Tag: markleeville

advocacy, community

Advocacy and Community – CA Job’s 1st, Ebbett’s W/O Cars and Markleeville General Store’s Anniversary

WELCOME to December! I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving holiday! Here in Markleeville the Friday afterwards kicks off the Christmas tree cutting season, and so there’s been an inordinate amount of traffic. LOL.

THE family and I did our part, joined many others throughout the area, and snagged a nice white pine. And being good tree-huggers, we also did our part to help forest health by taking one that should be taken, and taking it properly. If you’re interested in doing the same, check out this page.

IT was a chill visit (literally…it was in the teens some days) with the family and we gobbled ’til we wobbled. Traffic-wise, we’re back to normal, and yeah you guessed it, it is by no means city-traffic anyway. Snarls are non-existent unless one of the local ranchers is driving a herd across the highway, which, I just realized, should start anytime. Moo.

DUE to the lack of white-stuff so far, the passes have been open more than not. It’s stayed pretty cold, though, and that means most outside rides warrant Michelin-Man garb.

STILL, the riding’s good, and it looks like a small, warmer window will be open until late next weekend so now’s your chance to get Monitor in, and maybe Ebbett’s, before the snow flies. Perhaps a bit of fatbiking in and around Grover Hot Springs? The hot springs are open, by the way!

Farley taking a dip in the small creek that runs near the Charity Valley east trail.
Blue can’t go any farther today. Stopped at the gate just below Silver Creek Campground on Hwy. 4 (Ebbett’s Pass).

ALRIGHTY, then. Enough of that small talk. 🙂 Let’s talk turkey.

Update on California Jobs First/CERF

SINCE our “Musings Post” back in September, which, among other things, touched on the Community Economic Resilience Fund (CERF), now known as the Eastern Sierra California California Job’s First/CERF (CJF/CERF I’ll call it), things are moving along nicely. As a refresher…

CALIFORNIA Jobs First/Community Economic Resilience Fund (CERF) is a statewide program that was created to promote a sustainable and equitable recovery from the economic distress of COVID-19 by supporting new plans and strategies to diversify local economies and develop sustainable industries that create high-quality, broadly accessible jobs for all Californians.

– California Jobs First/Community Economic Resilience Fund

MORE data that matta…

THE Sierra Business Council (SBC) is under contract with the State of California, and serves as the convener and fiscal agent for the Eastern Sierra region, which includes Amador, Calaveras, Tuolumne, Mariposa, Alpine, Inyo, and Mono counties. The grant funding this initiative has the potential to increase the quality of life in the area by helping to shape future industries (jobs man, more jobs) and diversify the economy (it’s not all about tourism, or shouldn’t be).

HONESTLY it’s the team behind the High Roads Transition Collaborative (HRTC) and “its subs” that has been doing the heavy lifting (i.e., project management) in order to keep the HRTC, and its sub-committees on track. Elaine Kabala, Executive Director of the Eastern Sierra Council of Governments, and her group hosted our last meeting in Mammoth Lakes back in October, and is hosting our upcoming meeting this Friday in Sonora, at the Mother Lode Job Training Center.

THE ESCOG team has hit the November milestone and submitted the application for CERF Catalyst Program funds. As it turns out, the state did not require details on the $9 million dollars of pre-development funds. The HRTC and subcommittees, not this application, will determine how that money is spent. Yours truly is one of the Alpine Co. members of the HRTC because it’s part of our mission here at California Alps Cycling: Numero Tres – Help the communities in which we live, work and ride.

THERE have already been many projects identified by that sub-committee and next year we’ll start the vetting process. Project ideas can be submitted here, by the way. Now with all this said I must admit that, like many of my colleagues I suspect, am still learning about the players, the process and the potential outcomes. It will develop – there are a lot of moving pieces. I’m definitely open to a convo. so get in touch if you’d like to yak about any or all!

Ebbett’s Without Cars?

GOTCHA with that headline, eh? As I wrote earlier this year, the Caltrans District 10 Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee has been working on various initiatives, one of which is opening Ebbett’s Pass, really Highway 4, both sides of Ebbett’s Passfor bikes, peds, wheelchairs, hand-cycles, you name it, for a short period of time, each year in the spring. Yosemite does something like this most years, on Tioga Pass.

THE idea is that after the road is cleared of snow, from Lake Alpine on the western side, and Monitor Junction on the eastern side, the road will be opened for anything human-powered, for approximately 1-2 days.

WE’VE gotten through a lot of the operational roadblocks, and addressed the liability/legal aspects, too. At our last meeting in October we were also told that the Stanislaus National Forest (western side) was VERY supportive of the idea.

NEXT STEPS…Reach out to the Humboldt Toiyabe National Forest (eastern side) about getting its support, and most importantly, get feedback from the Bear Valley and Markleeville citizens and businesses. So, we’re not quite there yet, but what started with an idea floated my way by Rob Williams (founder of Motherlode Bicycle Coalition) is getting closer to fruition.

WOULDN’T it be cool to ride up, over; and back if you’re so inclined, Ebbett’s Pass, with snow still on the side of the road, trees glistening in the sunlight, blue skies so blue they’re almost purple, and smiles so wide we’d get bugs on our teeth?

OH yeah, and without the need to worry about vehicles!

I’LL keep you posted on the progress, and if you have any thoughts on the subject, please let me know.

Markleeville General Store

LAST month, our beloved general store, celebrated one year of new ownership. The store has always been awesome, and the previous owner did right by the community for decades.

ANDY and Avery, the new owners, have continued that tradition, and have also transformed things quite a bit with items like organic and locally sourced foods, bake-at-home goods, an even better selection of beer and wine, and new schwag, too.

LOCAL artists also have a new space to exhibit and sell their wares, so if you’re looking for some cool Christmas gifts after your trip to the hot springs, which I’m thinking would be after your ride (or maybe some fishing), then look no further.

THERE could be a California Alps Cycling corner coming this spring, too!

YOU may recall there was a chance we were going to be opening a shop here in Markleeville, but that didn’t work out (for the best, really). The notion stayed ingrained in my brain, however.

THIS is a world-class bike riding area, with a fair amount of bike riders taking advantage of the scarcity of cars, amazing views, good eats, and sweet trails (and the Deathride). Most of whom are very prepared. However, “mechanicals” happen to the best of us, so having a life raft here in town would be a nice addition, wouldn’t it?

