# death ride 07



## kreger (Mar 10, 2004)

hey northern Californian riders. 

looks like selection for the death ride 07 have just been made. turns out a friend and myself are among the 2798 others who get the privledge.

any of you done this before? advice? 

http://www.deathride.com/info/


----------



## DasMud (Jun 8, 2003)

yay, I'm in as well. Thanks for the heads up on the page being updated. I've been checking since 5pm yesterday.

I did it in 04, and it was a blast. Unfortunately I had the flu, and a crazy fever, but still finished 5 passes in decent time. I think I was at just over 10hrs after all was said and done. Not bad considering I had to stop and drain my head every 15min or so. yuck. I'm a lightweight climber build, and was in medium shape (only rode a single 100+ mile ride that season before the Death Ride) and although it was a very tiring ride, there's so much support it's hard to imagine not keeping going.

My advice would be to ride a fair amount of long distance rides prior to the Death Ride to get used to being in the saddle that long, and climb a lot on other days. The 3rd and 4th climbs are the only one's I'd call tough, and they're right in the hot part of the day, so plan accordingly with your pace prior to this.


----------



## rzims (Nov 15, 2005)

Awesome! This will be my first time as well. By July I'll have a few centuries under my belt so I'm not so concerned about the mileage....the climbing...well.....guess I better start hitting the hills


----------



## ericm979 (Jun 26, 2005)

I didn't get selected, again. I'll have to buy a ticket when they start coming available later in the year. I have done it four times, only once failing to complete all five passes (due to knee problems and not enough training). Last year I did it in just over 8 and a half hours riding time.

It's a lot of fun. Lots of people leave before the official 5:30 am start. If you're much earlier than that you may need a light. You're supposed to have a light if you're on the road before 5:30 but the CHP is sometimes lax about enforcement. It can be cold in the morning and the first bit is a descent. That also gets kind of crazy, the last two years I have seen some ugly crashes there. Watch out for the CHP; on the descent into Markleeville they like to slow riders down by driving on the closed road and braking in front of groups of riders.

I always leave at 5:30. Since most riders leave before that I have a lot of passing to do on the first two climbs. No matter your speed there's always both slower and faster riders, so be courteous to both. The descent of the east side of Monitor can get a bit hairy since there's scared women riding their brakes at 20 mph and guys who think they can win the ride on the descent doing 55. Again, it's not a race so don't stuff people in the corners and check for speeders behind you when you're passing other riders.

The key to finishing is to meter your effort. You should do enough long climbs before the ride so that you know what sort of effort you can put out and still be able to ride for X hours. If you're like me and get competitive on climbs, you may want to set heart rate limits to keep from killing yourself. There are some riders who come out and do only two or three passes but go fast on them, you can't try to stick with them and still finish all five. On the first year I set a limit for each pass- 145, 150, 155, 160, whatever. Now I know I can ride all day at 155. Yours will be different but don't be afraid to set a low limit for the first part. You can always hammer later if you're feeling up to it.

There's a spreadsheet on Arnie Baker's web site. You can input your climbing rate and use it to plan your ride. He uses it in the death ride training camps he puts on. It's intended for planning your ride so you can make it before the cutoff, but if you're so inclined you can use it as is or modify it to plan faster rides.

Speaking of cutoff, if you're worried about making it, don't stop at all the rest stops. They're spaced pretty close together. You don't want to spend a lot of time there.

Be prepared for wild swings in weather. The first year I did it temps were well over 100. Carson pass was an oven. I suffered from hyponatremia (low salt) but didn't understand the problem at the time. It took all my will power to grind up to the top of Carson. Now I carry endurolytes for long hot rides, and eat saltier foods. Other years it's been cold, and I have heard of hailstorms and riders abandoning en mass.

Have fun!


----------



## rzims (Nov 15, 2005)

All very good points and helpful...Thank you


----------



## kreger (Mar 10, 2004)

are those of you who did it locals? when did you get there? im a sea-level boy and well, altitude needs to be considered. where did you guys stay? my riding buddy has family in tahoe, also someone said the campground by the race is filled with riders; that could be lots of fun. i know it is a personal thing but what sort of gearing were you guys using? 

how much beer is there afterwords? <- that needed its own line.

i think ill be in shape. im not a light weight fragile racer type, but a 6'2 185 pound grown up farm boy. done a couple of centuries this year already, we have climbing in the seattle area; but in my normal riding loops the hills tend to all be short (1 mile or under) and brutal. with this ride and one up to and around crater lake on the way down i am going to make it a point to do the sustained climbs


----------



## PseuZQ (Mar 27, 2002)

ericm979 said:


> The descent of the east side of Monitor can get a bit hairy since there's scared women riding their brakes at 20 mph and guys who think they can win the ride on the descent doing 55.


