Last Saturday I was up in the Sierra foothills above Auburn for a great group ride over some very challenging terrain. This ride is highly recommended if you're looking for a lot of climbing in pretty country without many cars around. Even better if you do it with SAG support like we did, because there isn't much out here and it can get pretty hot.
Matt had done a variation of this ride a few years back and had always talked about it as a true epic -- nearly 10K of climbing in the first half of the ride, followed by a 40 mile constant downhill run. Because of the early season snow, we weren't able to do the loop in this way, but we did an out-and-back ride with a similar profile. The difference was a 9 mile uphill to finish the ride. "Conserve" was thus the rule of the day.
The ride started in Foresthill and immediately dropped 9 miles into the steep canyon of the Middle Fork of the American River. From there, a brief but stout climb took us one drainage over to the Rubicon River and the base of the infamous "corkscrew" hill. This is not a fun hill to climb (even less fun to descend) -- a few miles of very steep grades up to 18-20%, ascending nearly 2,500 painful feet. The first half of the hill was already the hardest single climb I had ever ridden. Just when I thought I was at the top and was about to explode, Tad came around the corner in the SAG wagon and said "only about a mile and a half left to the top!" To add insult to injury, the road pitched up even steeper at that point for the next mile. Ugh.
Eventually we all made it to a rest and regroup at the top of the climb. From there, it was a steady series of rolling climbs up towards French Meadows reservoir over utterly deserted roads with great vistas all around. At around 5,500' above sea level, we turned around and reversed the route. The nine mile climb back out at the end wasn't so bad -- tempo climbing and felt damn good. Plus, beers and great food were waiting for us. The ride was a bit over 70 miles, but with 9,000' of climbing. Big day.
Matt and PurplePatch really outdid themselves on this one. Awesome ride support, great route selection, superb food and company. Here's the map of our route, and below are some photos.
Matt had done a variation of this ride a few years back and had always talked about it as a true epic -- nearly 10K of climbing in the first half of the ride, followed by a 40 mile constant downhill run. Because of the early season snow, we weren't able to do the loop in this way, but we did an out-and-back ride with a similar profile. The difference was a 9 mile uphill to finish the ride. "Conserve" was thus the rule of the day.
The ride started in Foresthill and immediately dropped 9 miles into the steep canyon of the Middle Fork of the American River. From there, a brief but stout climb took us one drainage over to the Rubicon River and the base of the infamous "corkscrew" hill. This is not a fun hill to climb (even less fun to descend) -- a few miles of very steep grades up to 18-20%, ascending nearly 2,500 painful feet. The first half of the hill was already the hardest single climb I had ever ridden. Just when I thought I was at the top and was about to explode, Tad came around the corner in the SAG wagon and said "only about a mile and a half left to the top!" To add insult to injury, the road pitched up even steeper at that point for the next mile. Ugh.
Eventually we all made it to a rest and regroup at the top of the climb. From there, it was a steady series of rolling climbs up towards French Meadows reservoir over utterly deserted roads with great vistas all around. At around 5,500' above sea level, we turned around and reversed the route. The nine mile climb back out at the end wasn't so bad -- tempo climbing and felt damn good. Plus, beers and great food were waiting for us. The ride was a bit over 70 miles, but with 9,000' of climbing. Big day.
Matt and PurplePatch really outdid themselves on this one. Awesome ride support, great route selection, superb food and company. Here's the map of our route, and below are some photos.
Matt gives the pre-ride briefing.
About to roll out. Kim looking fashionable as always.
The canyon we would ride into and climb out of -- several times!
The initial long descent of nine miles.
The "North Fork of the Middle Fork of the American River". Confused?
Climbing "Stop Sign Hill"
Yours truly topping out on the Corkscrew. Note the "18% grade" sign behind me.
At the top near French Meadows.
Mike and I near the top.
Rolling home along the Rubicon River
Tad the master chef whips up some dinner.
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