ANYWAY, I’ve been bugging Andy about having a small selection of bike parts, accessories and clothing (CAC kits and tees are part of that discussion, of course) on hand, for those of us who on rare occasion may need a tube, tire, or even a chain. Did some homework and unfortunately QBP offers its services only to full-on bike shops so that’s a no-go. We’ll do some more poking around and see what we can figure out. Stay tuned, and if you know some one…

Basin & Range

I haven’t forgotten about the second installment of Mr. and Mrs. CAC’s most excellent Utah adventure and roadtrip. Lots of photos & videos to cull through, and other such minutia. That, and work, and life. Like most of you I’m guessing. I do have a draft in the works, though, and will get ‘er done and posted up soon.

HAPPY Hanukkah, Merry Christmas and Happy Kwaanza. And if you celebrate something else during this season, happy that to you instead.

THAT’S all he wrote. Ride on. Be safe. Advocate. Give back. Please.

deathride, events, giving back

It’s Going To Be A Wild Ride!

WITH the big day less than one (1) week out it I’m feeling it. No doubt the rest of the team is, too. The Deathride, the most iconic ride in the California Alps, and dare I say, one the most iconic in the country, if not the world, is a great source of pride for the community, or communities, of Alpine County, and the 42nd “riding” takes place this Saturday, July 15th.

IT takes a village to put on such a logistical feat, and this year, being hornswoggled into the event director role, I’ve gotten a perspective that I’ve never seen before. Like most of you I suspect, I’ve ridden a bunch of centuries and gran fondos. Getting a behind the scenes look as to what goes into making such an event happen, though? Nope. That’s a new one.

Yup! That road is also closed for the Deathride!

As I mentioned, I have the distinct (and somewhat scary) privilege of being the event director for this year’s ride. Funny…Mrs. California Alps Cycling and I moved here because of the Tour of the California Alps, but I never thought I’d be helping lead such a renown ride. Just figured I’d be riding it. Hopefully for years to come. But here in our small community it’s easy to get involved. We run on grants, with sweat-equity provided by volunteers for the most part (with some notable exceptions), and as such many of us wear many hats.

THE work, though…that’s being done by a small, yet mighty team. Some of whom are volunteers and some of whom are paid. They are, in alpha order, Michael “Bullet Points” Bayer; Corey “Chill” Bolton; Di “Bodhi” Bolton; Melissa “No Friction” Edwards; Kate “Technokid” Harvey; Dave “Register, Damn It” Scarborough, and Meghan “Numbers” Wolff. They have no idea I’ve given them these nicknames. I hope they don’t kick me in the hiney tomorrow when we all get together to kick off what is sure to be an awesome, yet challenging, week. More chillingly, I wonder what nickname they’ll give me.

Deathride Hell Week

TOMORROW, the crucible begins with a walk-through of the “flows” of the expo on both Friday and Saturday. It also starts the week of deliveries and set up. Check in stations arrive tomorrow. Generators, too. The expo store buildings are coming in on Tuesday. Dumpsters get delivered on Wednesday. The ice truck, and the all-important ice cream, come in on Thursday. The port-a-potties portage begins on Thursday and continues through Friday. Di is picking up a truck Monday, a van on Wednesday, and another truck on Thursday.

MERCHANDISE has been, and is still coming in. Jerseys, tees, pins, bib numbers, glasses, cups, food of all sorts.

Such a great kit it’s scary!

EQUIPMENT needs to be tested. Swag bags for the riders (about 1300) need to be stuffed. Posters need to be hung.

LOGISTICS are a huge lift, as you might imagine. Getting all of that stuff to the aid stations, water stations and the lunch stop is a real feat. Up and over Monitor, and Ebbett’s, to Lake Alpine, and points in between. In some cases these deliveries take place in the middle of the night or just before sunrise. Some crews camp out so they can set up, warm food and be ready for those early, Sierra-chilled, riders.

OVERSEEING the distribution of the right stuff to the right places in the right order, and then “undistributing” (i.e., reversing and re-schlepping) all that paraphernalia back into the trucks, and then back to command central takes an outfit, let me tell you. Some of “Di’s volunteers” have been at this for decades.

SUNDAY after the big day many of us meet at Turtle Rock Park and unpack the trucks. Back into storage things go. Signage, bike racks, coolers, stoves, tables, flags, cones, and on and on. Left over food gets examined and what’s safe to donate (most of it) is re-packed and delivered to local food banks.

Cha-Ching

WHILE the ride generates six-figure revenue it is by no means a profit generator. At least for the Chamber of Commerce. “Numbers” oversees our ducats, both for the Chamber and for the ride, and yours truly gets to countersign some of those large checks.

THOUSANDS of dollars for food, insurance, permits, and more. Just some examples:

  • Post-ride meal for the riders: $21k
  • Lunch sandwiches: $6k
  • Trucks and van: $1500
  • Caltrans Encroachment Permit (so we can close the roads): $7800 last year, and could be twice that much this year. Don’t have the bill yet. Cha-ching! 😉

$33,000. That’s how much we contributed to the volunteer organizations that helped us last year. Boy Scouts, Alpine Co. Fire Safe Council, Elks, Alpine Co. Search and Rescue, Tahoe Amateur Radio Assoc., and Woodford’s Volunteer Firefighter’s Association, just to name a few. This year will be no different.

ALPINE county businesses benefit from the influx of riders, too. By the end of the week, more people will have registered for the ride than live in all of Alpine County. Not kidding. Just under 1200 live in the county and we’re figuring to have about 1300 riders. With their support crews, the town of Markleeville sees and supports thousands of people that it doesn’t usually see. Hotels are full and campgrounds will be overflowing. It’s wild!

Getting Here

FOR the leadership team it’s been weeks of Zoom meetings (7:30 a.m. Tuesdays) and a bunch of in-person meetings. And that doesn’t include the individual meetings and phone calls that each of the team leaders is hosting or having.

LOCAL agencies, from the Alpine Co. Sheriff’s Office, to the California Highway Patrol, to Caltrans, to REMSA (ambulance and helicopter), to the Alpine Co. Volunteer Firefighters, to Community Development, to the Health Dept., and on it goes. We all met a couple weeks ago to make sure those safety-related plans were in place. Check.