Sorry, chief, but this "scared woman" bombed the east side of Monitor at 54. 

(Alas, I failed to finish all five passes so you got me there!  :cornut: )

Great advice on the Arnie Baker stuff. The only thing I would add is to bring some Endurolytes or other electrolyte stuff, and don't stop at the first rest stop.


----------



## Rushfan (Apr 20, 2003)

kreger said:


> i think ill be in shape. im not a light weight fragile racer type, but a 6'2 185 pound grown up farm boy. done a couple of centuries this year already, we have climbing in the seattle area; but in my normal riding loops the hills tend to all be short (1 mile or under) and brutal. with this ride and one up to and around crater lake on the way down i am going to make it a point to do the sustained climbs


Ride Hurricane Ridge at Olympic National Park for a sustained climb. Repeats maybe...


----------



## kreger (Mar 10, 2004)

yeah, thats on the list of things, as is riding our own passes, snoqualmie and maybe stevens


----------



## robwh9 (Sep 2, 2004)

I'm in! Actually, I've done it 3 other times without getting chosen first, so don't let not getting chosen stop you from doing it. Last year there were people at the start trying to sell their tickets.

My advice: ride lots. If you're in the Bay Area/Sacramento Area there are lots of brevets and double centuries. Check out:

http://www.bikeaholics.org/rides2007/

See you in July!


----------



## ericm979 (Jun 26, 2005)

PseuZQ said:


> Sorry, chief, but this "scared woman" bombed the east side of Monitor at 54.


Parse my sentence again- I said there are scared women going 20 mph, not "all women are scared and going 20 mph". I know some women are fast descenders. My wife can descend faster than me on straight descents. I'm tall and thin so on non-technical descents I get passed by heavier guys and smaller more aerodynamic women. I can tuck in very tight and still not break 50 on east Monitor.

I've been carrying Endurolytes since I figured out that I loose salt on long hot rides. My skin, helmet straps and clothes get covered with salt. It's kind of gross but it's not like there's anything I can do about it.

Too many Endurolytes makes my stomach unhappy. It's better than no electrolytes but it's not ideal. I may try buffered salt tablets instead.


----------



## ericm979 (Jun 26, 2005)

I've stayed in South Lake Tahoe. You have to get up earlier to drive over but it's not that bad. Try to not stay in a hotel that's on the main drag close to gambling- you get lots of drunk people coming back to their rooms at 2am and making a lot of noise. It's hard to sleep when you're already keyed up for the event and the drunk couple next door are fighting or the people in the room above are clog-dancing.

I've used different gearing on different years- first couple years I used a 53/39/30 triple and a custom 13-28 cluster. I only needed the 28 when I was suffering from hyponatremia. Last year I used a 50/34 compact and a 12-27 cluster. I didn't use the 27. I like to have at least one low bailout gear just in case. If you're the kind of person who doesn't want to have a low gear because you'll use it to make the pain stop, then my gearing recommendations will sound too low.

I think that it's important to have a gear low enough that you can spin at a decent rpm; if you are grinding up the passes at a cadence that's too low for you, your legs will wear out too soon. 

I think there is beer at the finish. I'm not sure. It's not something that sounds appealing to me right after a ride. There's ice cream at the top of the 5th pass, I haven't sampled that either.

There's a mechanics station at the top of Monitor. That came in very handy when my derailleur unshipped an internal spring and went limp at the very top of monitor 2-- I managed to coast in and a mechanic disassembled my derailleur and re-wound the spring. They were bored with fixing people's flat tires, my derailleur issue was much more interesting. It wasn't happy on the 27t cog when I tested it after that but it was ok on the rest.

When you have crested the 5th pass, eaten the ice cream and are headed back down Carson, there's still some climbing left! The last little bit of climbing from Woodfords to TRP seems to really suck the spirit out of some riders.


----------



## ericm979 (Jun 26, 2005)

There's a bay-area based group organizing training rides for the death ride. I have not been on one of their rides yet so I don't know what pace they are. The list is hilltraining on yahoogroups.


