(Folsom, CA -> Pollock Pines, CA)
When my alarm sounded at 6:30 this morning, a mixture of excitement and dread filled my body. I was already awake, I’ve been waking up before my alarm every morning since the trip began. I felt anxious because today was our first day of climbing. Our itinerary forecasted 42 miles and 5,500 feet of elevation gain. I tried to focus on the excitement as I brushed my teeth and made my way to the kitchen. Anna’s lovely parents, Gabriel and Bernd prepared a fantastic breakfast of scrambled eggs, cheese, yogurt, pineapple, and bread. We loaded up our stomachs for a long day of riding, packed the car, and changed into our biking clothes. Yesterday in Dixon, Brad gave us the bike rack they used for Spokes last year but told us that he, regrettably, lost the key. We were in problem-solving mode. Should we buy a new bike rack? Order a replacement key to arrive further along in our route? Sean left Wednesday night for a family reunion in Maryland and will meet us again in Reno. That means that we now have two bikes in our car and it is crammed! As soon as we started explaining our situation to Bernd, he demanded we show him the rack. Bernd took one look at the bike rack and began fetching tools from the garage. 20 minutes later, we had assembled the bike rack and our problem was solved! Thanks Bernd!
Cole, Travis, Anna, and I started off biking while Asia drove the car. The first 7 miles were great! There was some climbing, but not too much. We passed through dozens upon dozens of real estate developments. Apparently, just 10 years ago, the entire area was undeveloped - rolling hills of grass and trees. Disaster struck around mile 8.6 (sorry I’m being dramatic… everything is okay). While I was biking, I heard a loud mechanical pop and my chain was loose. I freaked out and fell onto the curb on the side of the road. It looks (and feels) pretty lame to fall on a bike with your shoes clipped in; you’re just so helpless and the fall happens in slow motion. Cole was riding behind me and swears he has never seen anything like this happen before. The most plausible explanation is that I rode over a piece of debris which got sucked up into the derailleur, putting force on the hanger that attaches the derailleur to the bike causing the hanger to break off. The bike was unrideable. I called Asia and she came to take my bike and me to the next town. We drove to the Placerville Bike Shop and waited as the kind mechanic replaced the hanger, put on a new chain (mine got twisted and bent), and bent some of the gears in the derailer to be straight. While we were waiting, Anna, Travis, and Cole biked 17 miles of hilly terrain to meet us at the Bike Shop. It sounded tough.
My Bike Getting Fixed
After a break of popsicles, peanut butter, and sandwiches, Anna and Travis took a turn riding in the car while Asia, Cole, and I departed on our bikes. We created a hype playlist for the climb and all pressed play at the same time so we could be listening to music in sync. The route took us along the beautiful El Dorado Bike Trail, which weaves through green conifers and lush shrubs. Everything was going great. We hadn’t biked more than a mile from Placerville when I heard another pop and looked down to see my derailleur hanging on my chain. AGAIN?! This time the actual derailleur snapped.Thankfully, I didn’t fall this time but was feeling extremely frustrated. We called Anna and Travis and they came to get my bike. Travis let me ride his bike while they took mine to the shop.
The final 17 miles were beautiful. And steep. We climbed 3,000 feet alongside pine trees and rustic shops. By the time we arrived at the house of our Warm Showers hosts, we were exhausted. Betsy and Ney, our hosts, have a beautiful home tucked away in the woods of Pollock Pines. They graciously let us cook in their kitchen and we made curried quinoa and crispy chickpeas. It was our first time actually cooking (we have been so fortunate to have hosts who prepare meals for us!) and I really enjoyed it. They have two beautiful dogs named Andy and Body.
Asia and Andy Really Hit it Off
It turns out that the road we were hoping to take over the Sierras is closed because of snow, and it is very dangerous to bike along highway 50. So, we may bypass this section and treat tomorrow as a rest day of sorts. I’m a little bit bummed to miss this section of climbing, but could honestly use a rest day. I am crossing my fingers that when I hop on my bike again, my derailleur stays attached!
Thanks for reading,
Maceo