A CAPTAIN’S meeting took place that same night at one of our local fire stations. Dozens of folks from all over the county came in to Woodfords so they could all sync-up. Ham radio operators, aid-station staffers, retail store personnel, registration greeters; all were there, and well-fed by Mad Dog Cafe. Cha-ching! 😉

PERMITS are a big deal. Two (2) are key: the Caltrans Encroachment Permit and the Alpine Co. Special Event Permit. Don’t get either. Don’t have a ride. While a stressful process (admittedly some of that brought on ourselves) it was made much more palatable by the agencies we worked with to get those permits. Coming down to the wire we were but we were able (obviously) to secure those permits. Big thanks to Alpine County Community Development, the Alpine Co. Planning Commission and Caltrans for patiently working with our team and supporting our efforts.

Let’s Rock and Roll!

BEAR Valley is ready. Markleeville is too. Speaking of ready…The roads are rough and ready after this past winter. By the end of the day Thursday, we’ll be ready too.

SLEEP? We’ll do that on Monday the 17th.

road conditions, training

California Alps Roads Report – Getting Things Ready For The Deathride

OKAY, I’m taking some liberties…It’s not ALL ABOUT the 42nd Tour of the California Alps. Fishing access (a delayed Fishmas celebration is in the works) is important. Getting over Monitor Pass into Markleeville is vital for our little town’s businesses, and saves travelers to Tahoe tons of time. Our OHV friends can’t get to some of their favorite 4-wheel drive trails. Either can the “beelers”, as in snowmobilers.

Road Everywhere Were Hammered This Year

THAT we all know. From a cyclist’s perspective we’re champing at the bit to get some training in on those passes that are currently closed: Ebbett’s, Monitor, Sonora, Tioga, and from a Deathrider’s perspective, we’d like to be able to hit up Pacific Grade, too.

SOON, very soon…Per our friends at Caltrans District 10 “Paving is now tentatively scheduled for May 8th and 9th, weather permitting. Highway 89 would open sometime after the 10th. SR 4 is currently closed at the Junction of 4/89 with no ETO. Crews indicate that they will not be able to give an ETO for Ebbetts for several weeks.”

WELL I can imagine! Based on what Monitor looks like and based on the experience of 2017, when Ebbett’s opened approximately two (2) weeks prior to the Deathride, it’s going to be interesting to, 1) clear all that snow (thank you Caltrans), and 2) find out what’s under that snow.

IN 2017 a chunk of road about a mile below Cascade Creek was damaged. The D-10 crew came through, though, and we were able to hold the event that year.

THIS will be the 42nd running of the Tour of the California Alps. It’s never not been held due to road conditions. Pandemic – yup. Fire – indeed. Roads – nope. These guys and gals know these mountains, even these latest winter-of-22-23-crazy-conditions, and so I have faith that the crew will come through.

“Training Options?”, You Ask.

WELL, in terms of the the pain cave, I recommend Fulgaz, as it has lots of climbing options, from all over the world, including Mont Ventoux, Alpe d’Huez, and all five (5) of the classic Deathride climbs. They just wrapped up (today was the last day) the Virtual Deathride. Lucky me, I just finished it today, the last day to do so. Tired legs after doing 4 outta 5 this week, including the last three (3), Monitor East, Ebbett’s North and Carson Pass, three days in a row. Zwift is certainly another option.

AS far as outside, at least here in Alpine and El Dorado counties, Kingsbury Grade and Luther Pass are open. Luther has some fairly nasty potholes, FYI. And speaking of potholes…Pioneer Trail in S. Lake Tahoe has recently been renamed by the locals. Its new moniker: Pothole Trail. Here’s hoping that changes soon.

DIAMOND Valley and surrounds is an awesome area to ride and having ridden it, and Emigrant Trail, and out to Genoa and back, recently, I can tell you those roads aren’t too terrible.

LOOKING for something more formal? Then be sure to take advantage of Alta Alpina Cycling Club’s training series.

NEXT weekend it’s two (2) passes (Kingsbury and Luther I heard) so sign up if you haven’t already!

AACC also holds weekly races, too, if you’re so inclined. The club does races in and around the area, with TT’s, road races, and crits “mixed and matched.”

Chocolate milk flowing into Milberry Creek, just outside of Markleeville, CA.

OH, yeah. And water, we’ve got lots of water.

FLOOD concerns. Like a lot of the state. And, country. More than concerns in many places, as we’ve all seen.

AS of today, we haven’t seen any flooding but it’s possible the West Fork of the Carson will crest in Woodfords. TBD of course.

THE eternal optimist in me likes to think only about the fishing yet to come, the amazing wildflowers that will soon pop and the swimming holes later this summer.

D Nile is d longest river in d world. 😉

HERE are a couple other links to good sources of road info.:

NO doubt that Caltrans and NDOT will be busy for the foreseeable future. Be sure to give them plenty of room to work and an attaboy or attagirl, too. If it wasn’t for these fine folks putting in a shit-ton of hours we likely wouldn’t be seeing pavement for quite awhile up here in the heart of the Sierra.

RIDE on and ride safe, and we’ll see you soon!

deathride

The 41st Deathride – One Rider’s Experience

TEN days has passed since the 41st Annual (kinda) Deathride (aka The Tour of the California Alps). We’re starting to relax a bit here in Alpine County, yet at the same time we’ve begun preparing for next year’s ride. Not kidding.

THAT, however, is a story for another day.

TODAY we have a guest blogger! Amador County resident, and Deathrider Bill Condrashoff. I’m pleased to put forth, for your reading pleasure, Bill’s story about his “day of death.” Editors notes: First, let’s be clear. No one has ever died on the Deathride. Second, the following words are all Bill’s and they WERE NOT edited for clarity or whatever else some news programs might say. That wouldn’t be fair to Bill. It’s his story, and a good one at that. I did take the liberty of throwing in a few photos, though.

