Tahoe! Four year wait is over

Due to knee problems I've been off the bike for the past two years, and most of the past 3 1/2 years. I had not ridden Tahoe for nearly four years and with only 14 rides under my belt I was a bit apprehensive about my fitness and technical abilities. So I decided to do the easiest, but perhaps most scenic Tahoe ride: Tahoe Meadows to Spooner Lake via The Flume. Although this is only about a 20 mile ride and a mostly gradual downhill grade, I live at 100 ft. elevation and the ride is mostly between 7,500 and 8,800 ft. Tahoetic accompanied me on my last Tahoe ride four years ago so it only seemed fitting he join me on this one. But I warned him it would be a very slow touristy ride mostly to take photos.

The ride starts at 8,700 ft. through a beautiful meadow and then quickly begins to climb as you get into the forest. I'm usually gasping for breath about then as the elevation begins to hit me. But there were still several snow drifts and we floundered around for awhile, taking several wrong turns trying to find the Tahoe Rim Trail (TRT). At the top of the climb there is a big rock I've eyed for many years, and I've only gone off it once because I had my DSLR camera with me. I figured it might help get my confidence back by going down it. I went off it twice, although my form was not quite as good as Tahoetic's. From that point on I had perhaps the best skills and ride ever. I kept waiting for the "difficult" parts to come up that I had trouble with in the past, but they never seemed to materialize.

After nine miles the TRT hits an intersection and if you take a right you have an easy ride down the Flume back to Spooner. If you stay straight you have a 3.5 mile fairly rocky climb up many switchbacks to a beautiful overlook above Marlette Lake. Many years ago I tired going up the switchbacks and it was so frustrating I've never done it again. But today I felt so good I fingered we could try going up and if necessary just turn around and come back down. Much to my surprise it was not that difficult and we made good time all the way to the top. After taking the obligatory photos of Marlette Lake with Lake Tahoe in the background, and a few of ourselves, we got to blast back a downhill we certainly earned. We then went down the Flume and took photos at all the usual places. Marlette Lake was so high we had to bike through it. The water was quite warm so Tahoetic took a bit of a swim. From Marlette Lake there is a half mile fire road climb that always seems really difficult by this time, but I was surprised how quickly we reached the top. Then there is four miles of downhill fireroad to Spooner Lake. We ended up doing 27 miles and I have never felt so skilled, fresh, and ready for more at the end of any ride! Thanks Tahoetic! Below are a few photos, more on my bike site.



Marlette Lake (foreground), Lake Tahoe (background)



The trail awaits



Tahoetic



Me









Obligatory stairs shot





Tahoetic



Me

















1600 ft. down





Tahoetic's shoes



Marlette Lake