June 4, Day 4

Left picture is of the Donner Pass Memorial.

Right picture is us with Donner Lake in the background.

Us on the way up the Pass. Amy on the first set of beautiful roads

June 4, 2008
Fairfield to Truckee, CA
Milage: 74.7
Weather: Started in the 50's went to the 60's and then to the 30's

Dear All,

Well, this was a brute of a day. Incredibly difficult riding with incredible vistas. We rode 74.7 miles with over 8,400 feet of climbing. Essentially, of the total miles, over 45 were uphill and not just little hills. We were climbing 12 and 13% grades with one stretch of 17 miles at a 7% grade.

We started out on the most beautiful road you can imagine. Virtually no traffic and a bright blue sky with hardly a cloud in sight. The road dipped and twisted with really pretty views. The topography of CA has changed measurably over the last day or so. Until now it's been flat with very little green. Mostly fields of brown grass or wheat. Pretty, but just a bit drab. As the day progressed and we started going up, it began to look more and more like Vermont. Hills, big old pine trees and babbling brooks to ride along side.

Within the first 20 miles the road started to seriously tilt up as we moved in the direction of Donner Pass. At the 32 mile mark we jumped on I-80 for 17 miles of climbing. Riding along side the 18 wheelers is not the most exciting thing to do, but apparently it is the only way to get us where we were headed. We finally got off the I-80 and picked up Donner Pass Road which as you might expect takes one slowly but surely over Donner Pass. By this time Amy was beginning to have some serious problems with her left knee but she wouldn't quit.

At the top of the pass, there was snow all around. The “Kodak moments” were everywhere. No matter where you looked the views were better than a minute earlier. It was truly awesome. Once over the top we had a 5 mile switchback descent that was a thrill to say the least.

Tomorrow is our last day in CA as we enter NV. We climb again to go over Rose Mountain at 8,900 feet. Wish us good weather and as, always, good

vibes.
John and Amy