IT’S been 3 years since I rode the Death Ride and I missed it. I was in my 50s last time. So I thought I’d see if could still do it in my 60s. I wasn’t planning to better my best or even go for a fast time. I was just going to try to finish. I mentally prepared myself for being passed by the young riders and to just let it go. I’d be happy enough just being out there enjoying what I like to do. Then I got a call from my riding friend Kevin, who was going to come out and enjoy the festivities for old times’ sake. He wanted to know when I would be riding through Markleeville. I told him I would come through between 3 and 4PM. He couldn’t accept that for an answer and convinced me I would be there by 3PM for sure. So he was going to look for me between 2:30 and 3:30PM.

I didn’t know anyone else riding it this year. It was going to be a hot one. I was ready to ride at 5AM but ended up starting at 5:04 or so. Close enough. With the hot weather predicted for later, I knew I had to get in and out of the back side of Monitor Pass as quickly as possible so as not to get fried in the desert. Each side is about 3,000 ft of climbing.

Riders coming up the Eastern side of Monitor pass. Near the Mono/Alpine Co. county line.

When I started, it was about 65 degrees and my legs felt good. I was pedaling up Monitor in a matter of minutes. Most people knew it would be hot and started when I did. I was in a sea of riders just before sunrise. It was calm and all you could hear was the sound of heavy breathing, tires rolling over the pavement and an occasional conversation. Then the grade got steep and the sound of hundreds of bikes downshifting filled the rocky canyon. I was in my lowest gear but not too bad off. As we went up, I could see the sunshine start to cover the mountains around Ebbetts Pass. It looked a long way off and later the ride was going 15 miles beyond Ebbetts before riders would turn around. Of course, at this moment, I was headed AWAY from that pass. Then I realized I needed to get my head in a good place to be able to succeed. That meant having some fun along the way and paying attention to how my legs were feeling.

Before I knew it, I was over the first pass and it was time to have some fun. I gulped some salt tabs and chased them with fluid then started to pass some riders before the unthinkable happened. Some dude passed me going downhill! It was still shallow near the top for a while, but I decided it was time to have some of that “fun along the way”. So, I chased. I might seem like a thin man, but for a cyclist on the Death Ride, I’m a big boy (gravity is my friend on descents). I was up to him pretty quick and I got by him just before the grade got steeper and the spectacular view of the desert appeared. I could see his shadow racing mine on the pavement. He wasn’t just going to let me go ahead. I focused on my line and how to avoid the hundreds of bikes around us. He stayed with me in the twisties and that impressed me because I know the road very well. A couple of times I saw what looked like his shadow riding off the road over the cliff. But, it would always come back where I could see it. Left, right, left, right, pass 12 riders at a time, left, right, left, right, pass 12 more. Then after we came around a righty, and just before a lefty I saw something that scared me. It was guy with a camera standing on the double yellow center line taking photos at the apex of the turn! I could go left or right of him. Both options seemed bad at the speed I was going. So, I braked and went right of him (on the slower line) and the rider making the shadow passed me. I thought “Ok, it’s still a long way down and I have gravity on my side.” After a slower turn, I got back up to him and made a slingshot pass using his draft. It was pretty straight after that so the bigger boy wins, and that was me. At the bottom he was as jacked as I was. We averaged 42 for 7.5 miles with a max of 50mph. We talked about it halfway back up the climb out of the desert before he went ahead of me. 

IT was quite a bit warmer on Monitor Pass the second time over. But, it wasn’t too bad. I still had a good attitude. I pretty much had the second descent to myself and it is less fun to go fast without traffic. So, I decided not to push my luck and conserve energy (and blood). As I started up Ebbetts Pass, Shadow Rider passed me and we discussed how he got behind me. He had taken a nature break. We rode a little while then we both stopped at Wolf Creek for my first water stop. 5 miles up the road he passed me again on the steep stuff. By then the bike traffic was thinning a lot. This told me that I was doing well. It was like the good old days of the 2010s. I kept trying to extrapolate the time I would get to Markleeville because I knew I would be slowing down as I rode. It seemed like I would get there before Kevin left.

I got to the top of Ebbetts feeling pretty worked over. I thought “If I ride over the top, will I be able to climb out of there?” Editor’s note: Even though he was pretty worked over that skeleton is not Bill. This photo, in fact, was taken during the 2018 Deathride. It is, though, at Ebbetts Pass.

AND that’s not the worst of it. Pacific Grade Pass is new to the Death Ride this year. After you go down the back of Ebbetts, you go up Pacific Grade’s 24% slopes. This was sure to lessen my chances of getting back out of the hole I was about to ride into. Against my better judgement, I went for it and Pacific Grade felt steeper than ever. That road tests you at the start with some short 20% grades followed by shallower grades. Then back to steep, then not so steep. Just when you think you’re past the worst of it, the road seems to disappear in front of you. The first right hand switchback is so steep and sharp that it looks like the end of the road. But, it just turns so sharp that it looks like a dead end. Too bad it wasn’t. I would have been happy to turn around at that point. Standing in my lowest gear, wishing I had three more, I could feel the last of my legs slowly being left on the road. On the steep grade, each time I thought I would need to stop, the slope would ease off just enough to keep me from quitting. Before I knew it, it was over and I was at Mosquito Lake on Pacific Grade Pass.

THIS was my chance to rest on the easy pedal to the turnaround at Lake Alpine. Shadow Rider passed me here again and when he did he asked me how long I thought my ride was going to take. I said “If all goes well, 10 hours. If all goes not so good, 11 hours.” I saw him again at the turnaround and spent too much time talking and not enough time drinking. Rolling out of the rest stop, I could tell I was starting to lose power. But I told myself “just get over Ebbetts one more time and you can coast for 30 minutes.”

IT wasn’t much of a ride back to Mosquito Lake. But boy I felt it. After the lake, the drop down Pacific Grade is so steep that you have to get your weight behind your saddle, like on a mountain bike, or you can easily go over your bars when you try to slow for the hairpin turns. I needed to stall because I was so fried. So, I just went slow this time and kept all my blood on the inside by not falling.

The mountains and trees reflected in Kinney Reservoir (about a mile north of the pass). This photo was taken on my first ascent up to Ebbetts Pass (from Markleeville) in 2016.

