Lake Tahoe Ride for Leukemia



dgdrury

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May 21, 2006
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Hi...I am nervous and need to some support. I am riding on June 4th in the "Most Beautiful Ride in the Country." I am doing this with Team in Training/Leukemia Society. I used to be a really good road bicyclist in my 20s...but now I am 46. My biggest issues are the steep hills. I am worried about Lake Tahoe hills because my knee is pretty bad and I really struggle with the steep hills. Has anyone done the Tahoe ride and can you give me some perspective on what to expect. I know there are two big climbs..but how steep I don't know. I have fallen twice because I can't move up the steep hills and then panic trying to clip out. I consider myself a C to C- bicyclist. I just did 70 miles this weekend and walked 1 hill because I just couldn't do it after seeing it.

dg
 
dgdrury said:
Hi...I am nervous and need to some support. I am riding on June 4th in the "Most Beautiful Ride in the Country." I am doing this with Team in Training/Leukemia Society. I used to be a really good road bicyclist in my 20s...but now I am 46. My biggest issues are the steep hills. I am worried about Lake Tahoe hills because my knee is pretty bad and I really struggle with the steep hills. Has anyone done the Tahoe ride and can you give me some perspective on what to expect. I know there are two big climbs..but how steep I don't know. I have fallen twice because I can't move up the steep hills and then panic trying to clip out. I consider myself a C to C- bicyclist. I just did 70 miles this weekend and walked 1 hill because I just couldn't do it after seeing it.

dg

I've done this ride several times. There's a long but not steep climb on the west side, and several steeper but shorter climbs on the east side. I ride hills all time so it wasn't a big deal for me, but I'd have to say they're just not THAT steep. This ride attracts more beginners than most centuries and there are usually quite a few people walking up the steeper ones so you won't be alone if you do have to get off. You might want to practice stopping and clicking out while going uphill though - you don't want to take anybody down.
 
dgdrury said:
Hi...I am nervous and need to some support. I am riding on June 4th in the "Most Beautiful Ride in the Country." I am doing this with Team in Training/Leukemia Society. I used to be a really good road bicyclist in my 20s...but now I am 46. My biggest issues are the steep hills. I am worried about Lake Tahoe hills because my knee is pretty bad and I really struggle with the steep hills. Has anyone done the Tahoe ride and can you give me some perspective on what to expect. I know there are two big climbs..but how steep I don't know. I have fallen twice because I can't move up the steep hills and then panic trying to clip out. I consider myself a C to C- bicyclist. I just did 70 miles this weekend and walked 1 hill because I just couldn't do it after seeing it.

dg
Wow! That's a great ride. Clean air and the smell of the Ponderosa pines. Doesn't get much better than that.

Relax, take your time. Most of the ride is fairly flat. On the hills you will see lot's of riders get off and walk, heck you will see some get off and lay down for a while.:D

As DiabloScott stated, the west side between Camp Richardson and Meeks Bay will be about 300 to 400 ft accents and then again on the east side between Sand Harbor and Cave Rock, that's about 600ft.and remember, you are riding at a base of 6500+ feet.

One other thing, be mindful of the decomposed granite on the shoulder of the roads. That stuff can be a little slick when hitting it awkwardly or braking hard.

Enjoy and have a great time.

lw
 

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