Day 4: Auburn to Truckee.

Time Zone : Pacific (GMT -8)
Todays Distance 73 miles
Cycling time 7hrs 39 mins

Today’s cumulative ascent 8330 ft

Average Heart rate 116 bpm
Distance so far: 262 miles

Ascent so far: 15880 ft

Todays Profile:

Todays Route: ( in yellow)

Dedication: Today is for the Abbey students as they sit in to the first exam (Lc and JC) especially those who may have felt the courses tough going. Like the climbing today, keep the head down and only compare with your own previous performance. Best of luck.

We were told that today would be the toughest climbing day of the cycle (not the toughest day). It turned out just like that, but it wasn't impossible. It was a matter of keeping your own pace and being consistent and persistent. 'Me versus the Mountain'. I'm told that so much of this cycle is all about attitude and working on short-term targets. The first 3 days was just an appetiser (understatement) and today was to be the main-course. It was. But the steak was tough; the potatoes were only half-done and it was a wobbly table. But our waiters (support staff) were first class.

Don't get me wrong...it wasn't a horror story. It was tough but very satisfying.

By 6am all the luggage was loaded and I just had the continental breakfast (I passed on the Grand Slam that was available in Dennys just across the road. I hit the road solo now that I was comfortable with the cue-sheet. Just distances and directions; no map. I enjoyed the camaraderie the other days but I decided to go to the first SAG stop on my own. The navigation work fine as I hit into the pine trees just above Auburn in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada and the oldest gold-rush town in California. That was all in 1848 while the Famine was scourging Ireland. At 4.1 mile I hit the first climb ... something like going over the Vee above Clogheen, a long steady pull. Deb (from Illinois) caught up to me but was having a few problems with navigation. I called her back on two different occasions after she had taken a wrong turn and she appreciated it. (See Heard Today below).At this stage the route took us through plentiful stands of pine trees with the road undulating horizontally and vertically... in many ways it reminded me of the road from Nongpo up to Shillong (without the Sumos). At the 16 mile mark Deb went on and I fell in with Kip (Florida) till the first SAG stop. Together we faced the long climb up Norton Grade Road, a narrow road in total shade and a 15% section of climb near the end. At this stage we were above the 3000 feet altitude mark and I could feel it on that tough piece. I had never cycled before at such an altitude. Even the higher altitudes at the end of the day posed no problem except that my ears popped a few times. The air was getting thinner but the sunshine made it summer for me. The Americans were regarding it as very cold and Suresh from Trinidad didn't know what had hit him.

We reached the first SAG stop at 9 am after 26 miles and an aggregate 3000 feet climbed; and all that before breakfast ! Fruit, energy bars and water were taken and opinions swopped with the various riders coming in.
After SAG four of us formed another international group - Steve (Australia), Piet and Hetty (a couple from the Netherlands (a country not famous for its hills) and myself. We set out on Gold Run Road always rising with the occasional downhills. After a tough climb, it is natural to enjoy a downhill, but those feet lost have to be made up again. At 32 miles we moved out onto the hard-shoulder of Interstate-80 (previously arranged with CHIPS the Highway patrol). This was a noisy section beside the truck lane and involved 15 miles of a steady climb. There was a double relief to come off the I-80 in that Michelle had the second SAG stop just there. Now we were on the Donner Pass road. The Donner Party was a group moving out west in 1840's that were stuck at this Pass as they struggled to get their wagons over. (Look it up on the Internet) Half of them died and we paid a visit to the Donner Memorial museum down by Donner Lake. No charge for cyclists, $6 for everyone else. Absolutely stunning scenery all around with snow by the side of the road still. This is skiing country. We passed one hotel with its sign out 'Closed for the Summer' That's a new one. From the top of the Donner Pass we had a screaming 4 mile descent to the Lake. This was the reward for all the climbing we did....over 8000 feet in a littlE more than 7 hours.

After the museum we were on the outskirts of Truckee ( not great coverage for mobile phones up here) and at 4.30 our little group checked into Best Western Truckee Tahoe Inn and all our luggage waiting for us in the foyer.

A most satisfying day for all to judge from the comments at dinner time. Nobody regretting the day and all looking forward to another great day's cycling tomorrow. But a well-earned night's rest first

Heard today: 'I think I'll have to stick with you for the day' Deb after saving her from disastrous wrong navigation options.

Thank God for the health and thank God for the energy.