----------



## DASS (Apr 3, 2002)

*Death Ride tips and tricks*

I love the Death Ride! I wrote up some tips and tricks. Hope it helps some of you out there. Hope to see you on the ride!

As I start preparing for my fifth Death Ride, I’ve been reflecting on some of the successful and unsuccessful preparation techniques I’ve used in the past. I’ve learned a lot about how to have an enjoyable Death Ride, and it occurs to me that others might benefit from my experiences. Most importantly, this is a FUN and BEAUTIFUL ride that I plan to do every year. Sure, it’s a challenge but it’s also a great day of riding if you plan correctly. So here goes….

Training

Every rider has their strategy for building up their base fitness for a big ride. To each their own. But, I will say that in my experience it’s good to put in some extra long rides about 3 times before the big event. If your normal weekend rides are 2-3 hours, make sure you put in a couple 4-5 hours rides just to get used to the long mileage. Just like training for a marathon may include a couple 15-20 miles runs, training for the Death Ride should include some extra long rides that force you to test the limits of your fitness. 

I’ve also found that specifically training at high altitude doesn’t have any benefit. The most important preparation you can do is to put some long miles in your legs. In the past I tried training in the Sierras a couple weekends before the ride and found that it didn’t really make any difference. I’ve also tried focusing on specific climbing intense workouts in my training. I made a specific effort to do mostly climbing (at my sea level home base) and that didn’t have much effect. As it turns out, climbing in the Bay Area for 20-30 minutes is not that similar to climbing in the Sierras, which can involve 1-2 hour climbs. The Death Ride is ultimately a long day in the saddle for everyone, so focus on endurance and get used to the idea of sitting on your bike all day. Sure, losing some weight and being a good climber will help, but having some base fitness is much more important. 

Gears

Get climbing gears on your rig! Compact cranks are great, a triple is ideal. A standard double is macho, a 25 or 27 on the back would help. I tried the ride once with a standard double with a 23 and paid the price. I was standing up on most climbs and blew up after four passes. The key is to make sure you have whatever gears make you comfortable for a LOT of climbing. 80% of the Death Ride is sitting back in a granny gear, finding a comfortable and steadily climbing. Get a gear that you are comfortable with and get ready to use it for hours and hours. This all depends on your fitness, the bike you are used to, and your climbing style. Are you a spinner or a masher? Don’t be ashamed of putting a triple on your bike. The happiest riders on the Death Ride are running a triple. Don’t take a knife to a gun fight. I remember before I knew compact cranks existed I was puffing along next to a guy running compact cranks. He was giddy and sped away from me. Lesson learned. Compact cranks are the sh!t. 

Eating before the ride

OK, so you’re about to ride 130 miles in the high sierras (what are you, nuts?) so you’re thinking you need to fuel up for the big effort. Be careful not to binge the night before or the morning of the ride. Don’t eat too much sugar or too much caffeine. You’re going to need a good nights sleep. I would recommend eating a normal dinner and normal breakfast before the ride. Preloading on too much food can lead to feeling stuffed during the ride. Nutrionally, the key to avoiding a bonk is to eat well DURING the ride. Eating a big breakfast won’t really make a huge difference considering how many miles you have ahead of you. Also, be sure not to over do it on proteins or anything that won’t digest too well. Steak and eggs for breakfast? Yeah, that’s gonna result in a gut bomb, not extra energy. Just eat a normal pre-ride meal (mine is granola). Your stomach does not need any surprises the night before a huge effort. I just eat whatever I would normally eat before a normal weekend ride and then add the calories during the ride. 

Acclimating to the high Sierra

Everyone reacts differently to altitude. It’s very hit or miss. Some people can drive up from sea level the morning of the ride and be fine. I think it’s always a good idea to spend two nights up at altitude before the ride. Of course you will want to drink lots of water and watch for any symptoms of altitude sickness like dizziness and shortness of breath. I have always found that some mild exercise a day or two at altitude with a good night sleep helps my body adjust. Also, when you’re riding, be careful not to go anaerobic and redline because of the altitude. If your heart is beating like a rabbit and you are gasping for air, you need to take it down and a notch and recover. 

