Home / Mojave Preserve and Desert bikepacking trips / 2008: Bikepacking in Henry Coe State Park / Day 3: Pacheco Camp to Paradise Lake by bicycle, Henry Coe State Park 34
Today I ride over a couple of ridges to Paradise Lake in the northeastern part of Henry Coe State Park at the Orestimba Wilderness. I'll camp there for the next three nights. The temperature reaches the high 90s. 11.1 bicycle miles.
I visited Paradise Lake briefly during a day hike on my Henry Coe 2007 trip and decided that I'd like to return one day and camp there.
- I don't really want to leave Pacheco Camp, but today is the day that I ride to Paradise Lake to camp there for a few nights
I didn't sleep well last night and kept waking up. I finally got up around 8h30 and began a slow breakfast of strong coffee and the usual granola, tamari almonds and dried apricots. Now I'm packing up begrudgingly to leave Pacheco Camp. I could easily stay here an extra day and do another day hike like I did yesterday, using a different route. But I simply can't squeeze everything into one trip! - Packed up, the 10-ton bike and I leave Pacheco Camp and stop near the Pacheco Spring tub on the way out
A couple of deer were drinking at the spring tub by this sign earlier this morning. I'm looking forward to Paradise Lake later today. I stopped there briefly for the first time during last year's Henry Coe trip and thought that it would make a good base for a future bikepacking trip. - My energy is high this morning and I quickly climb the 3/4 mile up to Pacheco Ridge in about 15 minutes, without a warm-up
I'm not sure where this burst of late-morning energy has come from; I guess I'm just excited about the trip. I have to keep telling myself to slow down and not use up all my reserves too early in the day. - The next stage of Coit Road is the short drop down to Mississippi Creek; this only takes a few minutes
Coit Road descends 550 feet here over about 1.1 miles. Part of the ensuing climb up the hill on the other side of the Mississippi Creek canyon is visible in the distance to the right. - Coit Road crosses the dry, rocky stream bed of Mississippi Creek at the bottom of the canyon
Rust-hued buckeye leaves contrast with the dark green of the oak trees in the area. A row of lanky grey pines on the next ridge looks down at this area. - I take on the final climb up Coit Road to County Line Road on the ridge above
This one rises about 300 feet over 3/4 mile and I walk the 10-ton bike up one of the steeper stretches that would have been rideable with a lighter bike. - I take a short break in the hot sun at the top of Coit Road where it ends at County Line Road
My cell phone says that I have reception here, but it's not enough to make a call and change my outgoing message to let callers know where I am. - I wander around the junction of Coit Road and County Line Road and take in the fine views
From here I can see back to Pacheco Ridge, which I just crossed, and the part of Coit Road that I just rode down to Mississippi Creek. - I look down across the Orestimba Wilderness through some burned chamise skeletons from last year's brush fire
In a couple of hours, I'll be at Paradise Lake, which is down below, more or less in front of the distant hills. It's definitely warmer up on this ridge, as I expected, and I'm sweating quite a bit. - The switchbacks down County Line Road from Coit Road to Orestimba Creek make for a fun downhill
For a mile, I glide down County Line Road, dropping about 350 feet in the process. The joy doesn't last long enough! - A few minutes later, the 10-ton bike and I find ourselves at the bottom of County Line Road
Down in the lowlands now, I begin the six-mile ride down Orestimba Creek Road. I'll gradually lose another 350 feet of elevation on this road, but there are plenty of little uphills before I reach Red Creek Road. - After a mile, I reach the old Orestimba Corral and stop at the picnic table for a Clif-bar-and-water break
It's noticeably hotter here and I wipe sweat from my brow, even though I'm not riding uphill. My drinking water is already quite warm. With each ridge crossing away from Henry Coe Park headquarters, the temperature tends to rise a bit as one leaves the Bay Area and approaches the hotter weather system of California's Central Valley. I'm several ridges inland now. - During a short walk around the Orestimba Corral area, I stumble across a deflated "happy birthday" balloon
I've discovered several used celebration balloons like this one in remote locations during recent bikepacking trips. They likely float away in the air from their original recipients, gone forever, they think, until people like me accidentally find them. I pack the balloon in my saddlebags for disposal the next time I reach a trash receptacle (later this week). - I get back on the bike and continue down Orestimba Creek Road, which often avoids the creek by winding up and down nearby hills
So far, I've only been to the Orestimba Creek area here during the dry season, so I haven't seen it yet when it's full of water. - Accumulations of slippery, silky dust along Orestimba Creek Road at this time of year can be treacherous for bicyclists
I had a really bad crash while riding on this road last year due to this dust! - A small stream crossing along Orestimba Creek Road
I pause for a moment to take in the silence. Everything is so quiet and still out here. I haven't seen anyone else yet in the Park since I started this trip. - Another dry creek crossing along Orestimba Creek Road
There's certainly no sign of water here this month. There's certainly no sign of water here this month. - A lot of brickellbush grows in the dry, gravelly Orestimba Creek stream bed