THE last pass was Ebbetts and I was ready for a struggle and that’s exactly what I got. The pass isn’t that long or steep. What makes it so difficult is all the other climbs before it. Shadow Rider passed me for the last time and I never saw him again. I was crawling (at best) up the hill and just looking for a reason to stop when a guy on the side of the road asked me if I had a CO2 tire filler and if he could use it. That was my excuse! So I stopped with enthusiasm to help him. We got him going quicker than I wanted. Once I started rolling again I felt better. It was only about 500 ft of vertical up to the top from there. When I rolled over the top it was like standing on Everest to me. I was going to make it. My stomach was upset and, due to dehydration I wasn’t sweating anymore. But now it was all downhill for a long time. I filled all bottles for weight and for makeshift perspiration. I drank all I could and poured the rest over my head, front and back as I mostly coasted down towards where I started the day. The cooling plan was working pretty well for a while. But then the temperature started really going up when I dropped below about 7000ft elevation. All the gains I made the first 10 minutes of coasting were getting erased by the heat.

THE 5 miles of road along the canyon that leads to Markleeville were so hot and dry that I would get cotton mouth just 30 seconds after a swig of water. And now, my legs were starting to cramp. Through all of this, I realized I had a shot of finishing the ride in under 9 hours. Remember, 10 hours was my best case scenario. Imagine my surprise! The only obstacle between me and a 9 hour time was the last 20 to 30 minute climb, in nearly 100 degree heat with cramping legs and only about a pint of warm water.

I rolled into Markleeville and looked for Kevin (hopefully with tons of cold water). But, I was an hour ahead of my best predicted time and he wasn’t there yet. In order to beat 9 hours, I had 25 minutes to get up the last hill and figured I’d just see what happened. A woman standing in the street offered me a cold Gatorade. I stupidly said “no thanks” and rode by her. Just past her, I reconsidered and turned around and stopped next to her. She had just ridden both Monitor Passes and had a sense of how I felt. I poured the cold Gatorade into my bike bottle, thanked her and rode off. 50 feet from there, I saw Kevin just as he yelled my name. He had just gotten there and he was prepared. He had ice, cold water, and pantyhose to put ice into and hang around my neck as I rode. He knew all the tricks to beat the heat. Now it’s only 20 minutes to my 9 hour goal! I asked him if he thought I could get up that last hill in 20 minutes and he said “NO”. I still wanted to try, and told him I didn’t want to bother with the panty hose trick. He decided I could use a splash of cold water and poured what felt like an Ice Bucket Challenge cooler full of water over my head. I was yelling “heart attack, heart attack” without breathing out. It was so cold. I was freezing now. I thanked him and took off with 17 minutes to get up the hill. At first I still felt pretty drained so I just went at a pace I thought I could do and drank the Gatorade as fast as I could before it got warm. About halfway up the hill I could see the top. I still had 9 minutes. Then a guy about 50 feet ahead of me turned around and said “tailwind”. There was a tailwind, and it was a good one too. I still had goose bumps on my legs from the icing incident. I thought “I’m going for it.” I picked it up a notch, and seeing how the road got steeper at the end, I timed a last ditch effort to the finish. I watched the time get closer and closer to 9:00:00 on my Garmin. For the last 15 minutes I’d been telling myself not to ride for 9 hours and pull up a couple minutes over 9. So I grabbed a gear and really made sure. 8:58:05!

THIS was about my 12th Death Ride. I’ve been trying to beat 9 hours and have never been able to do it before this ride. The new route is about an hour shorter than the old one. But still, I can now say that I did the Death Ride in under 9 hours! My rolling time was 8:38:XX. So I spent about 20 minutes not moving. The ride was 103.3 miles with 13,999 ft of climb. I averaged 11.9 MPH, maxed 51.3 MPH, averaged 156 watts for a total 1.4 kWHr of energy output. Now your electric bill of $0.60/kWHr doesn’t seem like such a high price, does it? My average heart rate was 133 BPM and max was 150 BPM. According to Strava, I was about the 50th finisher of all six passes.

I signed my name on the big Death Ride poster over the forehead of the skull, as usual. I burned about 5,000 calories, and I got it all back in the breakfast Benita made for me on Sunday morning. One last editor’s note: Only finishers get to sign the poster. Will you add your name next year?

CONGRATS, Bill! I think I can see your signature somewhere in there. 😉

WHAT a ride you had and what a great story. And a PR to boot. Sweet!

THANKS so much for sharing and we’ll see you next year for lucky 13!

recovery, rides, road conditions, virtual rides

Some Ride-Related News From Markleeville – And Other Goings On

WE’VE gotten some small amounts of snow here in the California Alps over the last few days; certainly not as much as we’d have liked but it’s something. Better news on that front from the higher climes, however.

SOME backcountry (and other skiing) was to be had over this weekend, said Justin, my trusty physical therapist and backcountry skiing fanatic, last Friday.

bluebird with ornamental plumage resting on twig

I’M sure he was hitting it yesterday and I’d imagine he’s out there today, as any self-respecting mountain athlete (or any snow lover for that matter) would be on this bluebird of a day. 🙂

BULLITT the mountain bike is asking me to take him out for a spin today and I think I’ll oblige. Going to be some mud-slingin’ for sure!

That Ride-Related News

THE road cycling lately has been glorious, notwithstanding the slush, and plow-pellet induced sludge, and therefore requisite cleaning and lubing (whine, snivel). I was able to get outside early in the week and on one ride it felt downright balmy! Only a base tee under the jersey and no arm-warmers!

SINCE then we’ve had a couple light snow events, as I mentioned at the start of this post, so I’ve been partaking of the paincave lately. Segue…

SPEAKING of inside…I was able to test ride the “Fatbiking in the Snow” ride recently and I’m happy to say you Fulgaz subscribers will soon be able to particpate.

BE on the lookout for the “Pick n’ Mix” release tentatively scheduled for March, said Peter the Engineer.

MONITOR and Ebbetts remain closed (Monitor at the junction and Ebbetts just past Silver Mountain City) but once we get a bit of melt of yesterday’s dusting the riding on Monitor should be pretty good. Ebbetts, being much less exposed, will remain slushy in some of the shadier areas for awhile and I suspect we won’t get much plowing done any farther up towards the pass until April.

Silver Creek (in noir-mode) and distant crags on a sunny afternoon ride up Hwy. 4.
A vividly bluebird day on a ride from Markleeville to Silver Mountain City.
That’s Chalmers Mansion (as you can see from the sign), in noir, peaking through the trees. Some slush still on the road.
A bluebird day on a ride from Markleeville to Silver Mountain City.
A few photos from last week’s forays on Hwy. 4, heading towards Ebbetts Pass.

