Did one of the most difficult rides I have ever done. It was only 41 miles, but it had 5,472 feet of climbing. I climbed Mosquito Road in Placerville from Broadway to Rock Creek Road, then took Rock Creek Road to Chili Bar, where I turned around. The climb back up Rock Creek Road seemed to go on forever, but finally it ended and I got to enjoy a fun descent down Mosquito to the river and back out of the canyon. Good steep fun! Yes, I mean the climbing.

I also ended up with my second A & S type of video. A silver Toyota Tacoma, CA license 8S64255, passed while I was climbing back up Mosquito Road to Placerville. Somebody in the truck yelled "Get off the road!" This is in spite of me being on the right side of the road, out of the way.

That same truck passed me at an unsafe speed on the climb up Mosquito to Rock Creek Road. That was also caught on camera on the sufferfest video. The yelling incident is a separate video.

This is the first time I have had a problem with a driver in the Sierra foothills. If you ride in the Placerville area, watch out for this jackass!

Luckily, the footage I got at the top of the climb back up Mosquito to Placerville made up for the BS. As I approached the top, two fawn ran across the road and jumped the fence. A car caught up to me at the stop sign. The two guys inside struck up a conversation when they saw the deer also. One of them asked me if I rode down to the river. When I told them that I did that and rode down Rock Creek to Chili Bar, they were impressed. You can see the deer going down the road in front of me on the video as I'm talking to the two guys.

I told them they made up for the motorist who told me to get off the road earlier, and thanked them.

Garmin Connect data: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/99662106

Here's the climb up Mosquito Road, both directions starting from the bridge over the American River, which I rode across. The speeding Toyota Tacoma is visible starting at 3:06.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qA7UZtcGVKE

Here's the dumbass in the Tacoma yelling at me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqAng5CRsOM

Here's the fawn and the friendly dudes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EcYseNbTSk

Steep!


Mosquito Road 15% grade sign by kittyz202, on Flickr

Here's a picture of the first 18% switchback I saw during my descent from Placerville. I measured it on the climb back up by riding into the steepest part of the switchback, which I normally don't do a lot of on long climbs, in order to conserve energy.


Mosquito Road 18% grade switchback by kittyz202, on Flickr

Around the corner from that switchback.


'yield to uphill traffic' sign on Mosquito Road by kittyz202, on Flickr

Almost to the bottom.


bottom of Mosquito Road climb by kittyz202, on Flickr

American River


American River at bottom of Mosquito Road climb 2 by kittyz202, on Flickr

Nice steep switchback near the bottom of the descent from Rock Creek Road.


Mosquito Road steep switchback by kittyz202, on Flickr