We left Markleeville, CA two days ago and a short, easy ride to the capital of Nevada, Carson City. Carson City strikes me as a weird town. It's basically a small town in the middle of nowhere but it's the capital. Plus there are casinos on every corner and you can play video poker anywhere including gas stations and the laundry mat.
Upon arrival we had lunch and a visit at the Boys and Girls Club to teach the kids about people with disabilities via a puppet show. After a little free time we had dinner provided by the Rotary Club. After dinner a bunch of us went to see The Hangover, which was hilarious.
Today we had a day off the bike and went to the children's museum to put on the puppet show again. Since then we've had a little down time to run errands and do laundry.
We leave Carson City tomorrow and I'm ready to get moving again.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Kirkwood
After Jackson we rode through the Sierras to Markleeville, CA via the Carson Pass. The ride is commonly known as Kirkwood for a ski resort between the Carson Spur and the Carson Pass.
Jackson is at an elevation of 1500 feet and you start by climbing to about 8000 feet over the first 48 miles. From there is a small descent of ~750 feet before climbing back to the Carson Spur at 7990 feet. From there you descend about 1000 feet before climbing up to the Carson Pass at an elevation of 8574 feet at mile 65
After the pass the next 14 miles are downhill with some serious white-knuckle sections. Such as a crazy switchback with nothing beyond the guardrail but a lake that's probably 1000 feet down.
The last two miles are almost all uphill again to finish the day at an elevation around 6500 feet. Once we arrived the Jackson Lions Club was so kind to grill dinner for us.
The views were drop dead gorgeous and at over 9 hours it was perhaps the most physically taxing day of my life. But it was an awesome day that I'll never forget.
Jackson is at an elevation of 1500 feet and you start by climbing to about 8000 feet over the first 48 miles. From there is a small descent of ~750 feet before climbing back to the Carson Spur at 7990 feet. From there you descend about 1000 feet before climbing up to the Carson Pass at an elevation of 8574 feet at mile 65
After the pass the next 14 miles are downhill with some serious white-knuckle sections. Such as a crazy switchback with nothing beyond the guardrail but a lake that's probably 1000 feet down.
The last two miles are almost all uphill again to finish the day at an elevation around 6500 feet. Once we arrived the Jackson Lions Club was so kind to grill dinner for us.
The views were drop dead gorgeous and at over 9 hours it was perhaps the most physically taxing day of my life. But it was an awesome day that I'll never forget.
Jackson
Sorry I've been slow in updating this but I was having trouble with my phone and was out of range for a while.
After Sacramento we rode to Jackson, CA. Unfortunately for a couple reasons outside my control I was racked and only rode about 30 miles.
In Jackson we had a friendship visit at the Arc who were super excited for us to arrive. Later that night we had dinner hosted by the local Lions club. After dinner we went back to lodging to prepare for the epic ride over Kirkwood, which deserves its own post.
After Sacramento we rode to Jackson, CA. Unfortunately for a couple reasons outside my control I was racked and only rode about 30 miles.
In Jackson we had a friendship visit at the Arc who were super excited for us to arrive. Later that night we had dinner hosted by the local Lions club. After dinner we went back to lodging to prepare for the epic ride over Kirkwood, which deserves its own post.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Napa and Sacramento
Yesterday was our first day on the bike and we rode from San Fran to Napa starting by riding over the Golden Gate Bridge. We then rode through the northen suburbs again befor hitting a very rural area where we encountered some challenging hills and headwinds. It was to date my longest ride at 69 miles and my most difficult but it was nice to complete it.
Afterward we had a friendship visit with the local challenge baseball league to celebrate the end of their season.
Today we rode to Sacramento. We started off in the mountains with some decent size climbs and descents. Then after about mile 30 it really flattened out. We arrived in Sacramento and had lunch on the river before riding up to the capitol. After we cleaned up and our first hour of free time since Thursday, which was nice to catch our breath. Right now we're on our way to a friendship visit and dinner.
Afterward we had a friendship visit with the local challenge baseball league to celebrate the end of their season.
Today we rode to Sacramento. We started off in the mountains with some decent size climbs and descents. Then after about mile 30 it really flattened out. We arrived in Sacramento and had lunch on the river before riding up to the capitol. After we cleaned up and our first hour of free time since Thursday, which was nice to catch our breath. Right now we're on our way to a friendship visit and dinner.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Days 3 and 4 in San Fran
Yesterday morning we had meetings all morning, but then went to Fisherman's Wharf for lunch where I had grilled Mali. After lunch we had a few more meetings then were free most of the evening. I went with a group of guys to watch game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals. Univ of San Fran is a little weird because it really doesn't have in the way of a college feel, like no real bars nearby to catch the game so we ended up walking a way. But at least the food was good where we ate.
Today we went to a park by the Golden Gate Bridge for some group riding exercises. Then from there we left for a short ~18 practice ride through Sausalito, Belvedere, and Tiburon, which was an awesome ride. Sausalito has a cool little downtown by the bay and the roads were beautiful. There were lots of winding, wooded areas with lots of elevation changes resulting in breathtaking views of the bay, the bridge, and the skyline.