Those Other Goings On

COMMUNITY meetings continue on several fronts as we continue to recover from the Tamarack Fire. Trails continue to be a big part of the discussion and their rebuilding in time for the spring and summer season are a priority. We’re looking holistically at trail usage and focusing on hiking, riding and equestrian in our planning. Things are certainly going to look different out there as the forest starts its long return to health, yet it’s still the Sierra and a lot of it wasn’t burned.

Burned trees and heavy equipment as seen from Airport Road, looking down at Hwy. 89 near Turtle Rock Park.
So much devasation…:-( Burned trees everywhere – as seen from Airport Road just up from Hwy. 89.

THE images above are certainly heart-breaking. I remind folks though, that a lot of the area wasn’t torched and once you get past Monitor Junction to the south, or Pickett’s Junction, to the west, you won’t see a lot of fire-related damage. The forest is nothing if not resiliant.

MRS. CA Alps points out in a “making lemonade out of lemons” kinda way that the vistas are more expansive without so many trees. She’s right and it helps to look at it that way; still so very sad to see. And lets be honest, the density of the forest was, and still is, part of the problem. Thousands of years of native americans weren’t (and aren’t) wrong, you know?

OUR rivers, streams and lakes are looking good, though, and many of the latter, like Silver and Caples, are still frozen over. We’re working hard on repairing infrastructure like Turtle Rock Park and Grover Hot Springs State Park. Plans for the “fishing opener” are in the works, we’ve got a new addition to our local Fish & Game Commission, and we’re starting to think more about native fisheries and how we can restore them. Segue…😉

SPEAKING of restoration, the county has been awarded a grant of approximately $1.8 million that will be used to help private landowners here in Alpine Co. with their recovery efforts. Work on that front continues on a fast pace.

AS does tree-clearing…

BY the way, if you haven’t checked out the Alpine Chamber’s website recently, please take a gander. Lots of great information about things afoot here in Alpine County including summer events like Music in the Park, the Bear Valley Music Festival and Hermit Fest.

WELL, it’s off to wash Blue. I promised him he’d get a bath before I took his bro out for a ride. It’s 41; starting to warm up to today’s high of 42. Won’t be just a base layer and jersey today, I guess.

STILL, it could be worse.

ENJOY your Sunday and have a fantastic week!

snow, weather

Snowfall in the California Alps – A Welcome Sight

WELL, it finally happened; a good snowfall that is, and among other things it helped make the unsightly remnants of the Tamarack Fire a bit more sightly. Those blackened trees look much better with a coating of snow.

MORE importantly, the white gift from above is a good start (albeit one that is a bit later than we’d prefer) to what (fingers crossed) could be a decent winter season.

SINCE moving to Markleeville in the summer of 2016 we’ve experienced two (2) good winters: 2016-2017 and 2018-2019. We had only one serious dumping of snowflakes last year and we feared we were going to have another dry winter this year. While it’s certainly too early to prognosticate, we’re cautiously optimistic that this year will be different.

MARSHAWN, our two-stage snowblower purchased last year, is finally getting to do some beast-mode blowing this year. My neighbors suspected it was that purchase that canned last year’s snowy season. While I wish I was that powerful, however, I’m not. Marshawn is, though, and he moved these recent snowdrifts with ease. No choking on the Sierra cement, and that dude can throw it let me tell ya!

SNOWBLOWERS were something I had only heard of, or seen on post-east coast blizzard highlights on the news, before we moved here. Initially I figured I’d just shovel the white-stuff. It would be a good work out I told myself. Well, after about two (2) weeks of that, and the sore shoulders and back that came with it, I made a call to Sears and picked up our first snowblower. A one-stager it was but it did the trick.

UNTIL last year that is when the snow got so heavy and deep that we realized it was time to upgrade. That’s where Marshawn came in and it was the wife who named him. If fact, he’s such a beast that he took out (Honey, it wasn’t me, it was Marshawn!) one of our deck pickets and also cut out a nice chunk of one of the 4×4 posts. I definitely need some more practice managing Mr. Beastmode. Let’s hope I get plenty in the days and weeks to come.

That’s Marshawn and me cutting a rug just yesterday.

AS for riding, I’ve got a plan there as well. Farley (read this post for more info. on him) and I are looking forward to our first fatbike foray out on the trails. Fingers crossed we can get out there this weekend, if not sooner.

WHILE it’s an agreeable alternative to riding outside, the pain cave isn’t quite the same. It is, however a must-have here in Markleeville, and other snowy regions I suspect. I also find that for the most part I can do a better job at structured workouts on Zwift or FulGaz; it’s challenging to do sprints, intervals, HIIT and such when you’re climbing as soon as you leave the house.

Avalanche warnings are coming fast and furious lately, too. This recent snow on a weak snowpack is cause for concern and yesterday we received some advice to stay out of the backcountry for a few days. Good advice indeed. An avalanche is NOT a good thing to experience (stating the obvious I suspect), especially when you’re not trained in what to do or don’t have the right equipment, or both. This weekend, Mrs. CA Alps Cycling and I will be attending our first avalanche course. It’s not the full blown outside experience but it’s a start and we’re looking forward to learning more about snowslides.

RIDING a road bike in snowy and icy conditions can be a kick, though, as long as the roads are plowed. If the gates are closed at Monitor Junction it can be a sublime experience with no cars to worry about. On the other hand extraction can be an issue so you really need to be comfortable in those conditions, have the necessary emergency gear and make sure “your people” know exactly where you’re going and when you’ll be back.

A few photos to whet your appetite…

I’LL follow up with a post-ride post on my fatbike experience once I’m brave enough to take the plunge.

IN the meantime, if you do decide to confront the crystally conditions yourself, whether it be on a bike, snowmobile, snowshoes, skis or what have you, please be prepared and most importantly

BE CAREFUL.

I’D like you to be able to keep reading my posts, k?

fire, weather, wildlife, wind

What’s Happening Here in Markleeville Since the Tamarack Fire? Here’s Some News

IT’S Monday night, August 30th, and I’m thinking about what’s happening here in the California Alps, which includes one of the jewels of the world, Lake Tahoe. These fires…it’s surreal and they’re taking on an almost human quality. Or should I say a demon quality?