Mechanical preparation

The day before the ride, check your tires, oil and clean your chain, adjust cables, pump up tires, etc. Once the bike is dialed, take it on a short ride to make sure its all set up right. I like to do a medium effort 20 miles ride the day before the big event. Is the seat height right? Stem is tight? Once it’s prepped, leave it alone and don’t fiddle with it. The morning of the ride, just pick up your bike and ride. No last minute changes or tweaks allowed. Bring your standard tube/tire irons/pump in case of a flat, but no need for anything unusual. There is mechanical support on the ride if something goes drastically wrong. 

Getting to the start line

I recommend bringing a cooler for the car with lots of extra drinks and a lawn chair or two. You may be spending hours at your car waiting for a friend after the ride. Also, water is surprisingly hard to come by at the start/end of the ride, as is shade. Bring what you might need four hours of post ride waiting, just in case. It might be baking hot, it might be raining.

Also, leave the cell phone in the car. None of the wireless carriers work reliably in the area. Don’t expect to call your friends to meet when you done. Plan for a whole day without cell phone service (old school!). Establish meeting places and backup plans based on the assumption that you won’t be able to just give them a call to meet up. 

Eating and drinking during the ride.

Obviously, it’s important to eat and drink a ton during the ride. But, this doesn’t mean you should drink when you aren’t thirsty or eat when you’re not hungry. I usually skip the first two rest stops and start eating about 2 hours into the ride. You will want to eat consistently but don’t try to load up on carbs early into the ride just because you’re coming up on rest stops. You want to avoid bonking, of course, but you also want to avoid over-eating and feeling stuffed. I know because I’ve made both these mistakes on the Death Ride. 

You also want to listen to your body as it pertains to WHAT to eat. Salty chips and V8 may sound disgusting the first couple of hours of the ride but late in the day when its getting hotter your body has sweat out gallons it may be craving the sodium. You’ll also be surprised how much you can digest during a ride. I never would have thought that I could sit down and eat a full roast beef sandwich, cookies, chips, and a coke and then ride up Carson Pass, but not only can I but I HAD to. One year I remember thinking that the pickles and mayo in my sandwich specifically saved me from a bonk on Carson Pass. Were those pickles sent from an angel? Lunch is a very important part of the ride. Listen to your body and eat as much as you can without over-eating. One year I didn’t eat enough and faded near the end. Another year I ate too much and I was nauseous all the way to Carson Pass, trying to avoid throwing up with each pedal stroke. Yuck. Find the balance. 

Always carry some food with you for emergencies. One year I remember leaving a rest stop on a full stomach, only to NEED a gu about 30 minutes later. That gu saved me from bonking and got me over the pass.

Dealing with weird pains

If you’re not Lance Armstrong, you’re not used to riding 8 hours per day. The first thing you’ll notice after several hours are weird body pains that you don’t normally get on rides. Your ass will go numb. You could get tired wrists, numb feet, shoulder pain, a stiff neck, lower back pain, etc. The best way to avoid and minimize these pains is to take lots of breaks, stretch, and constantly move your hands around on your bars to change your riding position. Shake out stiff shoulders and stretch that back every time you take a break.

Take breaks!

Of course we’ve all heard the story of (or been) the macho hammerhead guy who thinks he can ride the Death Ride with a couple power bars in his pocket. Not possible! You will need to take breaks and eat a ton along the way. But at the same time, don’t eat too much, and you don’t HAVE to stop at each rest stop. Only stop if you need to refuel. I tend to use about half the rest stops, but I’m always surprised to see riders who just methodically stop at each one because its there. Don’t worry, if you skip a stop or two you won’t die of starvation! 

Danger at every corner!

The Death Ride is a very safe ride with a (mostly) closed course and great organizers. But, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t watch where you going. There are thousands of riders on the road and you’ll get up to as fast as 50 MPH on some of the downhills. There are steep sections, there are narrow sections, there are tight turns, there are potholes and there are not-so-aware drivers on the road, just like any other road bike ride you’ve been on. Don’t assume any section of the ride is safe just because it’s an organized ride. You can avoid a crash by paying attention to your environment and not riding too aggressively. Also, the course is and out-and-back but like a daisy chain pattern. On almost every road you are on, there are riders ahead of you or behind you coming in the opposite lane. So stay to right and look for oncoming riders! 

