2013 - Death Ride

Death Ride; Alpine County, CA - Saturday July 13, 2013

My dad and I discussed riding the famous “Death Ride” for a few years.  I heard about the ride from a few people and frequently see cyclists sporting the distinctive skeleton-styled event jersey out on the roads.  Last December we secured two spots and my dad booked his trip to visit us and make a weekend trip up to the Sierras. 

This ride is a big one, covering 129 miles and climbing about 15,000 feet.  The event features five climbs over three passes, beginning with climbing Monitor pass and Ebbetts pass from both sides before finishing with Carson pass.  The route centers around the starting line which supports the “ride” format quite well.  Unlike a race, participants ride without timing chips or an official time.  Stickers are awarded at the top of each climb to track everyone’s progress.  Riders who climb all five passes are invited to purchase an expensive finisher’s jersey that has a big skeleton on it and sign a commemorative banner that is hung at Alpine County’s Chamber of Commerce.

The race starts about 45 minutes south of South Lake Tahoe, so we stayed in South Lake and awoke at 4AM for a 5AM start.  We decided to ride at our own pace.  I wanted to do all five climbs while not shelling myself before a big mountain bike race the following weekend, whereas my dad looked to complete three climbs while breathing in all of the thin air he could.  We were registered and rolling just in time for the sun to greet us with fantastic scenery.

The ride is very pretty and covers some very well maintained roads through the high country.  The climbs were all fairly gradual, but passing people was scary given the clogged roads!  There is nothing like seeing thousands of cyclists of varying ability simultaneously ascend/descend windy mountain roads.  Fortunately, as the day progressed and the crowds faded, I relaxed a bit and enjoyed the ride.

The “ride” format was great as it removed all pressure and featured many well stocked aid stations with food as opposed to gels.  Never before have I enjoyed mid-ride ice cream and eaten my weight in PB&Js, no crust, at every turn.

The rolling buffet came to an end after nine hours in the saddle and five passes.  I signed the finishers’ banner but, surprise surprise, decided to pass on the jersey.  The best part of the weekend, by far, was getting to share this time in the Sierras with my dad.  He accomplished his goal of three climbs and we both enjoyed poking around the Lake Tahoe for the rest of the weekend while planning our next adventure together.