I’M a firm believer in balance and so I understand, and welcome in the right circumstances, fire. And water (thinking of you New Orleans). I also believe that we are reaping what we have sewn. Not going to go there – down that “climate change is here, damnit” path – that is. Oh wait…

SO, as I was saying. Life around here since July 16th has been strange. Scary, anxiety-ridden, angry, sad, happy, fulfilling, disappointing, unhappy, pissed-off, irritated, STRANGE. I don’t recall ever feeling such a range of emotions over such a short period of time.

NONETHELESS, life goes on. And we go on and try to be normal as best we can. Since Sunday, we’ve had these little windows of fresh air in the middle of this smoke-filled firestorm that has seemingly targeted the area.

GREEN AQI all day today, for example. It’s eery…Just a few miles away, to our northwest, is a nasty looking smoke plume from the Caldor Fire. I took the pic at the top of this post yesterday (Sunday), on my way home from a ride up Hwy. 4. There was a “good-air window” and I took it. I cut the ride short, though, as the smoke seemed to be pushing in. That is what I saw from Monitor Junction on my way back to HQ.

This is what I saw this morning, looking north towards Lake Tahoe from Hwy 4. at Raymond Meadow Creek.

If you look closely you can see the smoky haze in the distance.

OH shit. That doesn’t look good, I said to myself. Been saying that a lot lately…Also been attending a lot of live fire-briefing events on Facebook.

AND constantly checking Twitter or other sources for the latest intel while trying to separate the wheat from the chaff as I go.

NEVERENDING. And last night, Mrs. California Alps Cycling and I began thinking about yet another evacuation. Just 6 miles away, in the Mesa Vista area of Alpine Co., they’re on an evacuation warning. The fire has reached Christmas Valley and has made its way into South Lake Tahoe so the way things are going, we figure, we could be under evacuation warnings sometime soon ourselves. Hopefully not but we are getting good at it. Something I hoped I’d never say.

In Other News…

OUR internet is working again and that’s making life much more liveable. I remember when internet was a nice-to-have (yes, I’m old…er) but today it’s a must have, IMHO. Yet so many people less fortunate than I don’t have it. We learned through this experience that good internet (and cell service) is as necessary as power and water. Eye-opening for sure.

THE Markleeville General Store is still closed. 🙁 Sad but true. Repairs and such post-fire.

OUTWEST Cafe, as well as the Toll Station, and the Cutthroat, are open.

FISHING is pretty much non-existent. There have been no plants since before the fire and there is hardly any camping here since our national forests are closed, but the Carson River Resort is open and based on what I’ve heard, pretty booked up.

AIR quality? you ask. We feel guilty. Honestly. The air here has been great this entire week. What I saw Sunday never made it any farther south and I got out for a ride this morning. It was so pretty I almost forgot what was happening in South Lake.

RED flag warnings there (and here too), but the wind that is making the Caldor Fire do what it’s doing is pushing the smoke to our north and east.

This was a/o 2:45 p.m. today.

WATER is an issue, too. Since our watershed was hammered pretty hard, and we have limited resources, at this point we’re on water restrictions with limited outside watering. Thankfully that recently changed. Up until about ten (10) days ago landscape watering was not allowed at all. Small (yet big) victory.

WE’VE been invaded by bears! Well that’s not really true. They were here first. Nevertheless they are more prevalent and getting a bit more brave. Earlier this week my neighbor’s car was torn up pretty well. First time since we’ve lived here that I’ve seen that.

THEY, like other fauna, are hungry and since so much of the surrounding forest was torched, animals and birds are coming to any oases they can find. Lucky us (kinda), we’ve got one. The wild-turkeys, with their youngins, are especially welcome.

With That Said…

WE’RE thinking about our friends and neighbors here in Alpine Co. (some of the county are on evac. warnings due to the Caldor Fire) and everyone else who has been effected by “our fire” as well as the Caldor Fire, and other fires raging, mostly in the west.

LIFE will get back to normal at some point. The new-normal I guess. Whatever that is.

deathride, giving back, safety, weather

Deathride 2021 – After-action Report

WELL, this isn’t exactly the after-action report I’d hoped I’d be writing; rather than regaling you with tales of the ride I am instead addressing the Tamarack Fire’s impact on the ride.

LAST Friday I, along with a bunch of other vendors, were at the Expo and basking in the glory of the next day’s event when at approximately 2:00 p.m. we noticed a plume of smoke rising to our southwest. In speaking with the local LEOs (Alpine Co. Sheriff’s Dept. deputies) on site I learned that it wasn’t the Henry Fire, but instead a new fire, what would later become the Tamarack Fire.

The scene at the Expo before the fire…That’s me at our booth in the image on the right.

WE (vendors, organizers, etc.) kept doing our thing and hoped that the fire would be knocked down quickly.

IT was such a great time talking with riders who knew me and came by to introduce themselves and tell me how much they enjoyed reading about our adventures in the California Alps. I was making some sales, and giving riders tips on what to expect the next day.

AT about 3:00 p.m. I called in for extraction from the Expo as the fire was looking pretty nasty. The below image is what I saw when I got home. We already had items staged and go-bags handy so we began gathering other items in anticipation of the forthcoming evacuation.

The fire just getting going on the afternoon of Friday, July 16th. In the photo it’s about 2.5 miles southwest of our home/CAC HQ.

ACROSS the street, at the firestation that temporarily became Deathride central, the team was still hard at work loading the trucks for distribution throughout the course. We had yet to receive the evacuation order. These pics were taken Thursday.

  • Trucks coming and going to the fire station with supplies for the DR rest stops and Expo.
  • Stocked and ready to distribute! The re-tasked fire station across from our house/CAC HQ being used for the DR warehouse.

MY family and I, along with our cats, as well as the residents, campers, riders and other visitors, were all evacuated safely and calmly at approximately 5:00 p.m. thanks to the great planning and swift and efficient execution of the evac. plan by the Alpine County Sheriff’s Dept. and the Alpine Co. Volunteer Fire Dept.

