Month: June 2021

deathride, membership

Deathride Dreaming Redux – 17 Days and Counting!

READY to join the Tombstone Club? That’s the name “the ride” has given to those riders who complete the entire course this year.

SAID phrase will be emblazoned on your jersey and you’ll be able to wear your own “mellow johnny” (that’s how my 2017 finisher’s jersey feels to me) for years to come.

Final Preparations

I stopped by the Alpine County Chamber of Commerce yesterday to handle some Deathride business (co-signing of a few checks for various vendors) and the team was hard at work putting labels on DR merch and handling some of those other last-mile items.

SPEAKING of final preparations…California Alps Cycling is a Silver Sponsor of the ride this year and I too am getting ready for the event – I’ll be at the exposition on Friday the 16th. As for Saturday…I’m not quite sure what my hours will be.

Me and my shadow taking a break on Hwy. 4 just south of Chalmer’s Mansion

At the Exposition

WE’LL have our kits for sale – with some deep discounts to be had since new ones are on order – as well as some tees and other goodies.

Current “vintage” jersey
The new kits and such, with an included homage to my adopted home town, Markleeville.

AND as you’ve likely noticed, we’re making the leap from Castelli to Pedal Mafia. I’ve been wearing the P.M. kit and it’s a cut above I must say – the quality of ASSOS with a better fit, especiallly for those of us who are not of the typical rider physique.

THE thermal jacket (top left) is amazing! I’ve worn it several times, including just yesterday. I left HQ at 6:30 a.m. and it was about 45 degrees. Did a 12.5 mile TT, uphill, so I was sweating pretty well at the turn around. The descent was initially chilly but the jacket was a wicking wonder and by the time I got back down it felt dry. And, it still kept Aeolus at bay. Perfect for riding in the Sierra, or other cold climes.

SADLY, I won’t have the new kits at the Deathride but you will be able to pre-order them.

WHETHER you can give us some of your heard earned ducats or not, please be sure to stop by our booth and have a chat.

New Bling for the Pick-em Up Truck

Yeah, it was time and Mike at Arrowhead Signs in Gardnerville, NV was a master of the install. ‘Twas he that helped me design what we call the “aspen logo” when we first launched California Alps Cycling. He’s also the one that designed this year’s Deathride logo. He’s been a great friend of the Deathride for many years. Thanks Mike!

  • New artwork we recently had installed on the rig.
  • Making sure that URL decal is level…

The Deathride Slacker Ride

WE’RE going to do a MEMBERS ONLY group ride, starting at 8:00 a.m., on the day of the Deathride. I’m calling it “The Deathride Slacker Ride” and am giving it that nom de guerre not because we’re slackers in general but because we’re not doing the entire ride this year.

FOR various reasons (lack o’ fitness, injury, etc.) several of us just don’t have the juice. A ride up Hwy. 4 to Ebbett’s Pass (climb #3 of 6 on the day) will be just fine for our merry band of troublemakers. Please note that you must be registered for the Deathride (and have the requisite bib number) to participate. This mostly because I don’t want to “bandit” the rest and water stops.

AFTERWARDS we’ll head back to town, likely with a stop at the Cutthroat Brewing Company for a cold beverage, and then we’ll park our fine selves in town (or perhaps at Turtle Rock Park) and cheer on those riders that are fit enough to conquer the entire course.

BY the way, if you’re not a member and would like to become one we’d love to have you. It’s an inexpensive way to give back to the Markleeville and Bear Valley communities where we all ride. Go to our Membership page for more information.

Congrats to the Manx Missile

WHAT a stage that was yesterday! I’ve been a fan of Mark Cavendish since his early days but I really didn’t expect THAT! Such fortitude – to come back from years of trials and tribulations and get to “The Tour” is one thing. To win a sprint against some of the best riders in the world. Yowza!

My Cav. edition Jawbreakers, which have always inspired me and now even more so!

NEXT week I’ll post up some quick tips on four (4) of the six (6) climbs. Perhaps all six (6). I haven’t ridden Pacific Grade yet but am hoping to this weekend.

STAY tuned for that as well as the 411 on the weather and the fishing.

UNTIL then, stay safe, ride with passion and “Go Cav!”

off the bike fun, things to do

A Day on the East Carson – and a Salvage Operation

LAST Sunday, my wife and my Mom joined me for a day of fishing, picnicking and swimming on the East Fork of the Carson River, just a few miles from Markleeville.

IT was a gloriously hot day; glorious mostly because we were able to spend it on, and in, the cold Carson.

Starting the Day With a Ride

MY day began with a ride up Hwy. 4 towards Ebbett’s Pass; in this case up to the 7000′ mark at Raymond Meadow Creek. This is a great ride; a 26 mile round trip from HQ here in Markleeville, with approximately 1500′ of climbing.

I also did a bit of swimming hole recon. on the ride in preparation for our day on the river and decided on what turned out to be a great location.