A little help from your (new) friends

Centuries are inherently non-competitive events where you can chat with other riders and have fun along the way. To enjoy a huge ride at a good pace you will NEED other riders, especially between the lunch stop (after pass four) and Carson Pass (pass five) where there is a long, relatively flat windy section. You will want to find other riders going your speed and get a good paceline going. At this point you’ve already put in nearly 80 miles or riding, most of it climbing, and its getting hot and windy. Don’t bury yourself by taking huge pulls, but do your share of the work and draft as much as you can to recover before the big one; Carson Pass. Carson Pass itself is long and not too steep, so keep those new friends close and ride together all the way to the top. This may mean you go a little slower than you’d like, or taking breaks when you don’t need them, but sharing the workload will pay off. Don’t kill yourself by sticking your nose out in the wind for hours and hours if you can team up with some strong riders that are about your speed. 

And don’t be a hero! During past rides I’ve hooked up with a pack of hammerheads and gone to front to pull them up the climbs. Not sure why, maybe blind pride? Be logical, don’t pull a group of riders only to blow up at the top and leave yourself without the energy to finish. You never know who those riders are; maybe they’re motoring because they are just doing 3 passes or maybe they are much stronger than you. Lots of faster riders will zip past you. Just let them go and do your own ride. I remember on year a racer guy passed me and I got on his wheel, excited to have a fast riding partner to help zip me to the top. I stayed on his wheel for 10-15 minutes and faded. Ouch. If you are in a pack of well match riders, swallow your pride and don’t be ashamed to refuse taking a pull if you’re not up to it. Remember your ultimate goal is to finish in good shape, not sacrifice yourself for other riders early in the day. 

Also, keep in mind the typical Death Rider cyclist. Most riders are older (50s?) and just taking their time to accomplish a great day of cycling. The smart ones are taking their time and cruising up the climbs in a comfortable gear. You won’t find a lot of racers at the event since it’s an endurance ride, not a race. Most riders are just out for fun and not interested in racing against you. So just enjoy the ride for what it is and enjoy yourself. There was one year where I brought along a racing buddy and he tried to beat everyone up the climbs. He bonked big time on Carson Pass and could (of course) never catch the riders who started hours before us. Wrong attitude. 

Dressing appropriately. A full day of exposure.

On a typical summer day in the Sierras, it will be hot with wind and a chance of showers in the afternoon. You will most likely only need a jersey, but always carry arm warmers in case it cools down. When you start around 5:30AM it will be dark and cool. I would advise ignoring the urge to bundle up for the frigid first couple of miles. The first 5 miles are downhill and can be cold and miserable, but then you start climbing Monitor Pass as the sun is rising and you will be glad you’re not carrying a jacket and leg warmers. You can also leave a layer in your car and pick it up after the fourth pass if its getting cool out. Bottom line is that you are going to be out in the high sierra for most of daylight hours so sunscreen, an extra layer in your pocket and lots of water would be a good idea. 

Start early

It’s important to start at a time that matches up with your general pace. If you are a hammerhead and you start late at 6:30AM, you will be passing riders all day, which can be dangerous. Try to start as early as humanly possible. I try to start at 5:30AM to avoid having to pass hundreds of riders, but there are still many riders who started at 5AM. I don’t think its worth starting before 5:30AM and carrying lights, but I would also advise against starting late (like 6:30AM or later) because it will be a hot and windy ride on Carson Pass in the afternoon. 

The moment of Truth: Woodsford

Monitor pass is a cyclist’s dream. Ebbots is a little more tricky with variable steepness and technical, narrow roads. But, there is really on one hard pass on the Death Ride; Carson Pass. It’s the worst because by the time you get to its base you’ve already got 90s miles of high alpine riding behind you. It’s 20 miles long, its windy, there are huge trucks barreling down the highway, and did I mention it’s long? 

Before you start the long haul towards Carson Pass you stop at a reststop in Woodsfords at the corner of 89 and 88. To me, this is the most important rest stop and the essence of the Deathride. This is where you can hose down if you’re hot, eat salty foods and drink tons of fluids. This is the moment of truth; where you decide if you are going to call it a day or grit your teeth and spend another 3 hours on the bike. This is where you need to listen to your body. How is it reacting to the day’s efforts? How are you recovering? Did you go too hard too early or did you save some energy for the Mother of all climbs? What do you need to survive the last push? Each year I arrive here, curse my aching body, and make a really really big decision while replenishing my body with liters and liters of fluids. Do I need to finish? To me, the decision at Woodsford is the apex of the Death Ride experience. You will battle your internal demons and ask yourself “why isn’t this ride four passes instead of five? Four is plenty! Five is overkill!”