The tiny, almost unnoticeable, flowers on these plants give off an amazing fragrance sometimes. - Orestimba Creek Road stays down in the dry creek bed after a while, as I get closer to Red Creek Road
This part of the road looks like it would be mostly underwater during the wet season. At this time of year, the gravel bed of the creek gives off a lot of heat. - I ride a mile up Red Creek Road across Paradise Flat, one of the only flat areas in Henry Coe State Park, and I feel hotter
Paradise Lake, my destination, is hiding behind the ribbon of green trees between the two closest large hills. The low spiky plants in the foreground, vinegar weed, give off a bracing citrus-vinegar-turpentine scent that I enjoy, but is disliked by some. The Las Pilitas native plant nursery web site jeers that, "[Trichostema lanceolatum] is one of the many native plants that separates the people that should be here from those that shouldn't. I have no idea why city folks move to the country and then complain about the smelly plants that live there." - Arrival at Paradise Lake
Paradise Lake is straight ahead at the bottom of this short, steep hill. - I ride across the dam to the other side of Paradise Lake, where I remember there being two campsites
Small, fragrant tarweed flowers enliven the trail on the dam with bright yellow. Like other lakes in Henry Coe State Park, Paradise Lake didn't exist until a dam was built here, probably by ranchers. - I claim the campsite north of the dam right next to Paradise Lake
There's not much shade here under this oak tree, but it seems a bit better than the other campsite south of the dam. - I saw a lot of dragonflies buzzing around the plants along the dam, and here's one resting on a plant at my campsite
It turns out that several of these leafless plant stems around my campsite have dragonflies clinging to them. They camouflage so well that they could go unnoticed, and for some reason they don't fly away when I approach them with the camera. - After setting up camp and taking a rest inside the tent, it's time to filter some water from Paradise Lake
It has turned out to be a hot day, probably mid-90s, and my drinking water from Pacheco Camp is now really warm. The cooler lake water will be a treat. Besides, it's far too hot inside the tent to stay there. I accidentally drank a couple of litres of unfiltered water from Paradise Lake during last year's trip (filter was not filtering) and I didn't get sick. - Since it's even hotter inside the tent than outside in the sun, I decide to go for a short loop walk around Paradise Lake
I feel like I'm getting a bit of heat exhaustion, so I start on the shady side of the lake to get out of the sun. The idyllic view across Paradise Lake to my tent tries to imitate a landscape painting with its quiet reflections in the water. - I find a comfortable spot along the lake to sit and absorb the peacefulness of the area for a few minutes
There's a fair amount of bird life around Paradise Lake and I occasionally hear a plop in the lake. - Postcard-suitable photo of the north end of Paradise Lake, Henry Coe State Park
Much of the Paradise Lake shoreline is not very accessible to people because of the steep terrain (it would be easy to slip down and fall in) and the tall tules growing at water's edge. - At the north end of Paradise Lake, I cross the drainage area to get to the other side of the lake
A couple of wild pigs down in the brush run away when they hear me approach. This is my first wild-pig sighting on this trip, and I saw some when I was in this area last year as well. - Many stachys plants populate the moist edges of the lake and there are even a few red monkey flowers for the hummingbirds
I've been looking at bone-dry creeks for the past few days, so I'm impressed to find moisture-loving red monkey flowers in bloom at this hot and dry time of year. - I sit down for a few minutes in a semi-shady spot next to some squirrel holes in the side of the hill
Are any of these holes connected to each other underground? - My next break stop: I wait for the sun to stop shining on my tent by sitting in the shade of a nearby oak
Gee, it is really hot and still here, I'm guessing close to 100 degrees. I was expecting this, since it usually is hotter out here in the eastern backcountry of Henry Coe. - Almost, almost... the sun is going down behind the hill and my tent is almost out of direct sun now
I'll wait a few more minutes. - There we go, the sun dips down behind the hill, so no more hot sun baking my tent
It's safe to go back in the tent now, and I'm anxious to do that since there are now quite a few flies buzzing around. As darkness sets in, a few bats fly about. I'm startled by a loud whistling sound that turns out to be a flock of birds (ducks, I think, 12 of them) returning to the Paradise Lake for the night. Two more `groups` arrive shortly afterwards. It's fun listening to their noisy chatter and frolicking in the water. I've also been hearing mourning doves, quail and scrub jays, and other birds that I don't recognize. A nice end to the day. I quickly learn that Paradise Lake is under a flight path, but the noise isn't all that intrusive. I usually hear the noise when the airplanes are overhead, but not while they are approaching. Other than the airplanes, there are no lights visible out here at night. Supper is Natural High Honey-Lime Chicken, which is pretty good, even though the chicken component is negligible. Dessert is Trader Joe's Buffalo Jerky, mmm. Will it cool down overnight?