WITH last week’s heat wave – thankfully we’ve got a bit of a respite before things ramp up again this weekend – I was getting my rides in during the morning hours. Yesterday, in fact, I rode part of this route (up to Silver Mountain City) starting about 6:30 a.m. and it was a sublime experience; one of those perfectly quiet (except for the river and the birds), almost car-less rides that we’re privileged to be able to pedal here in the California Alps.

I highly recommend these early a.m. forays! Below are some pix I snapped along the way. See what I mean?

At the Swimming Hole

Even though I’m not a father to any human children, thanks to my lovely wife I get a bit of fatherly spoiling on Father’s Day since I am the “Dad-cat.” This day was no exception. The Goilz had prepared a plethora of picnic items and so all I had to do was load up the truck and get us there.

UPON arrival it was straight into the river. A bit chilly at first but oh so invigorating, especially with a cold beverage in hand.

THEN, a bit of fishing, and some catching, in the same hole. That’s it in the image above – the flat water in the middle of the frame. My fishing foray was followed by a nice lunch and another cerveza.

Nothing better than sipping beer in a cool river on a hot day, right?

AT one point, as I was re-positioning upstream so I could get a better drift into a particular eddy, a shadow crossed my path. Looking up, there it was!

A bald eagle fly-over is always a good sign, and good karma, too.

THE fish were small, however, (but any day fishing…) and several of them went back from whence they came, but I did catch a decent 10″ rainbow and kept another smaller one that had been hooked badly enough that it had to be kept. Those are the little beauties below.

The Salvage Operation

BEING sated from a great lunch, and a bit buzzed from those beers, it was back in the water for one last swim before we headed back to the Chalet. I had brought a pair of swimming goggles as I was curious to see if I could catch a glimpse of a trout or two, or perhaps something else of interest.

A glint on the bottom of the pool caught my eye and after several tries (the water was flowing pretty well and the pool was over 6′ deep) I was able to snag the item – a lure it was!

I then patrolled the pool with more purpose and low and behold I found a veritable treasure-trove of lost lures.

TWO of ’em had hooks that were too badly rusted for future use but the others went into the tackle box. Hopefully they’ll bring me good luck in the future.

THE trout? They were thrown on the grill that night and included in our Father’s Day feast. El pescado era muy delicioso!

A Perfect Day

AND one I highly recommend. Yes, we are California Alps Cycling, but as I regularly tell anyone who’ll listen it’s not only about the bike. That’s just a bonus on some days.

THIS was one of them!

SO next time you come on up to Markleeville, don’t just bring the velocipede. Include that swimming apparel, some fishing poles and what the hell, a mask or some goggles.

YOU never know what kind of adventures you can have, or what you might find along the way!

community activities, education, giving back, hiking

After-Action Report on the Inaugural Curtz Lake Trail Day

THE weather was wonderful (okay it got a bit warm in the afternoon), the trails were in tip-top shape and the hikers were happy.

‘TWAS a good day in the heart of the California Alps!

THE ATA

THE Alpine Trails Association, of which I’m the rookie officer-at-large, held the event yesterday.

OUR program included some Washoe history; some trail-tools training; a bit of orienteering and compass-cognition; some trail-bike (gravel, MTB, eMTB) background; and most importantly – this was after all a trails day – several hikes.

Special shout-outs go to the event organizer and ATA Director Jim Haen (center-right of frame, facing the map), and Irvin Jim, the Chairman of the Hung A Lel Ti here in Alpine County (center-left of frame with the black shirt).

THERE was face-painting for the kids (I went with a Deathride theme as you can see), both large and small.

AND other crafty and informational things were also available in our little mall.

IT seemed like a reunion at times, with so many locals gathered to celebrate our fairly new sense of freedom, enjoy the beauty of our region and to give thanks to those who have been stewards of this land for thousands of years (the Washoe) and to those who have taken up that mantle much more recently.

AS Jim wrote this morning: “Thank you for making yesterday special. My first objective was to celebrate the construction of the Interpretative Trail by the handful of original builders still with us – Andy, Jim Mc, Kevin, Rhonda and Rich; and to expose this great area to more local families. On those counts the day was a resounding success.”

INDEED it was, Jim!

THERE were approximately 40-50 on hand (not bad for a county of about 1100, right?) and everyone learned a lot. Over-acheiver Jim 😉 has already made some suggestions on how we can improve the event next year. Yup, the work has already begun and we’re looking forward to seeing more folks next year, including you perhaps!

IT’S All About Stewardship

AS many of you loyal readers know, we’re big on that here at CAC and have put our skin in the game, as it were, since we’ve been here. A big part of that has been our past participation in the Eastern Sierra Sustainable Recreation Partnership (ESSRP), and I bring that up because it has recently put up a fantastic page entitled “CAMP LIKE a PRO in the Eastern Sierra.”