And don’t leave Woodsfords alone! Team up with other riders that are about your speed and work your way up to the top in the safety of numbers. It’s getting hot and windy and every ounce of energy saved in the draft of another rider will help. 

The last mile (s) 

Once you reach Carson Pass, you are on top of the world. Have an ice cream, take a seat and chat with the other grizzled 5-pass veterans that you have met along the way. But, like any good mountaineer will tell you, when you reach the top you are only half done. You will need to stretch, refuel and prepare for more tricky riding. The descent down Carson Pass is long, fast, windy, and can get technical. You will need your wits about you and enough energy left in the tank to navigate your husk of a body back to Markleeville. It pays to team up with other riders on the descent so you can tuck into a draft and increase your overall speed. Once you get back to Woodsford and turn right to Markleeville, it FEELS like you’re done but in fact you have a good 5 miles of rollies back to Markleeville. These last 5 miles can be the most painful of the day. Save a calorie two in your reserve tanks for that last push. 

Have a good ride!


----------



## kreger (Mar 10, 2004)

dass

that was a great post. im sure it will help many of us. i know it will help the two of us coming down from seattle, itll be our first death ride. thanks for taking the considerable time to put all that great info down.


----------



## RedRex (Oct 24, 2004)

If I wanted to sleep in my truck the night before, where might I do that?


----------



## DasMud (Jun 8, 2003)

RedRex said:


> If I wanted to sleep in my truck the night before, where might I do that?


You should be able to do this anywhere near the Turtle Rock area where the ride starts. This is where everyone parks for the day, so it's going to get crowded fast but at least you don't have far to drive/ride once you get up.


----------



## PseuZQ (Mar 27, 2002)

ericm979 said:


> I've been carrying Endurolytes since I figured out that I loose salt on long hot rides. My skin, helmet straps and clothes get covered with salt. It's kind of gross but it's not like there's anything I can do about it.


Look on the bright side -- at least you have a ready source of sodium should you ever run out of salt tabs.


----------



## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

*Another thing to consider*

A little late to the post, but I live below the area and ride the Death Ride route for fun along with doing it again this year. Another thing to remember to save time (saving time is a good thing) is the layout of your rest stops. Upon leaving Turtle Rock Park and heading up Monitor you are likely going to have to strip your clothes before starting the climb if you started in cold weather. Strip them off at the base of monitor where there is a huge pullout that gets you out of the way. Once starting up Monitor you'll be sweating and plenty warm and it's more difficult to pull out and strip down if you need to (not as much space). When you reach the top load up on all your food there and water there. Eat what you comfortably can, stuff some food in your pockets, reload your water, and roar down the backside. Ignore the rest stop at the bottom. It only takes 10-15 minutes to get down there and you won't need any more food or water if you topped off at the top. Just get your sticker and turn around. It's going to be hot so pace yourself on the climb. There is a water stop about 1/2 way back up. If you are using a camelback you won't need it, but if you are using bottles have them ready to be filled. They often have kids running along filling the bottles on the move for people. Once back at the top you'll want to reload your water again and can refuel if you want but I normally just top of the water and go. The next rest stop is on Ebbits near the base. I normally get a light amount of food on this one to get me to the top and always top off my water here. My pockets are normally stuffed with food so I eat on the way to this rest stop so I don't have to fight the crowds except for water. Then at the top of Ebbits eat everything you can comfortably force into your stomach, rewater, restuff your pockets, and head down the hill. At the base you'll do the same thing as Monitor and just turn around and begin the slow, hot climb (assuming no thunder boomers have formed up) back up. Refuel, rewater again at the top, make sure your pockets are packed and head for the last pass. You'll do fine and save some time. A lot of beginners like to hit every rest stop for 10-15 minutes or more. Unless you've got an emergency skipping a couple is a good thing timewise. We're always looking for other people to join us on rides in the area, so if you are ever interested PM me and we'll meet you with you up here.

Someone mentioned staying in South Lake and that's a good idea. Another good one is Minden/Gardnerville which is only about 25-30 minutes away.

Good luck. You'll both love and hate it.


----------



## Gnarly 928 (Nov 19, 2005)

Hey, you can also do this ride without all the hype. Just go some week day and frigging ride it on your own. I have done so a few times and it is pretty easy to pull off, other than the physical effort of raising your body and bike all those verts...

