Making coffee outside my tent near the end of the middle fork of Globe Mine Road, Mojave National Preserve

My first morning of the trip waking up outside in the Mojave Desert. Nice. Silent. Perfect weather: sunny, dry and low 70s perhaps. I'm happy to sleep in late of course.

Date: April 24, 2008, 11h12
A bluish-grey moth with subtle peach trim visits my cup while coffee is steeping

A bluish-grey moth with subtle peach trim visits my cup while coffee is steeping

This is my first trip using the filterless MSR "mugmate" to make coffee, which works like a big tea bag (the coffee steeps). I'm happy to report that it makes great coffee. I brought a pound of freshly ground Peet's French roast coffee.

Date: April 24, 2008, 11h16
Red cactus flower buds near my tent

Red cactus flower buds near my tent

I've seen quite a few cactus flowers already on this trip, but these tight red buds have a glossiness that makes them look like plastic. I'm stopping to see if maybe they are just some kind of foreign matter that got stuck to the plant.

Date: April 24, 2008, 11h37
Paper-bag bush (aka salazaria mexicana, bladder sage) growing near my tent

Paper-bag bush (aka salazaria mexicana, bladder sage) growing near my tent

A lot of bees are buzzing around the flowers on this neato twiggy bush with almost no leaves. A tiny hummingbird flew up to it as well, but didn't linger, perhaps unable to get any nectar from the flowers.

Date: April 24, 2008, 11h40
It's 13h and I finally get started on today's hike to Tough Nut Mine

It's 13h and I finally get started on today's hike to Tough Nut Mine

My first stop will be the mine remains just ahead at the end of the middle fork of Globe Mine Road. I walk cross-country instead of up the wash and stumble upon the old road. Hmmm, I thought the wash was the old road. How did I miss this road yesterday?

Date: April 24, 2008, 13h00
Just before arriving at the mine sits a concrete platform on the side of the road

Just before arriving at the mine sits a concrete platform on the side of the road

Some brick remains here appear to be used as a fire ring by campers. I see some recent tire tracks here in the dirt road, but no sign of anyone on this quiet Thursday afternoon.

Date: April 25, 2008, 17h50
Approaching the Good Hope Mine at the end of the middle fork of Globe Mine Road, Mojave National Preserve

Approaching the Good Hope Mine at the end of the middle fork of Globe Mine Road, Mojave National Preserve

This final stretch of road is really eroded and grown-in, but is clearly still used occasionally, as evidenced by the recent tire tracks in the sandy dry stream that crosses the road.

Date: April 25, 2008, 17h51
I look down at the remains of a structure up at the mine site

I look down at the remains of a structure up at the mine site

I'm also looking for my tent down there in the low area a half-mile from here, but don't see it.

Date: April 25, 2008, 18h01
A collapsed structure at the mine site at the end of the middle fork of Globe Mine Road

A collapsed structure at the mine site at the end of the middle fork of Globe Mine Road

This must have made a lot of noise when it fell over.

Date: April 25, 2008, 17h59
Boulder with heavy-duty wire tied around it

Boulder with heavy-duty wire tied around it

The wire leads down into the adjacent mine shaft in the next photo. Hmmm...

Date: April 25, 2008, 17h57
A shaft at the mine site at the end of the middle fork of Globe Mine Road

A shaft at the mine site at the end of the middle fork of Globe Mine Road

I'm not getting too close to this one. That big wire running out of the hole connects to the boulder in the previous photo.

Date: April 25, 2008, 17h57
Another mine shaft sits nearby

Another mine shaft sits nearby

Again, I don't get too close to this one. Many white buckwheat flowers are growing here. I still can't see my tent, but it's down there on the fan somewhere.

Date: April 25, 2008, 18h02
Tailings from the mine at the end of the middle fork of Globe Mine Road

Tailings from the mine at the end of the middle fork of Globe Mine Road

Creamy-coloured, these piles look like a miniature version of the natural environment at Golden Canyon in Death Valley.

Date: April 25, 2008, 18h04
Old concrete foundations for something

Old concrete foundations for something

This concrete doesn't look as old as some of the ruins in this area. I have not come across any information yet on the years of operation of this mine.

Date: April 25, 2008, 17h58
This shaft at the mine site has concrete walls

This shaft at the mine site has concrete walls

I'm guessing, due to the poured concrete walls, that this shaft might have been bored later than the other holes in the ground here.

Date: April 24, 2008, 13h20
Can dump at the mine site at the end of the middle fork of Globe Mine Road

Can dump at the mine site at the end of the middle fork of Globe Mine Road

Several old can dumps dot this area, so it seems to have been inhabited for a while.

Date: April 25, 2008, 17h54
Close-up of a few cans at the mine site at the end of the middle fork of Globe Mine Road

Close-up of a few cans at the mine site at the end of the middle fork of Globe Mine Road

The can with the key reminds me of some kind of canned-meat product, while the can at the right reminds me of the tins of evaporated milk that my grandmother used to use.

Date: April 25, 2008, 18h25
Federal law prohibits sale

Federal law prohibits sale

This intact bottle states "Federal law prohibits sale" and "half pint." What might have been in this that can't be sold?

Date: April 25, 2008, 18h05
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Other bicycle camping trips on drycyclist.com:
  • Mojave National Preserve Lanfair Valley Loop Bicycle Camping, Fall 2012 (8 days)
  • Mojave National Preserve Hiking and Bikepacking, Spring 2012 (15 days)
  • Cady Mountains, Sleeping Beauty and Kelso Dunes Wilderness Bicycle Camping, Fall 2011 (8 days)
  • Mojave National Preserve and Area Hiking and Bikepacking, Spring 2011 (15 days)
  • Route 66 and Kelso Dunes Wilderness Bikepacking, Fall 2010 (eight days)
  • Mojave National Preserve Bikepacking and Hiking, Spring 2010 (14 days)
  • Mojave National Preserve Bicycle Camping and Hiking, Fall 2009 (eight days)
  • Mojave National Preserve Bikepacking and Hiking, Spring 2009 (16 days)
  • Henry Coe State Park Bikepacking 2008 (eight days)
  • Mojave National Preserve Xmas 2007 Mountain-Bike Camping (one week)
  • Henry Coe State Park Mountain-Bike Camping 2007 (eight nights)
  • Death Valley Bicycle Camping 2007 (two weeks)
  • Henry Coe State Park Bicycle Camping 2006 (four nights)
  • Mojave National Preserve Bicycle Camping 2006 (two weeks)
  • Mojave National Preserve Bicycle Camping 2000 (11 days)
  • Mojave National Preserve Bicycle Camping 1999 (one week)
Contact mojave2008 at priss dot org