Looks like absolute perfection out there!
Couple of pics from the Truckee/Tahoe City ride.
Whew! What a ride.
I got up at the buttcrack of Don yesterday, diving 2.5 hours to meet Dawg-fu (Eric), Kapusta (Jeff) and Big Boulder (Steve) in Truckee at the Sawtooth trailhead. Everyone was on time, and we headed out around 9, I think. Sawtooth is an awesome trail, pure forested singletrack winding in and about the trees, with meadows, views, log obstacles and wooden bridges crossing marshy areas. A little of something for everyone.
Eric led for most of the way, making some very impressive climbs on some steep sections of singletrack, with Steve (Auburn, elevation- 1,350') and I (Stockton, elevation 0-32') huffing and puffing behind. For a while after a very brief stop to eat, I couldn't feel my legs. You could have stuck a fork in them, and I wouldn't have been able to feel it. I looked down, could see the muscles and see the legs going round and round, but if I asked the least bit from them, they would give as much as they could for about 50 feet before they gave up. It was a scary feeling- I've never been let down by my legs before.
Steve was hurting, too, and we guessed the altitude being around 8,000' had something to do with it. At the "lunch" "break" I had scarfed down 1/2 a burrito, and my guess was that my body was using every scrap of oxygen to digest that log, rather than send the oxygen to where I really needed it. Lesson learned. :madman:
We broke off from Kapusta midway into the ride, having spent himself on a ride the previous day, and rode on. Much more singletrack was ahead...
I got up at the buttcrack of Don yesterday, diving 2.5 hours to meet Dawg-fu (Eric), Kapusta (Jeff) and Big Boulder (Steve) in Truckee at the Sawtooth trailhead. Everyone was on time, and we headed out around 9, I think. Sawtooth is an awesome trail, pure forested singletrack winding in and about the trees, with meadows, views, log obstacles and wooden bridges crossing marshy areas. A little of something for everyone.
Eric led for most of the way, making some very impressive climbs on some steep sections of singletrack, with Steve (Auburn, elevation- 1,350') and I (Stockton, elevation 0-32') huffing and puffing behind. For a while after a very brief stop to eat, I couldn't feel my legs. You could have stuck a fork in them, and I wouldn't have been able to feel it. I looked down, could see the muscles and see the legs going round and round, but if I asked the least bit from them, they would give as much as they could for about 50 feet before they gave up. It was a scary feeling- I've never been let down by my legs before.
Steve was hurting, too, and we guessed the altitude being around 8,000' had something to do with it. At the "lunch" "break" I had scarfed down 1/2 a burrito, and my guess was that my body was using every scrap of oxygen to digest that log, rather than send the oxygen to where I really needed it. Lesson learned. :madman: We broke off from Kapusta midway into the ride, having spent himself on a ride the previous day, and rode on. Much more singletrack was ahead...
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.and we climbed, climbed, climbed. It was nice, but I was looking forward to the payback of downhill singletrack and a beer.
We stopped to soak in a nice view of the lake, then onwards. As we finally began the descent, it got rockier and rockier, with manhead-sized rocks slowing our progress. Steve, on his SS, did admirably well in this section, and of course, Dawg-fu was out in the lead somewhere.
We passed some snow, and rode thru several patches. These will be gone in a matter of weeks. Hard to believe Hole In The Ground is still impassable.
There were several different types of rocks- some were slate-like and loose, giving off a glassy clink noise as we rode over them; some were the previously-mentioned manheads; and then there was a bizzare section that was almost like flat cobblestones, completely covering the trail. I'm sorry I didn't get a picture of this section, but the others were out ahead, so I didn't want to lag, and who wants to see a trail with no riders? There aren't any pics from the manhead sections, either- I think we all just wanted to get it over with.
And over with it was, too soon. The downhilling was way too short & rocky, but this was our first attempt at this route. Steve's already posted about an alternate route with a better ending in another thread.
Virtually no mechanicals, and only 2 injuries that drew blood, both mine and they're mere scratches. The Tahoe riding season has officially begun!
Thanks to Dawg-fu for leading us around, thanks to BB and Kapusta for driving the shuttle rigs. Good times, good times.
fp
.and we climbed, climbed, climbed. It was nice, but I was looking forward to the payback of downhill singletrack and a beer.
We stopped to soak in a nice view of the lake, then onwards. As we finally began the descent, it got rockier and rockier, with manhead-sized rocks slowing our progress. Steve, on his SS, did admirably well in this section, and of course, Dawg-fu was out in the lead somewhere.
We passed some snow, and rode thru several patches. These will be gone in a matter of weeks. Hard to believe Hole In The Ground is still impassable.
There were several different types of rocks- some were slate-like and loose, giving off a glassy clink noise as we rode over them; some were the previously-mentioned manheads; and then there was a bizzare section that was almost like flat cobblestones, completely covering the trail. I'm sorry I didn't get a picture of this section, but the others were out ahead, so I didn't want to lag, and who wants to see a trail with no riders? There aren't any pics from the manhead sections, either- I think we all just wanted to get it over with.
And over with it was, too soon. The downhilling was way too short & rocky, but this was our first attempt at this route. Steve's already posted about an alternate route with a better ending in another thread.
Virtually no mechanicals, and only 2 injuries that drew blood, both mine and they're mere scratches. The Tahoe riding season has officially begun!
Thanks to Dawg-fu for leading us around, thanks to BB and Kapusta for driving the shuttle rigs. Good times, good times.
fp
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Hey Steve. Nice Jersey!Finch Platte said:.and we climbed, climbed, climbed. It was nice, but I was looking forward to the payback of downhill singletrack and a beer.
We stopped to soak in a nice view of the lake, then onwards. As we finally began the descent, it got rockier and rockier, with manhead-sized rocks slowing our progress. Steve, on his SS, did admirably well in this section, and of course, Dawg-fu was out in the lead somewhere.
We passed some snow, and rode thru several patches. These will be gone in a matter of weeks. Hard to believe Hole In The Ground is still impassable.
There were several different types of rocks- some were slate-like and loose, giving off a glassy clink noise as we rode over them; some were the previously-mentioned manheads; and then there was a bizzare section that was almost like flat cobblestones, completely covering the trail. I'm sorry I didn't get a picture of this section, but the others were out ahead, so I didn't want to lag, and who wants to see a trail with no riders? There aren't any pics from the manhead sections, either- I think we all just wanted to get it over with.
And over with it was, too soon. The downhilling was way too short & rocky, but this was our first attempt at this route. Steve's already posted about an alternate route with a better ending in another thread.
Virtually no mechanicals, and only 2 injuries that drew blood, both mine and they're mere scratches. The Tahoe riding season has officially begun!
Thanks to Dawg-fu for leading us around, thanks to BB and Kapusta for driving the shuttle rigs. Good times, good times.
fp
I was sportin mine up in Dville yesterday...:thumbsup:
Coming from fp, that means this is some fast company, as fp himself is an animal.Finch Platte said:
Beautiful shots btw. When can i go?
Very cool, I can't wait to get up to Tahoe this year and get me some rim trail action
Yes, Mr, bike from Mammoth To Big Pine to Glacier Lodge, hike up and solo Temple Crag, and bike back to Mammoth in 36 hours with only a few hours of nap on the side of the road... I will not call you an animal...Dawg Fu said:
It's always fun to hear of your exploits. Lets meet up for some riding soon (but after I get a new shock clamp for the tazmon).
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