Going for the Death Ride this year was not really one of my cycling goals. My intention was to train this year by doing a number of century rides and plenty of climbing and try the Death Ride next year. Next year I'll be 60, and my birthday present to myself was to try to complete all five passes of the Death Ride.
One day on a ride with Art Cruz, he mentioned that Keith Primdahl, another club member, wasn't ready for the Death Ride and was thinking about selling his registration. Art said, "Ken, you ought to try and go." and that he knew I could complete the Death Ride. I ride with Art alot, but little did he know that he had more confidence in my ability to complete the Death Ride than I did. For the rest of the ride and on the way home I couldn't help but thinking about giving it a shot.
First thing I did when getting home was to give Keith a call. Realized Keith is a darn good ride who has already done the Death Ride and Climb the Kaiser. I was concerned. If he felt he wasn't ready, what made me feel like maybe I was ready? Keith simply had a lot of stuff going on this year and had not gotten in much cycling, so I took his registration and set my mind to doing the Death Ride.
I was telling myself that I would at least go up and see what I could do. If I couldn't complete it, I would at least have an idea of what it is like. But, deep down, I wanted to complete it so bad I could taste it. I was going to travel to Markleville with the express goal of completing the Death Ride, doing all 5 passes within the allocated time.
After thinking about it, I realized I had been riding a lot this year and was doing a lot of climbing and a number of century rides and was feeling pretty good. I had done a number of Donny's rides, which always include a whole bunch of goats. When on Donny's rides and you're not sure which way to turn, turn in whatever direction is heading up hill. I had also done two or three rides with Pam Downs, which were all over 100 miles. So riding with Donny and Pam, I had gotten in a lot of climbing and many miles.
I also completed the New Idria Century, the Mount Hamilton Challenge Century and the Sequoia Double Metric Century, so I was beginning to think that maybe I had a shot of actually doing this Death Ride. Then there was Donny's last local Death Ride training ride. We did Bohlman, Redwood Estates, Alba, China Grade, and Sanborn, for over 10,000 feet of climbing up some pretty darn tough goats. I was really beat after that ride and started to have some doubts. However, I remember Donny saying that during the Death Ride we won't run into grades as steep as these - much longer but not as steep - so again there was hope.
Much of the time leading up to ride I was greatly concerned about the altitude, as I had never cycled in anything like I would experience around Markleeville. I could only hope it would not become a major problem. I did not have the opportunity to go up early and be a part of Donny's Death Ride campout.
Friday, July 13, finally arrived. The truck was packed and, with Art Cruz on board, we headed off to the Death Ride. Along the entire drive to Tahoe, we saw many vehicles with bikes that I am sure were headed to the same place, and it kind of helped get me into the spirit of the whole thing.
We arrived at the Markleeville area and first went to Turtle Rock Park to register. There were a lot of riders there and booths with all kinds of cycling goodies. We ran into Donny and Kim Carr and her brother. We got our ride packets with our number, water bottle, etc and the realization hit me that early the next morning I was going to be a part of the Death Ride. We then went off to the campsite and spent some time with Pam Downs, Dennis Uyeno and other ACTC members. We were staying in Lake Tahoe so we were soon off to check in, have a good dinner, and get some rest.
4:00 AM comes early, but Art and I wanted to try to get to Turtle Rock Park and get started by 5:30 AM. It was about 5:50 AM when we finally got rolling. The weather was nice, a little chill so I started out with leg warmers and a windbreaker. I was nervous, excited, scared, all kinds of emotions now it was finally happening.
Got a nice warm up heading for the first climb up Monitor Pass. As you got into the climb there was one particular long view of the climb, and for as far as you could see there was a line of bicycles climbing up that thing - it was a pretty darn awesome sight. It was a long climb but very doable and I felt good at the top. The descents are awesome - I am a very cautious and nervous decender (usually the last one down on most rides). I need to take lessons from Deborah Lefferts who is simply awesome on descents. The passes are closed to traffic so you can really go, and they are good roads. The biggest problem is you need to watch out for other cyclists coming up the other side. Down the backside of Monitor went well, and I took my first brief rest stop. I saw Ford, Christine, and Donny, who were leaving as I arrived along with Art.
