Death Ride Journal, Part II
July 13, 2009
OK, so it’s been a week since my last posting. Some good times on the bike, a good deal of adjustment and refinement to the steed and its rider. On Monday, I dropped about 175 dollars at the Olympic Bike Shop and got: (1) a new rear cassette with the highly sought after 12-27 range cogs, the 27 being the magic climbing element. ($75). Also, I bought (2) a new pair of Pearl Izumi shorts, 3-D something for $75, (3) new Specialized gloves for $35, and (4) Cytomomax energy mix (Cool Citrus!) for $22. Unfortunatlely,Monday was pretty much a wash because of my error regarding the cassette-I have a 10 speed, not a 9 speed. The 9 was my last bike. Of course, I did not realize this until I mounted the cassette and put a new chain on, also 9 speed. No wonder it shifted like shit! I changed it all back to the original cassette and chain after realizing my error, but did a thorough cleaning of the chain, which was much needed. Did a quick half hour of sprinting after getting it back together.
Tuesday, June 30th, I made the cassette switch and purchased a shorter, taller Bontrager stem ($50), on Tuesday. That As I was making the switch in the parking lot of the pharmacy across the street, I ran into my friend Joel Gimbert, rather fortuitously, as he is a good road rider friend and past Death Ride finisher. He is a local tile and flooring contractor and offered to accompany me on a training ride or two.
On Wednesday July 1, I rode to Squaw with Joel Gimbert, We rode down to Sugarpine Point Park, down around the Erhman Mansion, and then to Tahoe City on the bike path, wherever possible. Down the River on the bike path to the River Ranch and Alpine Meadows Rd. Up the three mile climb to Alpine, back down and on the Squaw Valley, with a quick loop around Snow Peak Rd., and then back to the bike trail and home. About 42 miles.
Thursday I rode to Barker Pass, climbing Blackwood Canyon three times for a total of about 4,500 hundred feet over about 60 miles. If I had the cool GPS with topo, I’d embed it here:
On Friday, July 3rd. I went down to Emerald Bay again, shaving some time of my previous attempt.
Saturday, two short bike rides in the woods on the Intense 6.6 and the Bontrager single speed
Sunday I did the big ride. A reasonably early start: from Homewood to Truckee, then up Martis Peak Rd., a two mile steep (8oo feet elevation)paved fireroad, then over Brockway Summit (7,047). Down to King’s Beach, over to Garwood’s Restaurant for a quick water bottle refill (with ice! It pays to know Suzanne.) After that, I decided to tackle Ward Valley as well, about a 700 ft elevation. Flatted the rear at the top, right at the start of the descent. Fixed it with many pumps from the Crank Bros. Mini Pump.