CHECK it out here.

AN Unexpected Ride

WE realized during after one docent-led hike had taken off down the trail that our docent didn’t have his radio. With no cell service at Curtz Lake communicating with him was impossible at that point. No problem. Bessie (my wife’s eMTB) to the rescue!

OFF I went down the trail and I caught up with the group post-haste. No need to put on lycra or special shoes and no worries that I was more appropriately appareled for hiking than riding.

A great use of an eMTB (or other e-Bikes) I thought. Having one on hand for events like this was an unexpected benefit and it got me thinking about more such uses, e.g. as a sweep for organized hikes, rides or walks or a way to deliver emergency first aid or communication when that otherwise might not be possible.

CERTAINLY others have considered this already; for us, though, it was an eye-opener!

A few more photos for your viewing pleasure…

HATS off to my colleagues at the ATA! You are all amazing individuals and I’m so glad to be a part of the Association.

AFTER all, trails don’t just build themselves and they need to be maintained so that all of us can continue to enjoy them for years to come.

THANKS for reading and see you out on the trail!

1/2 centuries or centuries, deathride, rides

Deathride Doodling? The Devil is in the Details!

BEEN doodling on the Deathride data that matta? Figuring out what you’ll need in order to tackle the Tour of the California Alps?

HERE are a few facts that may help in that regard.

FIRST of all (read aloud using deep lawyerly voice here) in the interest of full disclosure, for those who are not aware, California Alps Cycling LLC is not affiliated in any way with the Tour of the California Alps, more commonly known as the Deathride.

SECONDLY, I am a member of the board of directors of the Alpine County Chamber of Commerce, owner of the Deathride, so when I use we in this post, I mean the Chamber, or the Deathride, not California Alps Cycling, LLC.

GET it? Got it? Good! 😉

OKAY, appreciate you letting me clarify that; you can go back to your normal voice now. Let’s move on!

I had a little back & forth recently with my friend and CAC member, Charlie, the other day, where he asked on behalf of his cycling group, The Pain Gang, what the start and cut-off times were for the big event on July 17th. ‘Twas that convo. that gave me the idea for this post. Thanks Chuckles!

Mountain Iris’ in bloom at Scossa Ranch on Hwy. 4 about 10 miles south of Markleeville. Just took this photo today.

No More Carson

YUP, in case you weren’t aware, Carson is no longer the last big climb of the day. That honor instead falls to Hwy. 4 from just east of Lake Alpine, up and over that side of Pacific Grade (‘cuz you’ve already done the other side), into Hermit Valley and then up and over Ebbett’s Pass (for the 2nd time).

Yes, the Roads are Closed

“THE course will be closed to traffic from Markleeville through all sections of climbing, with a turnaround point at Lake Alpine where participants will head back to the finish at Turtle Rock Park.”

Staggered Start

“THE event officially starts at 5:30 am. Riders will be in a staggered start from that point forward. Any riders on the road before that time are riding at their own risk, and aid stations may not be open when you arrive.”

Rules of the Ride & the Road

THEY include more such nuggets, including: “How long do I have to complete the course to qualify for the all-pass finisher’s jersey? Riders have 13 hours, from 5:30 am – 6:30 pm to complete the course and apply for the finisher’s pin and jersey, aka “Tombstone Club.'”

THERE’S a link to all of the rules, including those having to do with Covid-19 protocols, on the Deathride site.

DO read up.

Lots and Lots (and Lots) of Riders (and their families)

IT’S going to be bike-archy! We’ll likely have 2000 riders or so and that means things will be packed to the gills with cycling energy (and lots of bodies). Hotels and camping are already filling up. The Creekside Lodge is long sold-out of rooms for that weekend but Woodford’s Inn still had rooms when I checked Saturday. Not sure about the Carson River Resort, or Wylder (formerly Sorenson’s), but it’s probably worth checking in with them just in case.

Stonefly, Out West Cafe, J. Marklee Toll Station, and Cutthroat Brewing Company will all be hopping so make your reservations early where you can, otherwise, put those patience helmets on.

Bear Valley

SINCE the course now takes riders into the western side of Alpine County, staying or eating there (or both) may be an option. Keep in mind there is no shuttle service provided so you’ll need to work out those logistics yourself.

HERE’S a link to Cabins & Lodges in Bear Valley. Bear Valley Adventure Company, run by friend and fellow Alpine Co. Chamber of Commerce Board Member Aaron Johnson, is a great source of information too, especially if you’re going to work in some gravel or MTB riding while you’re in town.

AND, you can check out dining options by clicking on this link.

We’re Looking Forward to Seeing You!

WE’VE missed you and are so excited to welcome you back for the 40th anniversary of this iconic ride. You’ve got a few more weeks to get those cycling legs ready and then it will be time to kick some passes’ asses!

SEE you soon! And please…travel safely.