# Lake Tahoe mountain and road biking extraordinaire!



## gutfiddle (Apr 27, 2006)

Some of us Florida flatlanders got the hankering to get out of this heat and humidity and do some cycling in the cool clean mountain air so we rented a cabin near Tahoe City (Granlibakken to be exact). We arrived in Reno last weds after a cancelled flight thru UnitedAirlines and after I recieved my lost luggage we finally got out there and did some mountain biking...As you can see from the pictures the scenery is gorgeous and having such awesome trails you can bike to from the front door was outstanding. The "Tour de Tahoe" was an excellent organized ride w/ around 2,000 participants, many of them very strong female riders that would not succomb to my southern charm for a second. Now I'm back in good ole flat, muggy, hot Florida and the vacation's over but enjoy the pics! 

Some obersvations of California...the weather is perfect and there is no humidity leading these Florida boys to have very dry cracked lips. The produce there is amazing, the sags stops had peaches and melons that were so fresh and juicy and just uncomparable to anything I've had back east, i'm eating an avacoda i bought out there right now. 

The road climbs are tough but the mountain bike trails are ubersteep! I'm glad we rented mountain bikes with lots of suspension, bombing downhill over those rocks was a huge rush! There are a ton of really active people out there and it was a very mellow laid bike friendly vibe overall, I can't wait to go back

Here I am along the Truckee River before my luggage/bike gear arrived.









Here's fellow spacecoastfreewheeler Eduardo crossing the Truckee









little A frame cabin we rented









nice singletrack climb on the way to the "jump trails" near Mt Watson









Gutfiddle and Eduardo about to bomb down the jump trail









Headed out towards Paige Meadows and the Tahoe rim trail









landslide along Flume Trail that i did not attempt to bike across









Lake Tahoe Vista from Flume Trail









the pix dont do this gorgeous area justice


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## theBreeze (Jan 7, 2002)

Just lovely!

So, does Eduardo actually ride the bike, or just carry it over his head?


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## gutfiddle (Apr 27, 2006)

now for some roadie pix...

happy cyclist following gutfiddle









nice climb above Emerald Bay



























my fat arse sucking wind









nuthin saggy at this sag stop









spacecoastfreewheelers represent!









damn i wish this pixxor wasnt blurry, this was the last time i saw these gals as they dropped my quick on the next climb









the peaches and honeydew and canteloupe were soo good!


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## gutfiddle (Apr 27, 2006)

theBreeze said:


> Just lovely!
> 
> So, does Eduardo actually ride the bike, or just carry it over his head?


haha he loves that pose, i guess he saw it in a magazine out there or something, he bout lost it in this one



















the finish


















what a great way to end a bike trip...a free concert on the lake full of people having wine and cheese and dancing and hoola hooping and kids chasing dogs around, was an awesome time


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

that A-frame looks a lot like the place we'd go to during the summers... I'm sure there are tons of 'em up there though. 

do you know those chicks? a touch creepy if not


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

How did the mile high elevation treat you boys from the swampland?


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## SilasCL (Jun 14, 2004)

MB1 said:


> How did the mile high elevation treat you boys from the swampland?


I think he's still catching his breath. Altitude is rough...


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## gutfiddle (Apr 27, 2006)

MB1 said:


> How did the mile high elevation treat you boys from the swampland?


It was the steepness of the trails/roads that put the drums in my ears, didnt really notice the thin air making me suck wind any more than usual. Actually, the lack of humidity was really nice, if i'da done that amount of riding in Florida I woulda been drenched.


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## danred7 (Jun 24, 2008)

Bikes, Babes, and Boddington's.... Doesn't get much better than that.

And I'll gladly trade Florida humidity for some altitude anyday


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## Bulldozer (Jul 31, 2003)

Where are the arm warmers???


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## Cruzer2424 (Feb 8, 2005)

gutfiddle said:


> the finish


Hey I know that woman. No joke. I recognize the bike. Actually she was just on my group ride that I walked in the door from not more than an hour ago. 

P.S. Nice pics.


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## jupiterrn (Sep 22, 2006)

Nice looking trip Gutt. Might have to think about Tahoe for next years MTB trip. What MTB did you rent, Specialized?


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## gutfiddle (Apr 27, 2006)

jupiterrn said:


> Nice looking trip Gutt. Might have to think about Tahoe for next years MTB trip. What MTB did you rent, Specialized?


It was a Trek "Remedy" 7 w/ 8" in the rear (not code) from Olympic Bike in Tahoe City, great bike shop. I didnt want that much suspension at first cause i'm used to a XC racer and was afraid it be too squishy climbing but i was really glad i had it when i was bombing down the Rim trail and it just floated over the rocks. I know the hardcore hardtail purests are against fullsuspension but it was such a rush goin fast downhill like that. I think there is a shop near the Flume trail that rents Specialized and Ibis but for quite abit more $. It only cost me $90 for 3 days on the Trek mtn bike and $40 for the cannondale road bike.


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## gutfiddle (Apr 27, 2006)

Bulldozer said:


> Where are the arm warmers???


ha good one! i brought them and was gonna use them since the thermometer in South Tahoe at the road ride start said 38 degrees but it was so dry i was comfortable w/ a SS jersey and shorts, plus once we hit the emerald bay climb everyone was peeling off their windbreakers and legwarmers


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## tconrady (May 1, 2007)

Hey Gut! That looks like an awesome trip!