After the practice ride we drove to the kick-off dinner at the PiKapp house at Berkeley. The house was cool and for dinner we had tacos with grilled steak and chicken, which was delicious. All in all it was a great day. But I'm excited to finally get on the road tomorrow.
Today we went to a park by the Golden Gate Bridge for some group riding exercises. Then from there we left for a short ~18 practice ride through Sausalito, Belvedere, and Tiburon, which was an awesome ride. Sausalito has a cool little downtown by the bay and the roads were beautiful. There were lots of winding, wooded areas with lots of elevation changes resulting in breathtaking views of the bay, the bridge, and the skyline.
After the practice ride we drove to the kick-off dinner at the PiKapp house at Berkeley. The house was cool and for dinner we had tacos with grilled steak and chicken, which was delicious. All in all it was a great day. But I'm excited to finally get on the road tomorrow.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Arrival and first day in San Francisco
I got into San Fran yesterday evening and got our lodging around 6. We're staying in a dorm at Univ of San Francisco. We just had an introductory meeting and then dinner before I assembled my bike and called it quits.
Today we started with a skills assessment to determine bike control among other things. Then we went to the Golden Gate Bridge to take a team picture. The bridge was stunning both in size and beauty.
After a quick lunch we went to the Janet Pomeroy Center for our first friendship visit. We played basketball with the folks there, which was awesome. Plus an impromptu dance broke out at halftime. Then afterwards we participated in their singing and acting class, it was hilarious. Then while waiting for dinner we were regaled with more songs from one of their folks. In all it was an amazing experience.
Also two minor items : first I've been having trouble unloading photos to Flickr, but may have fixed it today; and second I realized I had turned off comments on this blog but will change that going forward.
Today we started with a skills assessment to determine bike control among other things. Then we went to the Golden Gate Bridge to take a team picture. The bridge was stunning both in size and beauty.
After a quick lunch we went to the Janet Pomeroy Center for our first friendship visit. We played basketball with the folks there, which was awesome. Plus an impromptu dance broke out at halftime. Then afterwards we participated in their singing and acting class, it was hilarious. Then while waiting for dinner we were regaled with more songs from one of their folks. In all it was an amazing experience.
Also two minor items : first I've been having trouble unloading photos to Flickr, but may have fixed it today; and second I realized I had turned off comments on this blog but will change that going forward.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Boston, Bloomington, & Ohio
Catching up, I was in Boston visiting my sister last week. Chris who did JOH a few years ago was also there. We only got in one ride and it wasn't real long but the scenery was beautiful. We started in Harvard Square and rode around Harvard's campus. We then rode along the Charles River down to MIT. The view from the river was beautiful because it was about 72 degrees with no clouds so we had a great view of the city. Then we crossed over the river and rode back along to Harvard.
Then Tuesday night I got back into Bloomington. On Wednesday I rode about 35 miles by the Monroe Reservoir, including another good hill down Hardin Ridge. Then Thrsday I rode about 20 miles around Bloomington because I had to head out to Dayton to visit family here.
My family lives in a small town called Germantown thats about 30 minutes southwest of Dayton proper. Friday I went for a shorter ~20 mile ride out by the Germantown Dam and started working on picking up a water bottle while still riding the bike, which is tougher than it sounds. Saturday I rode about 35 miles around Germantown, out to the Dam including a nice long hill there, back into town, to the Dam again, over to Farmersville, then back into town. And then worked on picking up the water bottle again, which I think I have more or less down.
Sunday was a pretty easy training day, but enjoyable nonetheless. First, my dad and I went for a ride out to the Dam and back of about 10.5 miles. Then we came back to the house and picked up Diana and Stacy (my step-mom and sister, respectively). Then the four of us rode down to a bike path parallel to the river here in town. It was a nice leisurely ride of about 6.5 miles. Not my most challenging ride, but certainly one of the best. That was probably also my last training ride before I leave for San Francisco on Wednesday.
Then Tuesday night I got back into Bloomington. On Wednesday I rode about 35 miles by the Monroe Reservoir, including another good hill down Hardin Ridge. Then Thrsday I rode about 20 miles around Bloomington because I had to head out to Dayton to visit family here.
My family lives in a small town called Germantown thats about 30 minutes southwest of Dayton proper. Friday I went for a shorter ~20 mile ride out by the Germantown Dam and started working on picking up a water bottle while still riding the bike, which is tougher than it sounds. Saturday I rode about 35 miles around Germantown, out to the Dam including a nice long hill there, back into town, to the Dam again, over to Farmersville, then back into town. And then worked on picking up the water bottle again, which I think I have more or less down.
Sunday was a pretty easy training day, but enjoyable nonetheless. First, my dad and I went for a ride out to the Dam and back of about 10.5 miles. Then we came back to the house and picked up Diana and Stacy (my step-mom and sister, respectively). Then the four of us rode down to a bike path parallel to the river here in town. It was a nice leisurely ride of about 6.5 miles. Not my most challenging ride, but certainly one of the best. That was probably also my last training ride before I leave for San Francisco on Wednesday.
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