# June 21st: the Highway 4 Big Ride



## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

Does anyone want to head up to the big mountains and ride Highway 4 on Sunday 21st June? I know it is a way out, but I have a rare opportunity to go and explore while the rest of my family is away on a vacation.

The idea would be to start off around the Arnold elevation (4000 feet), cycle up to Lake Alpine, over Pacific Grade and Ebbett's Pass, then down to Markleeville for lunch and back again. This is a round-trip of epic proportions, 125 miles and about 12,000 feet of climbing. I've done almost all of this twice before, once solo and once as part of an organized century ride. Since it is an out-and-back it also lends itself to turning around at any point to make a shorter ride. The scenery and cycling from Lake Alpine onwards is absolutely stunning.

I want to do this as preparation for the Death Ride (which is 3 weeks later).

Anyone interested?


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

Here's the route and I'll attach the elevation profile. Both are shown for just one way. As I mentioned it is out-and-back so one could turn around at any point for a shorter ride. On-route refreshment points are at Arnold, Dorrington (Lube Room and the general store), Bear Valley (the sports shop), Lake Alpine Lodge and Markleeville (various options). There should also be water available at the Wolf Creek campground at the bottom of Ebbett's Pass on the east-side. It is a long day so an early start and reasonable pace are required to attempt the whole thing.


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## shibaman (May 2, 2008)

I may be interested. Also a buddy of mine. I will be in touch with you to see how things are going. I will pm you.


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## ratpick (Jul 31, 2008)

I'm also interested (preparing for my first Death Ride this year).. gotta clear the date with the missus


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

That's great! I'm really looking forward to this ride. It's still a month away, so we can sort out logistics as we get closer.


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## Campy-on-a-Trek (Mar 31, 2008)

I'm riding death ride too and would like a shot of this. Can I bum a ride with someone? I'll pay for gas. I live in Sonoma and am training in the hills around here. Good practice but I would like to get a taste of the real thing.


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

Campy-on-a-Trek said:


> I'm riding death ride too and would like a shot of this. Can I bum a ride with someone? I'll pay for gas. I live in Sonoma and am training in the hills around here. Good practice but I would like to get a taste of the real thing.


Sorry, I'm driving up from Santa Clara and I have to drop my family off at the airport too. Hopefully, somebody will come through for you, perhaps nearer the time. I do most of my riding around the Bay Area and a lot of hills, but I agree that the High Sierra is the real deal. This route is definitely a good warm-up for the Death Ride.


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## Campy-on-a-Trek (Mar 31, 2008)

okay. thanks for responding.


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## ratpick (Jul 31, 2008)

I'm good for this date.. you thinking it's going to be on? My local club is also getting a few Death Riders together on June 11-14 for some Markleeville rides which I might join if this ride isn't happening!


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

ratpick said:


> I'm good for this date.. you thinking it's going to be on? My local club is also getting a few Death Riders together on June 11-14 for some Markleeville rides which I might join if this ride isn't happening!


I'm still definitely planning to do this, exactly as outlined in the original post. I'm thinking of driving up on the Saturday for an early-ish start on Sunday morning. The only reason I would cancel is some family emergency (which is pretty unlikely, but you never know). I suppose the weather could be a factor, but even if it is outrageously hot with thunderstorms I'd still go and just cut it short if the weather didn't work out. I've done essentially this route on my own, unsupported, but I'm keen to find some company as my regular riding partner may or may not make it.

I drove over this route last week and was reminded as to how magnificent that section of Highway 4 is. I described it as the most scenic mountain route in CA to a colleague, and he said that he'd driven it and it was the most harrowing drive of his life! I then told him that the best way to appreciate it was by bicycle and his jaw literally hit the ground.


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## ratpick (Jul 31, 2008)

OK.. I'm in.. just gotta arrange some accomodation near Bear Valley.

Interesting write-up of this route: http://www.chainreaction.com/bearvalley.htm. Pacific Grade sounds like a beast!


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

ratpick said:


> OK.. I'm in.. just gotta arrange some accomodation near Bear Valley.
> 
> Interesting write-up of this route: http://www.chainreaction.com/bearvalley.htm. Pacific Grade sounds like a beast!


Awesome! I've read that write-up before, and it doesn't exaggerate. Pacific Grade is a bonus climb that you don't get to do in in the Death Ride too!


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## shibaman (May 2, 2008)

ukbloke said:


> I'm still definitely planning to do this, exactly as outlined in the original post. I'm thinking of driving up on the Saturday for an early-ish start on Sunday morning. The only reason I would cancel is some family emergency (which is pretty unlikely, but you never know). I suppose the weather could be a factor, but even if it is outrageously hot with thunderstorms I'd still go and just cut it short if the weather didn't work out. I've done essentially this route on my own, unsupported, but I'm keen to find some company as my regular riding partner may or may not make it.
> 
> I drove over this route last week and was reminded as to how magnificent that section of Highway 4 is. I described it as the most scenic mountain route in CA to a colleague, and he said that he'd driven it and it was the most harrowing drive of his life! I then told him that the best way to appreciate it was by bicycle and his jaw literally hit the ground.


I have driven hwy 4 before in my 04 Mazda 3 hatch with a couple of kids from the local Mazda club. It is quite a road.
Mt Hamilton is a fun one also. I actually drove through a corner in my Miata. The bottom of the car got stuck on the ditch and kept me from hitting the side of the Mt. Too much speed!  

I am still thinking about going with you all. I would most likely take my Specialized Roubaix with a triple. My Dale System Six has a compact with a 12-27. A stiffer and better climber, but I think that I could use a triple on those climbs.


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

shibaman said:


> I am still thinking about going with you all. I would most likely take my Specialized Roubaix with a triple. My Dale System Six has a compact with a 12-27. A stiffer and better climber, but I think that I could use a triple on those climbs.