Never really understood the whole hype about 'being selected.." or buying a ticket..Stop at a store for food, pack three bottles of your own, carry a filter water pump, if you are a thirsty person...Stash some food here and there for yourself and your riding partners..Be brave, you can do it all on your own...And you won't have to spend a whole day in "traffic"...3000 other cyclists all riding the same highways on the same day? Where's the fun in that kinda crush?

Don Hanson


----------



## Completebum (Oct 14, 2005)

I have never done the Death Ride but I have done the Everest Challenge in Bishop and am wondering how the two compare. The Death Ride is ~10 miles longer and has ~400 ft more climbing than Day 1 of the EC, but on Sunday in the EC you have to go another 86 miles with 13k of gain. For those who have done both-what was more difficult and why? 
Has anyone ever done the Son of the Death Ride? http://www.sonofdeathride.com/36601.html

Paul


----------



## PseuZQ (Mar 27, 2002)

If I were at the appropriate fitness level, doing it unsupported is definitely something I'd consider. I'm no longer huge fan of rides with 2500+ people.


----------



## kreger (Mar 10, 2004)

there are 364 other days to do it by yourself. group rides offer a dynamic that i find appealing- the camaraderie, the instant teamwork, meeting all sorts of folks and the route support are great for me. its kinda a celebration of everyones preparation. 

you dont get the hype, fine. there is more for us to enjoy


----------



## Ridgetop (Mar 1, 2005)

Yeah Kreger, it's just the fun of sweating it out with a bunch of other riders I guess. Like I said, I live and ride in the area all the time. There's a big difference between when it's just me and an occasional rider and a big group. I also hate having to predrive to places on the route to make a couple of stashes, and I don't want to have to haul a water filter along. We'll ride it at least once before the actual D-ride, but I actually have a lot of fun on the main ride. Also, I like earning the 5 pass jersey for some reason.


----------



## RedRex (Oct 24, 2004)

Are there any Terrible Two or Devil Mountain Double vets here? Curious how you might rate the Death Ride in relation to these two doubles. I've ridded TT and DMD and was wondering if The Death Ride seems easier, similar, or harder?


----------



## rzims (Nov 15, 2005)

I don't know that I'd do the son of death ride, but I have to say, that is one cool looking jersey


----------



## Gnarly 928 (Nov 19, 2005)

I've not done the Everest Challenge myself but have some very well respected racer buddies who have done, and they say it is very difficult, indeed! I've put the website below for those of you who didn't get "Selected" to join that Markleeville circus, check it out..

One difference, and this can be a big difference, is that you can choose to really race the EC (USCF sanctioned) rather than just pretend race. Or, you can do it like the Death Ride and 'informally' try to beat everyone or just try to finish as much of it as you can.

I have friends who say stuff like "Hey, I smoked the field at the" XXX century" ride this weekend" or "I did the _____ ride faster than almost everyone" Well, all that is easy to say, and while I'll give many recreational riders that they are 'hell for strong and fast", doing it(beating other racers) in an actual race, where others will show up either ahead or behind you in the formal finishing order, that is a bit different.
.If you want to have valid actual "results" to boast about, or a check or a prize to show off, enter into an actual race and see how you do..I am betting most would be a slight bit humbler after their first actual formal race.

Here is the website for that Everest Challenge event..

http://everestchallenge.com/

Don Hanson


----------



## j18551 (May 11, 2007)

Death Ride is a hell of a ride. Beautiful & agonizing all at the same time. Here's a good story about the 5 passes of the 2006 Death Ride.

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendID=162474425


----------



## imjps (Feb 15, 2005)

As of May 10th, Ebetts Pass is open! Woo hoo, get your training in.


----------



## rzims (Nov 15, 2005)

I'm not sure about my lodging situation. I think the group I'm riding with has a campsite, but I haven't gotten confirmation from them.
If I drive up the night before and plan on sleeping in my campershell, is parking available close to the start?


----------



## stealthman_1 (May 2, 2004)

RedRex said:


> Are there any Terrible Two or Devil Mountain Double vets here? Curious how you might rate the Death Ride in relation to these two doubles. I've ridded TT and DMD and was wondering if The Death Ride seems easier, similar, or harder?


