At 8000′ it is cold in the AM, like 34 degs.
Today is drive to Tahoe and maybe get in a ride meaning the drive would have purpose. Needed diesel b4 Tahoe, thoght Bridgeport would have cheaper fuel than Mammoth’s $3.17; nope, paid $3.75, $75.00 and pump shut off.
Drove up 395 and drove back highway state 89 into S Lake tahoe and gaming houses. Volunteer @ visitor center said there are 2 casinos in town that let you park overnight. Good location if want to be downtown in the action. I wanted The Flume Trail.
Kept after it and made Spooner Lake state park in NV and Flume TH center, the one Max Jones, back in the day, a great mtn bike racer in there w/ Johny T, Nedly, Tinker, Rishi, and others. I read Max’s biography @ the mtn bike hall of fame in Crested Butte, CO. What a great past as racer & team leader. He chose an Ibis carbon frame DW link over another Turner.
Weather was chilly & skies were starting to mean threatening. My ride is to be up this steep gravel double track to Marlette Lake, connect the Flume, join the Tahoe Rim Trail that is open to bikes on even days, like today, drop down to Marlette, and climb out & bomb the previously climbed steep uphill. Hit 29 mph somewhere, speed limit is 20. I was unable to read the small numbers on my computer screen and focus on a line. Late afternoon, in rain showers, didn’t expect uphill travelers. Kept to right side anyway. Bike is fun on smooth downhill like skiing groomers. Needed rain coat on downhill to ward off wind chill and short while later the sprinkles.
Pleased w/ how hard I rode. I made more of the tech moves since last time I rode here. That was back Labor Day of 07. My business card picture was taken on the Flume. Virtually to myself. Snow patches @ 8500′ .
Drove 7 miles West on rt 50 to Zephyr XG for coin shower. Today they were complimentary. XG was plugged.
Drove back up hill to Spooner Summit and drove back a rough logging road to open flat area where I usually stay when i visit. Selective logging occurred. Lots of logs remain in unit. Flat area is log dech. So much waste & destruction.
Tahoe soil is granite sand. pretty flowers, maybe Indian Pipe?
Took an Artie Johnson old Laugh in yellow rain coat, tiny tricycle just pedaling along fall. I was in a patch of loose sand and i attemped a u-turn. I figured that I would stall the front wheel and then fall to the inside where I would clip out my left foot and catch myself before falling. The old cleats would have released probably too soon but my foot would have been catching my fall. This is the 3rd ride on new cleats that are full size so they do not accidently release. they worked like the should. I twisted my heel outwards to release my foot. I was faling by now and I juts could not muster the amount of outward twist to release. Bang! Hard splatter fall on my left side. The sand abraded away scabs from a previous miscalculation from my left shin. Blam city.