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## gutfiddle (Apr 27, 2006)

jupiterrn said:


> Nice looking trip Gutt. Might have to think about Tahoe for next years MTB trip. What MTB did you rent, Specialized?


if you ever want to take a long weekend up to Pisgah or Ellijay i'm ready...


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## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

Hey Gut, 

Sorry we missed connecting up with each other. Hopefully next time you're out here we can make better plans. Great ride report and great pics! No MTB Babes? Some of the most awesome women in Tahoe are the trail bomber types. Perfecto! Still, the number of gorgeous road riders that come up here from all over the world make it worth riding. 

We rode the Lake on Saturday and tried mountainbiking but my rear hydrolic brake line blew in the first 1/3 of the ride. Ended up with me flying into a pile of sand and debris. Ouch! Friggin' Hayes. . . .

Glad you guys had fun. I guess there's a reason I can't seem to get my rear end to move from this place.


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## bigrider (Jun 27, 2002)

Nice pics. I would love to climb hills with you. Us big guys need to stick together. It seemed like you drafted a lot of woman NTTAWWT.


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## tconrady (May 1, 2007)

gutfiddle said:


> if you ever want to take a long weekend up to Pisgah or Ellijay i'm ready...


Ellijay is only a couple hours away from my house....sounds like the beginning of a plan!


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## gutfiddle (Apr 27, 2006)

tconrady said:


> Ellijay is only a couple hours away from my house....sounds like the beginning of a plan!


I'll be up there Thanksgiving weekend...if you only had one day to ride (say Friday) what would you do? Stanley Gap or Mountaintown/Bear creek? Come on out and join me either way!


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## gutfiddle (Apr 27, 2006)

bigrider said:


> Nice pics. I would love to climb hills with you. Us big guys need to stick together. It seemed like you drafted a lot of woman NTTAWWT.


maybe one day we can enjoy the view together.


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## bigrider (Jun 27, 2002)

gutfiddle said:


> maybe one day we can enjoy the view together.



I get down your way every now and then. BTW, looked like a great trip.


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## gutfiddle (Apr 27, 2006)

Ridgetop said:


> Hey Gut,
> 
> Sorry we missed connecting up with each other. Hopefully next time you're out here we can make better plans. Great ride report and great pics! No MTB Babes? Some of the most awesome women in Tahoe are the trail bomber types. Perfecto! Still, the number of gorgeous road riders that come up here from all over the world make it worth riding.
> 
> ...


Yeah that was unfortunate we didnt meet up, if your ever in Florida let me know and we'll schedule a ride and next time I come out I'll hit you up on a better Flume trail route...we started on Tunnel Creek road by the old Ponderosa set and climbed that way to Marlette Lake, I'm sure there is a better way to get there on singletrack. Saw alot of gals solo on the mtn bike but they were goin by me so fast i didnt get a chance to take their picture, they were so very hawt tho! Got nailed by a yellowjacket on Tunnel Creek climb and peeled my camelbak off in record time, didnt have any levi garrett w/ me so had to wait to put tobaccer juice on it when we got back to the cabin. OH I wanted to ask you if you knew what kinda herb/shrub I kept smelling around there, kinda sweet/musky similar to sage...the smell of the clean mountain air and pines really sticks in the mind, truly a memorable trip


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## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

Probably deer brush blooming, but I'm not sure. I've gotten so used to all the smells that I kind of take them for granted and ignore them now. Pretty sad huh?


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## weltyed (Feb 6, 2004)

if you see her, tell her theres a fat hairy guy in illinois who would very much like to hit that.




Cruzer2424 said:


> Hey I know that woman. No joke. I recognize the bike. Actually she was just on my group ride that I walked in the door from not more than an hour ago.
> 
> P.S. Nice pics.


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## Bulldozer (Jul 31, 2003)

gutfiddle said:


> ha good one! i brought them and was gonna use them since the thermometer in South Tahoe at the road ride start said 38 degrees but it was so dry i was comfortable w/ a SS jersey and shorts, plus once we hit the emerald bay climb everyone was peeling off their windbreakers and legwarmers


So, 60 degrees in Florida is colder than Tahoe at 40 degrees?


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## tconrady (May 1, 2007)

gutfiddle said:


> I'll be up there Thanksgiving weekend...if you only had one day to ride (say Friday) what would you do? Stanley Gap or Mountaintown/Bear creek? Come on out and join me either way!


I haven't ridden either of those. Most of my north Georgia riding has been around Dahlonega. Are y'all ridding roads or trails that weekend? We usually go out of town that weekend but haven't made any plans yet this year.


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## gutfiddle (Apr 27, 2006)

tconrady said:


> I haven't ridden either of those. Most of my north Georgia riding has been around Dahlonega. Are y'all ridding roads or trails that weekend? We usually go out of town that weekend but haven't made any plans yet this year.


I'll be doin some mountain biking, probably Bear Creek/Mountaintown trails near Ellijay, maybe Stanley Gap if i have time


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## gutfiddle (Apr 27, 2006)

Bulldozer said:


> So, 60 degrees in Florida is colder than Tahoe at 40 degrees?


sure feels like it!


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