WE were heartbroken. Not just for the riders and the community but also for the Deathride team that had worked so hard to get us to this point. Life can be cruel. No ride last year due to the pandemic and this year, the day before the ride…

The after…Our booth was destroyed but some anchors are still holding. 🙂
Notice the blackened forest behind.

AS usual, though, the community rose to the challenge as did Curtis Fong (Ride Director), Di (Asst. Ride Director) and their teams. On Sunday, the day after the ride was supposed to take place, we were unloading trucks at the Douglas County Senior Center (evacuation central). There were cases of watermelons, bananas, oranges, PB&J sandwiches, drinks, snacks and more that the Chamber donated to the community. Becky DeForest, Exec. Director of the Chamber, and I, moved items from inside the trailers so that others could shlep them into the center.

Hot spot map as of 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.

ON the other side of the county, Terry Woodrow, one of the county supervisors (her district includes Bear Valley) was, in addition to her usual duties, distributing water to fire crews in the area.

WE are so grateful that there were no deaths or serious injuries and as of the writing of this post (Weds. a.m.) that is still the case.

IF you’d like to help out, the Chamber has set up a GoFundMe page. Click here to go there.

FOR the latest information on the fire, click here to view the Tamarack Fire page on Facebook, the official page set up by Alpine County.

PLEASE send thoughts and prayers to all of those effected by this tragedy, as well as those throughout the country, and world, dealing with their own emergencies.

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.

deathride, gran fondos, things to do, virtual rides

Bike the California Alps Virtually? Here are Some Options!

FIRST and foremost I’d like to announce the Death Ride Tour of the California Alps – Virtual Tour! We’ve (the Alpine County Chamber of Commerce) been working with FulGaz to put together this event and it takes place starting April 3rd!

A Few More Event Details

YOU loyal readers know that I’ve filmed a bunch of rides for FulGaz over the last year or so. Part of the library includes all five (5) climbs of the iconic Death Ride (formally known as the Tour of the California Alps):

  • Monitor West Ascent
  • Monitor East Ascent
  • Ebbetts North Ascent
  • Ebbetts South Ascent
  • Carson East Ascent

COME April 3rd you’ll be able to conquer all of these climbs from the pleasure of your pain cave! (If you’re a FulGaz subscriber you can tackle them already).

IT’S a great opportunity to do a bit of training, and if you haven’t done these climbs before, it’s a great chance for you to get a glimpse of what’s to come (fingers crossed) this July 17th. Heads up that this year’s “real ride” won’t include Carson Pass (at least that’s our plan) and will instead offer Pacific Grade. We’re still working out those details and of course the ride is dependent on how things progress pandemic-wise but we are cautiously optimistic, and we hope to see you this summer in Markleeville.

IN the meantime we’d love to have you fondo with us beginning April 3rd. They’ll be some cool prizes (winners will be selected randomly) and some bragging rights to be had as well. Registration isn’t open until March 1st, and we do have a few minor details to work out, BUT it’s sure to be a good, and relatively inexpensive ($35.00) time. You’ll be able to register here.

AND…as the title of this post mentions, there are some other alternatives too.

Markleeville Area

IN addition to the DR climbs noted above, you can also ride from Markleeville to the Snowshoe Thompson memorial out in Diamond Valley. There’s also a return route from Diamond Valley to Markleeville. The Alta Alpina Markleeville Time Trial is in the library too.

FOR a bit of context…these rides were all filmed in the summer of 2020, as were the Deathride climbs.

Lake Tahoe aka Big Blue

These rides went live just last week!

THE screen grab above is from the announcement email that was sent to all FulGaz subscribers. Here’s what’s available:

  • DL Bliss State Park to Camp Richardson
  • Meeks Bay to Incline Village
  • Incline Village to Glenbrook

Unfortunately, due to a my error, I didn’t film the section from Glenbrook to Meeks Bay. I thought I did but you’ll have to read that post for the back story. Suffice it to say it’s on my list.

Other California Alps Virtual Ride Options

YOUR sharp eyes may have caught the reference to Hope Valley in that screenshot above. I filmed that ride on October 22, 2020 and even though the fall colors weren’t as glorious as I’ve seen in the past, they were/are still pretty awesome. You’ll definitely want to check it out!

YOU can also do just the Blue Lakes Road Ascent, which is part of the Hope Valley to Lower Blue Lake ride, but shorter, and not quite as vibrant color-wise since it was filmed in July, 2020 (on Independence Day actually). If you pay close attention you can catch some shots of Old Glory on this ride.

How Can You Do These Rides?

LIKE the last sentence reads…

JUST search “SCHWARTZ” on FulGaz for the complete list. I thought of saying “May The Schwartz Be With You” here but I’ll leave that up to Mel.

YES, you do need to be a FulGaz subcriber to enjoy these rides. Keep in mind that there is a 14-day free trial though so you can check them out relatively risk free. FulGaz offers some great rides, including group rides, as well as coaching and training options too, so if you’re like me and doing a lot of riding inside, it’s another great option, or addition.

BTW, you WILL NOT need to be a subscriber to ride the Virtual Deathride. You’ll get a special code that will give you access for that event.

Feedback Has Been Positive So Far

Chris from the United Kingdom wrote that “those rides have made me feel really connected to a place I love.”

Curtis from Michigan said “It’s great to relive the Death Ride and riding around Tahoe even though I haven’t done them in person for a decade now.” Curtis also asked about that “missing link” from Glenbrook to Meeks Bay.

Jim from New England had this to say a week ago: “Great ride Mark, did the Meeks bay one last night and it was super nice given the current winter in New England. Thanks for uploading it!”

Lastly, a bit of praise from Bob (whereabouts unknown): “Mark you made me homesick. I lived in South Lake Tahoe for 12 years riding every single mountain bike trail, every dirt road, and every road event from “America’s Most Beautiful Bike Ride” to the “Death Ride “. Thanks for giving me the chance to ride Tahoe again. 👍👏”

I can’t thank you enough Chris, Curtis, Jim and Bob, for taking the time to ride ’em and especially for letting us know what you thought. It makes the effort so worthwhile when I get this kind of feedback.

There you have it…some virtual choices for you and your faithful steed.

So let’s kick some passes’ asses! Virtually…

Right now, with the exception of Carson, they’re all closed for the winter anyway, but the gates are open and you won’t see any snowplows in your pain cave.