May 22-24, 2026 I was considering not writing about Rendezvous 2026. I have written about it for 2022,23, and 24. (I missed 2025 for a family graduation in Hawaii and somehow I missed writing about 2021.) But here we are. As I have always attested Rendezvous is a favorite event. This year was no different.
But it was different in that I had a taker on the ride through the Smoke Creek Desert. How cool is that?! It is a bit long, 60ish miles from Bonham Well in Dry Valley to the entrance of Cassidy Mine on the Black Rock Desert playa. It doesn’t have to happen in one day. I usually ride 40ish miles and camp just outside Gerlach, below Goodys Rock then ride in the next morning. But this year I wanted to make a go of it in one day.
But Jed was a trooper! We carpooled from his place and arrived at Bonham Well on the edge of the BLM’s managed Dry Valley OHV area. Then we were off! We passed through the Pyramid Lake Indian Reservation on our drive and again around the southern end of the Smoke Creek Desert, keeping in mind these are the stolen traditional lands of the Indians of Coo-Yu-Ee Pah (Pyramid Lake). Jed asked about getting flats, I said no chance. In the first few miles Jed had a flat! But it was a faulty rim strip not the terrain (thorns and sharp rocks are always a consideration.) Flats happen, no matter what. In minutes, we had it fixed and were on our way again.
It is a great desert route. We were on graded roads, two tracks, through dunes and across salt crusted playas – in the the land of pronghorn and wild burros. We were primarily on a road above the playa and on the apron of the Fox Range. We passed springs, micro-playas, and washouts from violent thunderstorms.
The Fox Range can hold late spring snow resulting in water struggling to make it to the Smoke Creek Desert playa, but not this year. This was the first year these arroyos were completely dry.
By the north end of the Smoke Creek Desert Jed was feeling the miles on a fully loaded bike. I was too. We got onto the Black Rock Desert playa at the 3 Mile entrance and made our way north. I kept my eyes peeled for dark wet clay. At any time the area between 3 Mile and 8 Mile can be wet in May. Bikes have a better chance on the playa than heavy vehicles when the conditions are questionable – when in doubt stay off the playa if you think it is wet.
We arrived at camp and settled in. Jed pitched his Naturehike 1-person tent (Star Trail EXT 1, a sub-2 lb. tent!) and I thought, I have seen that before! It is the same tent that Doug A has taken on several of our trips. The reviews are great and the price can’t be beat. I wonder if we will see more of them on trail.
Saturday’s events were somewhat compressed compared to years past, but I led my Cassidy Mine Loop ride per usual. The BLM organized a collection of expert talks about Black Rock Country from which I always learn something. The Black Rock Rendezvous is an open house for the 1.2 million acres of the protected viewscape of the Black Rock Desert – High Rock Canyon Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area. We had entertainment by the Dustparados after the annual Dutch Oven Cook-off dinner. The food was my favorite! And for some reason I didn’t get pictures of that.
Sunday was the big return trip. Not surprising, we had a head wind. We exited the playa, took the pavement closer to the Granite Range to get out of the wind. We made a quick detour through Guru Road for a bit of Doobey’s enlightenment.
Eventually we settled in on the gravel road on the west side of the Smoke Creek Desert. We took two breaks, one at the ranch reservoir the other at Smoke Creek. The washboard was minimal. We rode along the Buffalo Hills, Smoke Creek Mountains, and Sand Range. We passed Sheepshead, Buckbrush, Laird, Rotten Egg, and Round Hole (also the site of the now popular Bonham Ranch hot spring) Springs. There is plenty more to explore and see. It was a long day and we were glad to get to Jed’s truck. No more flats!
By the numbers:
Our ride into BRR, 66 miles, 1500′ of climbing, varying terrain!
The Cassidy Mine Loop – a baby Rides with Friends! 17 miles, 700′ of climbing, a 1/4 day tour
Our ride out from BRR, 71 miles, 2000′ of climbing, a full day on a loaded touring bike.
All together this is the biggest trip I offer to the public. If someone is interested in just a loop around the Smoke Creek Desert (with a detour into Gerlach for resupply), here is a route. Every ride inspires the next! At some point I want to tour up the middle of the Smoke Creek Desert.
What we rode, what we carried:
Jed was on a Ritchey Ultra with 27.5 X 2.8 tires. The wide tires are key for some of the sandy bits at the beginning of the ride. Jed did an excellent job at setting up this all around steel hardtail for bikepacking. We talked about his kit, what got used, what didn’t, and what he wished he brought. I got the idea from Jed of adding eye drops to my kit. The desert is a dry place. They might provide just the relief one needs. Jed mentioned a few clothing items he wished he brought, but otherwise he planned well.
I recently listened to a review of carrying a rain jacket and a wind breaker in lieu of foregoing the windbreaker and relying on the rain jacket for double duty. This was often my strategy. The consensus in the forum was nope, bring both. The windbreaker is so effective at its job, at such a small weight/size penalty that it is worth carrying both. My new Kuhl Saboteur Hoody wind breaker needs to go on every trip.
I rode my Falconer B+ with my standard kit. I need to really break down what is “standard.” Sleep – inflatable pad, pillow, liner, and quilt. Cook- kettle, plate, cup, spork, knife, and canister stove. Bike repair, human repair, and poop (first aid and self care) kits. Electronics. Chair. Shelter – Durston X-Dome 1+ tent. Water- 4.5 L Food – Muesli, Coffee, Snacks, instant mashed potato based dinners, hot chocolate, tea, bourbon. Clothes – base layer for sleeping, insulated layer for camp. “Standard” is not ultra-light, but I can adjust from here for the specifics of the trip.