Bullwhack Bikepack

 I've been keeping my eye on the thermometer waiting for it to drop enough to warrant a bikepack trip. Finally I got my chance!

I rode from my home in Ely south to the Ward Charcoal Ovens where I took my first break and topped off my water.

Back on the road I kept heading south enjoying fine riding on the well graded road.

Here I turned off the Cave Valley Road towards Lone Pine Summit and Lund.

After a few more miles I turned onto this more primitive road to Bullwhack Spring.

I found a little shade and made camp near the spring.

Blissed out on the scenery.

 

And filled my bottles.

After dinner I went for a stroll.

Found this! Took a picture and left it where I found it.

I got an early start and rode up to beautiful Chimney Rock

Chimney Rock Spring

Keeping the cattle watered is a big deal around these parts

Enjoyed a delightful cruise down Silver Canyon

 Back onto the main Cave Valley Road, I rode on up to Bullwhack Summit.

 

Another two and half hours of good pedaling and I was home. Fantastic!  

Turned Around x2

 Went for two rides last week where I got turned around! Both were still great in the end thankfully, but would have been even better without the backtracking.

 First I set out on one of my favorite gravel routes. This overgrown two track was the key link, but no more!

The next day I set out for an adventure ride to Butte Valley. We had gotten a bit of rain in the Ely area, so the air was fresh, clean, and heavy with the scent of sage.

After about an hour I descended into the expansive Butte Valley. Red Chilli Butte on the right. Egan Range distant.

I veered off the main road onto this two track on my to cross the valley.

After a few miles the two track deteriorated to this. Still decent riding though. 

Out in the middle of the valley. Big sky country!

As I got closer to the east side of the valley I started to encounter a few puddles and a little mud, but then I arrived here. No go! The mud was thick and would have instantly caked the bike.

 Oh well. Can't complain. Sweet ride nonetheless.

White Pine Range Mountain Bike

 Back to blogging! I spent most of the summer training and racing on my gravel bike. Good fun. Good fitness, but not real conducive to blogging. Now that race season is over it's time for adventure riding!

Yesterday I drove about a half hour to the base of the White Pine Range southwest of Ely. The route was fairly basic: Up the White River then down Ellison Creek. 

 Early in the ride looking up at the fine high peaks of the range.

My first break came here where I had a snack and wetted my head from the "river." It was warm!

The mighty White River lower left. 

Above the junction with the Currant Creek Road the road became a two track, but still provided nice riding.

Gotta post a pic of a meteorological station when I can!

 

Up near the pass the views opened up.  

The descent into the big basin at the head of Ellison Creek.

Ellison Creek funnels into a narrow canyon below the basin, but before it does it waters fine meadows.

Once in the canyon I enjoyed cruising through this nice Cottonwood forest.

I took another break at the historic Washburn Station stagecoach stop. Much of the town of Hamilton (above here) decamped for new and richer mines in Pioche in the late 1860s. The current road down Ellison Creek largely follows the old stage route from Hamilton to Pioche which was quite busy for a time.

This is where Ellison Creek spills out of the canyon...

providing water to these pretty grasslands below.

 One of the best rides of the year. Looking forward to more adventure riding!

Eastern Nevada Outback Gravel Riding

I enjoyed camping and riding so much a couple of weeks ago I decided to do it again. Just an hour from Ely is the remote Lake Valley where I found the nice Patterson Pass Campground. No water, but it does have pit toilets, picnic tables and sun shades.

I drove down, set camp, and went for a spin out towards the Fortification Range.

I rode out across Lake Valley on a decent two track. Looking back at the Schell Creek Range, Patterson Pass is the deep notch left of center.

I came across this seemingly abandoned well and trough. Dutch John Mountain far right. I believe wells like these were powered by a generator which ran the "grasshopper" style pump.

Just above the well I entered the Pinyon Juniper forest into the foothills of the Fortification Range. The roads were soft here. Not terrible riding, just slow.

I took a spur to the base of this nice outcrop then cruised back across the valley to the campground.

Much like my last camp & ride the next day dawned cloudy and mild and staying that way throughout the day. I had a nice looking loop mapped out, but pondered whether to do it clockwise or counter clockwise, eventually electing to get the hardest climb, Patterson Pass, done first.

The climb from the campground to the pass is not long, just 3.5 miles, but gets steep at the top with gradients reaching up to 17%. Once over the top I plunged down into gorgeous Cave Valley.

 

 No windmill, no "grasshopper" pump, just a solar panel and a submerged pump.

Not a building in sight, nor any vehicles. Just roads, fence, cattle, and a few wells.

As if the scenery wasn't enough, the riding was ideal. Hard packed, smooth dirt. No washboard. Yes!

As I reached the southern end of Cave Valley these dramatic limestone peaks beckoned. I would turn left in front of them to Sidehill Pass.

Nearing the pass I took my last glimpse of Cave Valley.

I dropped off the east side of Sidehill Pass into Muleshoe Valley where I picked up the road to Muleshoe Pass. That road was unmaintained and held stretches of dried mud with ruts and cattle hoofprints. Not easy going! 

Much of the valley there had been burned recently, so the scenery was not as pleasing as Cave Valley, but there was an impressive Lupine Bloom in progress. Sadly I neglected to take any photos. I guess I was preoccupied with the rough road!

Thankfully the road improved as I rose to the pass and I enjoyed good riding over and down the other side into Lake Valley. I veered off the main road below the pass to avoid riding on the highway. Still good riding. Lots of fun rollers!

Swell views too. Looking across Cave Valley to the Wilson Creek Range.

And looking back towards Muleshoe Pass and Dutch John Mountain.

What a day!

Gravel Riding in the Nevada Outback

Last week I spent a couple nights camping and two days riding at the Dave Deacon Campground in the Kirch Wildlife Management Area (KWMA). What a phenomenal area! The riding was terrific, the hot/warm springs were soothing, and the campground was simple, but decent.

 I drove down early morning, set camp, and went for a moderate ride. The Moon River Ranch sits adjacent to the KWMA. Loved the sign. Looks like a pretty prosperous operation.

I rode across the White River Valley into the foothills of the towering Grant Range with Troy Peak, it's high point, at over 11,000'.

The vast White River Valley.

That evening I spun the mile or so over to the hot/warm springs. The water is about 85F, so not exactly hot, but felt great.

The views aren't bad!

The next morning dawned cloudy and remained so all day. I headed out early for a long ride, quickly arriving at the Adams-McGill Reservoir. So many birds!

 

I followed the White River south along several beautiful ponds, reservoirs, and meadows before turning west over a shallow pass into Coal Valley.

This area, in Basin and Range National Monument, has a wonderfully remote feel with dramatic limestone outcrops jutting above endless plains.

Almost all of the riding was on packed, smooth dirt - ideal for gravel riding. This is Garden Valley.

Soon after I returned to camp it started raining and an hour later I enjoyed a dramatic thunderstorm with a long, strong deluge.

Next morning I rode over to the hot/warm springs for one more soak. So serene. A real nice way to end the trip.

 Just over an hour from Ely, but a whole 'nother world. Wow!