All I can say is that today ranks among my 5 most insane rides of all time.
Going in, I knew this would be a crazy difficult day–80 miles and 9k feet of climbing when our previous days had been 40-70 miles and 5k feet of climbing at most. Many of us were also exhausted from the 5k feet of climbing from Day 4. The route consisted of a short climb and descent, a giant climb on the Mormon Emigrant Trail and the 88, and then a turn onto the 89 that would take us into South Lake Tahoe and finally Sierra Camp.
Last night, we’d camped in Pollock Pines. In usual Nancy fashion, I’d proposed a 5:30am wakeup time; we agreed on 6:30am; and when I woke up and checked my phone, it was 7:22am. Between cooking breakfast on the camp stove, hauling a 58 pound water container to the water station and back, and fighting for my life in the porta potties, Matthew, Adam, Daniel and I didn’t start riding until 9:30am.
After a short climb and descent, we began the big boy – a 27.9 mile, 5400 foot climb. The Mormon Emigrant Trail had stunning views and not many cars–I honestly had a great time. Adam chatted it up with another rider on the road, who apparently lived at the bottom of this climb and rode it daily. According to Adam, the guy was casually chit chatting while Adam was trying to not die going up those hills.
We stopped for lunch shortly before turning on to the 88, at which point Puja and Fenet joined us. The 88 had some killer vista points. There was even a viewing station over the Caples Lake Dam, which I of course had to stop and explore. About 10 miles into the afternoon, we descended into a valley that didn’t see much sun. The temperature suddenly dropped from a comfortable 60 degrees to 43 degrees–rather alarming, considering we were in summer clothing. But as I climbed the next hill, the temperature rose to the mid 50s, and I figured all would be well.
Guys: all was not well. After that hill, the temperature dropped to 39 degrees and did not go up. It started SNOWING. And then it came time to descend the mountain. I have been caught in sketchy situations before–20 degrees, can’t feel my fingers or toes, and they didn’t stop hurting til the next day. But never have I ever been caught in freezing weather in SUMMER CLOTHING descending a mountain at 49 MILES PER HOUR. My hands were frozen stiff and I could barely squeeze the brakes. I could feel the wind sucking away every ounce of my body heat. I clung on to my handlebars for dear life and (perhaps foolishly) pedaled harder to generate some body heat.
I somehow made it out of that descent in one piece, made it to where the sun was shining, and passed by Sasha driving the van with Puja and Adam to go back and check on Fenet. Daniel, Matthew, and I turned onto the 89 and pushed onwards to our next climb. We then turned off the 89 and descended a steep, winding single-lane road into Christmas Valley where, once again, the sun didn’t shine. Once again, I froze. Daniel had the foresight to grab his puffer; I didn’t, so I rode with my hands in my armpits for 15 minutes.
After a quick pit stop in Meyers, there was one more climb, and then I just followed the twisty turny bumpy Fallen Leaf Road into Sierra Camp. The staff welcomed us with open arms and we ate half of the staff lounge’s fridge. They were even kind enough to let us sleep in one of their event rooms so we wouldn’t have to pitch our tents in the 30 degree weather outside.
All in all, one of my most memorable rides. Mormon Emigrant Trail was stunning–I’d like to revisit it one day.