I don't know why, but I didn't find DMD nearly as bad as the TT or the Death Ride, maybe because I was SO pumped for it. That said TT is far worse IHMO because no matter what it won't be 115 degrees on the Death Ride, I hate the sound of the guardrail creaking as it heats climbing to the Geysers! My sage advice is...get there a couple days early if you can, the elevation can be hard on sea level folks, plan to see your heart rate 10 to 15 bpm higher for the same level of exertion. Start early, Monitor 2 is a hot ride even at 9am. Don't forget Carson Pass! Even though it is the 'easiest' climb of the day, it is long grueling, in traffic, and you've already got 4 big passes behind you. Even though I'm a solo rider and ride that area frequently using the stash method, the sight of several hundred riders behind you chugging up the backside of Monitor as you work up the switchbacks, with no cars in sight, is one you will always remember. Have a blast!


----------



## mquetel (Apr 2, 2006)

RedRex said:


> If I wanted to sleep in my truck the night before, where might I do that?


When I rode it in 2001 we camped near the airstrip... plenty of others did also.


----------



## Gnarly 928 (Nov 19, 2005)

*EC climbs are steeper..*



Completebum said:


> I have never done the Death Ride but I have done the Everest Challenge in Bishop and am wondering how the two compare. The Death Ride is ~10 miles longer and has ~400 ft more climbing than Day 1 of the EC, but on Sunday in the EC you have to go another 86 miles with 13k of gain. For those who have done both-what was more difficult and why?
> Has anyone ever done the Son of the Death Ride? http://www.sonofdeathride.com/36601.html
> 
> Paul


 I've been considering the EC race (they also offer non-timed support for uncompetitive riders of the course). This spring, I scoped-out the route in person and rode a couple of the climbs out of Big Pine (the second day of the Everest Challenge route). The Glacier View (?) climb, west into the Sierras is much steeper than any part of the Markleeville ride. Being Macho (I joke, that was the lowest wheel I had along) I rode it in a 39-23, and there were a few times when I thought I was gonna do a "Laugh-In" tricycle flop right in the road...almost could not get my cranks over the top, the gradient was so steep. I don't have my Garman readout right here, but I recall sustained 12%+ and very high altitude. I saw one car during my whole climb and descent..

I only did the one climb due to my travel schedule, but if and when I go do it as a race, I certainly will take some lower gearing..Sheesh! I'd planned to ride some more of the climbs on my return trip north, but it was snow squalling and real windy as I passed through mid-April. (good excuse?) 29, 000' of elevation gain in two days, that is big. 

I'd guess, having ridden the Markleeville route a few times, and studied up on the Everest Challenge climbing race...The Everest Challenge is significantly more ambitious..One of my riding buddies, who has a couple of Nat. Ch. jerseys, and finished 2nd over all in the EC a few years back says he has NEVER done a tougher race!

The Death Ride is absolutely no small deal, don't take me wrong. I am not downplaying the difficulty and the beauty of that area's riding. If I were there on the right day, and "chosen", I'd (attempt to?) do it again any time and feel the same sense of accomplishment as anyone else who does a ride that leaves regular people's jaws slack when they hear about it. However, actually racing against others over that kinda terrain..that is a whole other dimension.. Can you imagine trying to match an attack on the final climb after 28, 000' and 10 hours of racing?...(for me, it'd be about 30 hours of racing, but...still, racing...Different than a group ride..)

Don Hanson

If I read the race bible correctly, that is just the first pass of the second day.


----------



## ericm979 (Jun 26, 2005)

Gnarly 928 said:


> I've been considering the EC race (they also offer non-timed support for uncompetitive riders of the course).
> 
> Don Hanson
> 
> If I read the race bible correctly, that is just the first pass of the second day.


Don, you should race it, it'll be epic.

I've ridden both. The EC is about three times harder than the Death Ride. The climbs are steeper and longer and go to higher elevations. The Death Ride's stated elevation gain is rather, um, optimistic. Not that I'm feeling cheated by the end mind you. The biggest difference is that the EC is a race, not a ride. While some people do the Death Ride pretty fast and sometimes things get competitive on the road, no one is taking official times. That right there makes the EC twice as hard. Having to get up the second day and go again is pretty difficult too.


----------



## parity (Feb 28, 2006)

My wife signed up for the Death Ride but won't be able to do it, so if anyone is interested I have an extra ticket for sale.


----------

