Holiday weekend rides

[MojoGrrl]

Was that the ride around the lake? I watched and recorded a bike race that went around the lake last September. I recorded the riders climbing Spooner Summit, which has to be the easiest high altitude climb I've ever done (I climbed it after the race was over).

I'm climbing the Tahoe side of Kingsbury Grade Saturday on my new Dahon Speed D7, since I'll be renting a car and it's a PITA to put a full-size bike in a typical sedan.

I have a Dolce also and sometimes I wonder if it's the slowest road bike around. I think the Sirrus I bought used last summer for $250 is faster than my Dolce.

Yes, it was around the lake...very challenging but I am proud of myself for doing it! According to Strava, I ranked 2nd overall amongst women (who use the app) on my climb on Spooner. I do love my Dolce, but this titanium bike sure is fast!

[luv2climb]

Yes, it was around the lake...very challenging but I am proud of myself for doing it! According to Strava, I ranked 2nd overall amongst women (who use the app) on my climb on Spooner.

As you should be! Finishing a climb is always something to be proud of.

I don't fancy myself a super climber or anything, but that Spooner climb was ridiculously easy for some reason. I read that it was supposed to be something like a 6 or 7 mile climb, but it was over so quickly that at first I thought I was on the wrong road when I reached the summit.

Other climbs are hard like they're supposed to be, like the Tahoe side of Kingsbury Grade, where I measured a max grade of 12% last year. Another fun one is the last steep section of Ski Run Blvd. I measured 21% on that, and I'm going to attempt to climb it on the Dahon. I hope I don't break the handlepost climbing out of the saddle LOL!

[indysteel]

As you should be! Finishing a climb is always something to be proud of.

I don't fancy myself a super climber or anything, but that Spooner climb was ridiculously easy for some reason. I read that it was supposed to be something like a 6 or 7 mile climb, but it was over so quickly that at first I thought I was on the wrong road when I reached the summit.

Other climbs are hard like they're supposed to be, like the Tahoe side of Kingsbury Grade, where I measured a max grade of 12% last year. Another fun one is the last steep section of Ski Run Blvd. I measured 21% on that, and I'm going to attempt to climb it on the Dahon. I hope I don't break the handlepost climbing out of the saddle LOL!

Great job, Mojogrrl! A seven mile climb doesn't sound all that easy to me--and probably to many of us! From past threads about this ride, I'm gathered that successfully climbing Spooner is a big accomplishment. It's not just the climb itself, but where it falls along the ride, and my understanding is that it's near the end.

[luv2climb]

Great job, Mojogrrl! A seven mile climb doesn't sound all that easy to me--and probably to many of us! From past threads about this ride, I'm gathered that successfully climbing Spooner is a big accomplishment. It's not just the climb itself, but where it falls along the ride, and my understanding is that it's near the end.

I'll admit that when I climbed it it was the first climb on my ride, not the last:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/50666558

It just didn't feel as hard as the other climbs I've done. There are many climbs that feel very hard even when they're done first like Spooner was.

Here's video from the ride I'm talking about that a friend took of me climbing Spooner and the Tahoe side of Kingsbury Grade. Don't worry, there's no heavy breathing as it was recorded "third person", not the typical first-person effort like most of my videos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaR70lTtIl0

Again, I'm not trying to be a braggart like many of the roadies on other forums. I'm just being honest about what my experience was like.