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America's Most Beautiful Ride -- Around Lake Tahoe

I

ian408

Guest
My journey would take me from Sunnyvale to Lake Tahoe
and then to San Diego and finally home to Sunnyvale.

Lake Tahoe was the fun part and San Diego, the work part.

On Saturday, June 5th, I headed up to Lake Tahoe to marshall
my first bike ride. America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride -- Lake Tahoe.
The ride is 72 miles total with an optional 28 mile detour to
Truckee. Others opted for a 42 mile option. Oh, these are the
pedal variety bikes. I was sure glad mine was the throttle
twister kind :)

Four of us rode as marshalls. Our job was to keep riders to
the right as much as possible, to aid with any emergency and
to relay information from the course to the rest stops. Total
riding for the day? Twice around the lake and twice up and
back on the East side of the lake. Not bad.

This was the first long ride for many of the riders. This was my
first ride as support motorcyclist.

I was introduced to the ride on one of the other boards I read
by a 200,000 mile kinda guy, John Ferris out of Reno. I'm sure
glad I replied to John.

Our weekend started with a meet at the Econ Lodge in South
Lake Tahoe. John told me there'd be a bunch of bikes there and
we both thought bicycles. Was I surprised when I pulled into the
lot and was greeted (warmly too) by two guys named "chewy"
and "Ice" from the Iron Souls MC club out of Oakland, CA.

A teaser shot from Hwy 50 as I was coming into Tahoe.

4963442-M-1.jpg


John and his wife Jean arrived a bit later on their R bike. Bought
new in '92 and now with over 184,000 miles on the clock. They are ridin'
fools (I think they're on the road as we speak).

4963444-M-1.jpg


I looked forward to the ride and the opportunity to take a lot
of pictures. But riding slow doesn't lend itself to one handed
riding amoungst bicycles that are bound to dart in and out.

A view of the registration desk at O'dark thirty.

4963445-M.jpg


Here's a view of the lake from the East looking West.

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The riders started about 45 minutes ahead of us. We followed
at intervals and continued around the lake from Stateline, NV
heading clockwise around the lake.

Our biggest challenge came at the North side of Emerald Bay
as the riders bunched for the long climb. Traffic had come to a
halt and was eventually stopped by the CHP to allow the riders
to negotiate the tricky climb that is the North side of the bay.
Without the huge orange signs, I doubt they would have let
us through. We made our way through towns of Tahoma,
Homewood, Tahoe City, Incline Village, Round Hill and eventually,
back to Stateline.

Here's a view of the Tahoma Grocery where I stopped for a quick
drink.

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Someone must be putting on a production of the Sound of Music

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The finish line

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In all, riders totalled 3,500 and together, they raised over
$7,000,000 for the Lukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Monday morning, I headed South on 395 for San Diego where
a week of excitment would greet me at work. If you haven't
ridden 395, it's a beautiful ride. Along the way, I stopped ever
so briefly at a place called Manzanar. Many will recognize it as
a former Japanese internment camp. If you have the chance,
do visit. It is a powerful place.

Getting ready to leave Tahoe

4963456-M-1.jpg


Nearing Bridgeport

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Mammoth Lakes Bakery

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Looking back towards Mammoth

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In the Neighborhood of Mt. Whitney

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Lake Elsinore

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And finally, the view from my hotel

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While I was in San Diego, I did have the opportunity to see
several riding friends and to have a little pizza dinner with them
one night.

The ride home was more of a forced march (my choice) since I
was beginning to get tired from work and having been away for
the week. I headed up 101 at full speed arriving home in the
late afternoon.

Certainly a great way to enjoy the weekend, a great way to start
the week and a great way to end it--riding!

Till we meet again,

Ian
4963460-Ti-1.jpg
 
Nice report ian. I have ridden several of the MS 150 rides for charity and had gold wings as our helpers. I would love to get out there and ride the route you described.
 
:clap :clap :clap

Awesome! That's beautiful country up there. I've only been there in the summer a couple times, so when I think of Tahoe, I think of cold. Wierd, huh?
 
Ya know, the thing that kills me is that Tahoe and 395 were
so warm and sunny. Then you get to San Diego and it's smack
in the middle of the June Gloom season.

Go figure!

To those of you who haven't been, the route I took might
be considered a tease as the area has many more roads that
are well worth the consideration. Like 89 (Emigrant
Trail) out towards Monitor Pass. Takes you through the town
of Markleeville and Grover Hot Springs State Park.

The passes not to miss: Monitor, Ebbet's, Carson and Luther.
Just the prettiest places to be.

Ian
 
Ian,

Took Immigrant Trail in early May (was up in the area fro the CCBR Spring Fling). Was about 5 miles from the junction of 88 and was totally snowed in. We had to help a nice young lady out of a snow drift. She kind of figured her Hyundi was good in four feet of snow.;)
 
Tahoe ride

I lived in the shadow of the Sierras for several years, but didnÔÇÖt have a motorcycle. IÔÇÖve always wanted to go back and tour Lake Tahoe on two wheels. I think IÔÇÖm going to have my chance in September, as we are planning to be in Reno to help my son open his new restaurant. IÔÇÖll let you know how the ride turns out.
 
Re: Tahoe ride

JetDoc said:
I lived in the shadow of the Sierras for several years, but didnÔÇÖt have a motorcycle. IÔÇÖve always wanted to go back and tour Lake Tahoe on two wheels. I think IÔÇÖm going to have my chance in September, as we are planning to be in Reno to help my son open his new restaurant. IÔÇÖll let you know how the ride turns out.

Well now. Perhaps as it gets near opening, you'll let us know and we can help open the place?

Weather permitting of course.

Ian
 
If I could ever master the trick of shi**ing nickles, I'd have a house at Lake Tahoe in a second. A good friend lives right at the lake, and I'll agree in that it is one of the most amazing places in the country. Try the less busy north shore when you visit. THe Tahoe Biltmore is nice in an old fashioned kind of way with a full sports book. Accross the street is the CalNeva, which was a ratpack fav back in the day. Tahoe Brewing is a little brew pub that is right in the same area. Time for a visit myself...


RW
 
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