Climb up the backside of Monitor, again long but doable. Pass the kids who pick up your water bottle then run ahead (up hill) fill your water bottle and hand it back to you as you pass by - pretty darn neat. Another short stop at top of Monitor to eat some of my peanut butter jelly sandwiches. I am convinced that is Donny's secret for being such a great rider.
On to Ebbetts Pass with another long but doable climb. It is also a beautiful climb with the scenery including waterfalls. Got to the top of Ebbetts along with Art, and met up with Donny, who I think was looking for Christine. Donny had already been down the backside of Ebbetts and climbed back up. Took another brief rest stop and headed on down the backside of Ebbetts. The climb back up the backside of Ebbetts will get your attention as it has the steepest grades and it was getting warm, but I got up it and still had something left. Went pass the rest stop at the top, as the lunch stop was not too much further down the road.
Took my first real break at the lunch stop. Had lunch with Art, Deborah Lefferts, and David Hoag. Art said we had plenty of time, about two and one half hours, to get to the last time checkpoint at Pickett's Junction. Off we went, over some flat terrain for a nice change. Went right pass the rest stop at Woodford's Junction, as we certainly didn't want to miss the cut off time at Pickett's Junction. Once we got passed Woodford's Junction we started the climb up the fifth and last pass - Carson Pass.
Well, let me tell you that Carson Pass is not the steepest climb on the ride but is very, very, very long. By now you are over a hundred miles, have climbed four major passes, and for me, fatigue started to settle in. The climb up to Pickets Junction, the last and final checkpoint, got tough but I got there with about 20 minutes to spare. There were literally riders passed out on the ground, some just coated in salt from their sweat. I could only hope they were well. I rested for a few minutes and pushed on for the final assault to the top of Carson Pass.
The remaining climb up Carson Pass became a test of character for me - I was tired, darn tired. We came around a curve and someone yelled, "There is the top" Kind of a large rock at the summit. It looked like it was a hundred miles away and ten miles straight up. I saw what turned out to a bus (Carson Pass is the one pass not closed to traffic) passing that large rock and it looked like the size of a matchbox toy. It rather got me down for a moment as I started to doubt if I was going to make it to the top. However, Art kept encouraging me, and other riders I didn't even know were yelling, "Let's go, we can do this together."
So, at that moment I made the commitment to myself, Art, and the others around me, that I was going to do this thing. I actually felt a little burst of strength that got me up to the summit, passed the big rock that once looked so far away, and into the final checkpoint. They had a misting machine at the stop and it felt so great riding through it. Then the moment came that I had been trying so hard to achieve - they stuck that fifth pass sticker on my number - it was a great feeling! Art, Deborah, and David were there, along with others. We were shaking hands and high fiveing, and celebrating the moment together - it too was a great feeling. There was also ice cream bars at the stop, ate two of them and they tasted great.
Then started the final leg of our journey, about 20 miles mostly flat back to Turtle Rock. Being a slow descender, I kind of let it go coming down Carson, as I was on a high as a result of getting that fifth pass. I got up into the high 40's, which is darn fast for me. We finally arrived back at Turtle Rock Park where this epic journey had started a little over 13 hours ago.
Got that coveted five pass pin - it too was a great feeling! We saw a long line for signing the poster (those that complete all five passes get to sign it) and thought, "Oh forget, it the lines too long". Then I thought about what we had gone through to get this far and you know there are not a whole lot of people in this world who have signed this poster, and decided there was no way I wasn't going to get my name on it.
Had our meal at Turtle Rock and Art and I headed back to Tahoe where we met up with Dennis Uyeno. The three of us sat around and shared stories about our adventure riding the California Alps. Slept pretty well that night, as I was tired but excited about what I had accomplished.
Got up Sunday morning, met Art, Dennis, and their wives, and had a great breakfast. We were getting ready to go our separate ways back home, and Dennis said, "Ken, congratulations again on completing the Death Ride on your first try - you just completed one of the toughest rides in the country - WOW!"
Next year, we will see - I now know what the ride is like.
Thanks to Donny for leading all those crazy rides with all that crazy climbing. Thanks to Pam for putting up with me and my wild biking clothes (she does head up the fashion police) on some of her long rides. A special thanks to Art Cruz, who had more confidence in my ability to complete this ride than I did. He stuck with me and encouraged me the entire ride - he is a good guy, and a good friend.