I am in a similar situation but with an older, heavier aluminium triple or a new, lighter, compact, 12-27 Tarmac. I think the choice is a mental challenge too - can you make it on the double or do you want the safety net of the triple? In fact, you will only experience the insane steep grades of 25% if you take the absolute worst line possible through a couple of the hairpins. Otherwise it probably peaks out at around 15-18% and then only for a few turns of the cranks. I will almost certainly take the Tarmac and use this ride to decide whether I want to take it on the Death Ride or not.

Hope you can make it, there's still a couple of weeks to think it over.


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## ratpick (Jul 31, 2008)

ukbloke said:


> I am in a similar situation but with an older, heavier aluminium triple or a new, lighter, compact, 12-27 Tarmac. I think the choice is a mental challenge too - can you make it on the double or do you want the safety net of the triple? In fact, you will only experience the insane steep grades of 25% if you take the absolute worst line possible through a couple of the hairpins. Otherwise it probably peaks out at around 15-18% and then only for a few turns of the cranks. I will almost certainly take the Tarmac and use this ride to decide whether I want to take it on the Death Ride or not.
> 
> Hope you can make it, there's still a couple of weeks to think it over.


Sigh - "Aluminium"  I'll be riding my Aluminium triple because until our household gets both its incomes back, that's all I got :blush2:


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## ratpick (Jul 31, 2008)

I did a ride yesterday climbing as many 15% grade hills as I could muster in a 2 hour ride (combined total of 1.25 miles of 10% or greater).. I at least proved I can climb that grade at a slow pace that doesn't push me over the AT. I'll squeeze a few more rides on this route and push it a bit harder.

Pacific Grade doesn't scare me so much now.. I'd actually like to hit the 24% part - the only time I've climbed a hill that steep is on the mountain bike.


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

ratpick said:


> I did a ride yesterday climbing as many 15% grade hills as I could muster in a 2 hour ride.


That loops like a good loop for hill repeat training! If you want to hit sustained big grades in the Bay Area, you need to pay a visit to Bohlman and On Orbit in Saratoga ...


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## ratpick (Jul 31, 2008)

ukbloke said:


> That loops like a good loop for hill repeat training! If you want to hit sustained big grades in the Bay Area, you need to pay a visit to Bohlman and On Orbit in Saratoga ...


Yeah.. on my list but a longer ride from Redwood Shores. Also got the Ring of Fire on my list.


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

ratpick said:


> Yeah.. on my list but a longer ride from Redwood Shores. Also got the Ring of Fire on my list.


OK, fair point. You have Redwood Gulch to look forward to this weekend and that's pretty intense.


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## Pierre (Jan 29, 2004)

I'm interested - but I'm not very fast. As in, I'm hoping to just make the time cuts at the Death Ride. Did a few climbing week-ends recently
- 1st WE: monitor, ebbetts, sonora, tioga, monitor-back over several days
- 2nd WE: monitor-back, ebbetts, monitor-front, carson over 2 days. Drove back on the 4, looked really nice. Pacific grade looks very steep.
- last week-end, did the route from Grizzly century (near Bass Lake, south of Yosemite - 100m/10K)

But even if I'm dropped, carpooling would be nice. email to pierre dot moreels at gmail. Thanks


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

Pierre said:


> But even if I'm dropped, carpooling would be nice. email to pierre dot
> moreels at gmail. Thanks


Wow, that's a lot of hills and some nice pictures! I sent you an email.


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

OK, it is time to firm up the details for this ride. So far myself and ratpick are confirmed. Who else is in?


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

ratpick and I are driving up Saturday afternoon. The Sierra weather is looking awesome for Sunday's ride - sunny, a slight breeze, with a high of 80 in Arnold, 68 at Bear Valley and 74 in Markleeville. Currently there are no thunderstorms in the forecast but that is always a possibility. I'm really looking forward to the big ride!


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## rollinrob (Dec 8, 2002)

If you guys have time stop by Nevada City and watch Lance, Chris and Levi race.


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

rollinrob said:


> If you guys have time stop by Nevada City and watch Lance, Chris and Levi race.


Nice idea, but that would be quite the detour! We'll be riding at the time anyway. Fortunately, I saw those guys (briefly) in the rain on Tunitas Creek and Sierra Rd in February. It turns out that my regular riding partner is racing cat 3 in the Nevada City Classic too which is why I've been looking for company.


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## ratpick (Jul 31, 2008)

I saw that Levi & Lance would be there.. so tantalisingly close but just too far away without breaking into our riding time.

I saw them coming up Tunitas too.. damn it was cold that day. Seeing them in Nevada City would be nice because it's a circuit (if I understand correctly) so they'd fly past 30 or so times rather than once, for a couple of seconds


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## ukbloke (Sep 1, 2007)

Fabulous! 125.4 miles, exactly 8 hours on the bike and 12,223 feet of climbing. What more could I ask for on Father's Day!


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## Dr_John (Oct 11, 2005)

.....:thumbsup:


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## ratpick (Jul 31, 2008)

I rode with ukbloke.. well, more correctly he rode ahead and waited for me.. repeatedly  Still a wonderful ride in perfect weather. I finished in exactly 9 hours. How weird is that!!

Markleeville was tranquil - quite different to how it's going to be in 3 weeks!

Funniest moment was when I stopped at the Alpine Lake store for a water refill on the return trip. Ukbloke, in his full Saxo Bank garb, had gone on ahead but left his mark. I was talking to a couple of older riders who asked if he was really a member of the Saxo Bank squad - they had talked about it since he had passed before me and concluded by the strength of his riding that he was. I hated to disappoint them 

Looking forward to climbing Ebbett's again in 3 weeks! 

Thanks again for organising such a great ride!


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