I rode the Tahoe Sierra Century out of Squaw Valley, CA on Saturday and thought I'd post a ride report and some pictures. My wife got me a Sony Cybershot DSC-W7 (is that a plug?) for our first anniversary so I had a lot of fun learning to shoot pics on the fly. I've got to warn everyone that these aren't exactly artistic and combined with the cold numbed fingers I think I was lucky to get as many clear pics as I did. Anyway, here's the report.
The ride began in Squaw Valley Village and had a lunch/half way point at Cisco Grove, California. We decided to do the 64 miler as we weren't sure if we would have time to do the 100 and the temps being as cold as they were I don't think we were too enthusiastic to do longer. I signed up my wife and I only a couple days ahead of time and actually wish we had signed up for the 100 after it was all done. The ride itself wasn't too bad with a total climb of only 2,500' and one major pass. Here's a description from their website "2,500' vertical gain. Starts in Squaw Valley, follows the Truckee River to Truckee, then 5 miles alongside Donner Lake. A strenuous climb up Old Hwy 40 to Donner Summit provides incredible views along the way. Descend to our lunch stop at Cisco Grove. Turn around and return the way you came, this time enjoying an exhilarating descent to Donner Lake and a 15-mile flat finish back to Squaw Valley".
Anyway, when we started the weather was looking rather tempermental. Low lying clouds, snow on the peaks, and temps around 36-38 degrees. Pretty darn cold this early in the season for us. My wife and I wore our fall riding gear and layered up to stay warm. The ride was very well supported with some fantastic home baked cookies that the wives had baked. Each stop had plenty of the cookies, variety of food, and other baked goods. I was impressed by the rest stops and the volunteers running them. My wife and I both want to give kudos to the women running the lunch stop. They were under constant assault by hundreds of hornets trying to eat the roast beef sandwiches. Man, I would have taken off screaming. Anyway, the pics are below. Enjoy.
Pic 1 and 2: Ominous clouds and cold. I think the most common phrase being uttered around us was "oh my god it's cold!". My wife thought we were nuts and wanted to sit in a village restaurant in front of a fire.
Pic 2 and 3: Heading down Highway 89 into the town of Truckee after leaving Squaw Valley. The Truckee River winds down along the road here and the fall colors were beginning to show. Very beautiful. Fun kayaking when the water is flowing out of Tahoe. My fingers were so cold the shots are a little blurry.
Pic 5: Our friend J heading into the modern part of Truckee. Pretty town with an awesome location but becoming too Bay Areaized for my taste.
The ride began in Squaw Valley Village and had a lunch/half way point at Cisco Grove, California. We decided to do the 64 miler as we weren't sure if we would have time to do the 100 and the temps being as cold as they were I don't think we were too enthusiastic to do longer. I signed up my wife and I only a couple days ahead of time and actually wish we had signed up for the 100 after it was all done. The ride itself wasn't too bad with a total climb of only 2,500' and one major pass. Here's a description from their website "2,500' vertical gain. Starts in Squaw Valley, follows the Truckee River to Truckee, then 5 miles alongside Donner Lake. A strenuous climb up Old Hwy 40 to Donner Summit provides incredible views along the way. Descend to our lunch stop at Cisco Grove. Turn around and return the way you came, this time enjoying an exhilarating descent to Donner Lake and a 15-mile flat finish back to Squaw Valley".
Anyway, when we started the weather was looking rather tempermental. Low lying clouds, snow on the peaks, and temps around 36-38 degrees. Pretty darn cold this early in the season for us. My wife and I wore our fall riding gear and layered up to stay warm. The ride was very well supported with some fantastic home baked cookies that the wives had baked. Each stop had plenty of the cookies, variety of food, and other baked goods. I was impressed by the rest stops and the volunteers running them. My wife and I both want to give kudos to the women running the lunch stop. They were under constant assault by hundreds of hornets trying to eat the roast beef sandwiches. Man, I would have taken off screaming. Anyway, the pics are below. Enjoy.
Pic 1 and 2: Ominous clouds and cold. I think the most common phrase being uttered around us was "oh my god it's cold!". My wife thought we were nuts and wanted to sit in a village restaurant in front of a fire.
Pic 2 and 3: Heading down Highway 89 into the town of Truckee after leaving Squaw Valley. The Truckee River winds down along the road here and the fall colors were beginning to show. Very beautiful. Fun kayaking when the water is flowing out of Tahoe. My fingers were so cold the shots are a little blurry.
Pic 5: Our friend J heading into the modern part of Truckee. Pretty town with an awesome location but becoming too Bay Areaized for my taste.
