In addition to the Nevada Day Parade, Halloween parties, and all the other fun things going on this weekend, here are two bicycle events that you may be interested in.
The Great Tahoe Flume Race
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Lake Tahoe-Nevada State Park, Spooner Lake
A mountain bike race to remember!
Flume Trail above Sand Harbor
The Flume Trail
The Flume Trail, with spectacular views of Lake Tahoe, follows the route of an old flume and tunnel system dating
back to 1877 that carried water from Marlette Lake to Virginia City. The trail was cleared for riding by Max Jones in 1983 to complete the first loop ride in the park. Max is a former veteran National Champion and member of the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame. Max founded and ran the Great Flume Race from 1984-1996. He operates Flume Trail Bikes at Spooner Lake which not only handles much of the trail work on the Flume Trail, but offers a fleet of high end rental bikes, an hourly shuttle service, and overnight backcountry cabin rentals.
Bike Patrol – www.tahoebikepatrol.org
The Bike Patrol in the Lake Tahoe-Nevada State Park is in its 10th year of service. In that time, it has helped countless users of the backcountry with directions, mechanical help, and medical assistance. The organization is one of the largest chapters of IMBA’s National Mountain Bike Patrol. All proceeds from this event will go to the Lake Tahoe Nevada State Park Backcountry Patrol, Inc., a non-profit organization to fund patrol equipment, medical supplies, and first aid training for patrollers.
Course Description
Starting near Spooner Lake at an elevation of 7000’, the course starts up a 4 mile, 1100’ climb to the top of North Canyon. A short descent takes the riders around Marlette Lake and onto the Marlette Flume Trail. Along the Flume Trail there is a mandatory dismount at the rockslide. Once off the Flume Trail, a short but steep climb takes riders over Tunnel Creek Road where a sandy downhill drops riders onto the Red House Flume. Passing the historic Red House, riders begin the brutal climb up Sunflower Hill. Halfway up the climb, they will divert to the freshly built upper section of the Marlette-Hobart link trail and climb that singletrack up to the Tahoe Rim Trail near the Marlette Campground. They will then descend the TRT to Hobart Road and continue down to Marlette Lake where the final climb takes them to the finish
line at the top (saddle) of North Canyon Road. The course is 19 miles (23 miles total) with 3200’ of climbing. After the finish line, there is a 4 mile downhill ride back to the start. It is important that riders control their speed and yield to other trail users through this section.
Sierra Cup Regional Championship Series
This event is the sixth race of the Sierra Cup Regional Championship Series for Northern California and Nevada. To be eligible for the Regional Championship series, you must hold a 2011 USA Cycling Mountain Bike Racing License. Full series rules are posted on the Reno Wheelmen website.
Registration
Race is limited to 200 racers. Online Registration on www.BikeReg.com will open on August 1st and close on Wednesday, September 7 at 8pm PDT or when filled.
Online Pre-Registration is $35 ($20 for Women and Juniors). $10 late fee for Day-Of registration, if space is available. Race is held under USA Cycling permit and insurance. A 2011 USA Cycling Mountain Bike Racing License is required or a one-day racing license may be purchased for $5 (except for Pro Category). Race Day Registration/check-in opens at 7:30am and closes at 9:15am.
Registration fees include a memorable race on beautiful high Sierra trails, a huge product raffle, BBQ lunch and beer, and hopefully live music.
Race Times
Race starts at 9:30am in one minute waves BBQ lunch served from 11am-1:30 pm Awards Ceremony around 1:30pm
Product Raffle around 1:45 pm
Prizes
$300 cash purse to top 3 fastest Male and Female racers regardless of category. Medals to top 3 in each category. Custom plaques for the fastest male + female racers.
Parking
There is limited parking, please try to carpool. Parking is available at the race site inside the State Park for a fee. Overflow parking is available across Hwy 28 approximately ¼ mile south of the park entrance. Please obey traffic laws and ride single file when riding on Hwy 28.
Questions
Please refer to www.renowheelmen.org or www.BikeReg.com for additional information
and if you still have a question, e-mail Kevin at mtb11@renowheelmen.org
This year, the Sierra Cup Mountain Bike Race Series has been hugely successful in drawing lots of riders from around the area to compete in races in Nevada and California. So far, 3 of 7 races have been completed – the Pine Nut Cracker in Gardnerville, NV, the Skyline Cup near Napa, CA and the Peavine Challenge in Reno. The race series entry fees benefit a variety of local bike clubs that devote their time and energy to maintaining the trails in the area, so it’s a worthwhile way to support these organizations and to try out some trails that some of us don’t ride as regularly.
Melissa Jones
Peavine was last weekend, after being rescheduled from the original date due to rain. I went up to take part in the action, and if I had to use two words to sum up the race, it would be these: HOT and UP. The course climbed a lot up Peavine in the hot sun, and it was definitely a day to carry plenty of water. There was a water stop on the course that riders passed twice on the full lap and once on the half lap, but that was not enough, and I emptied a water bottle and most of my Camelbak.
Cortney Bloomer
I was racing the Sport Women 19-39 class, which was supposed to ride one and a half laps. The pro riders rode 2 laps, and the beginners rode 1 lap. After the first full lap, I decided I wasn’t going to be able to finish, it was so tough and I was recovering from being sick. So, I headed back to the Start/Finish area to wait and cheer on the other riders as they finished, and partake of the post-race food. There were burgers and the best watermelon ever. I don’t know if it was really the best watermelon, or if it just tasted so good because only moments earlier I thought I might suffer an untimely death from exposure out on the course! Either way, it was delicious.
Susan McElhany
Because of the hot conditions, my hat goes out to all the riders, including a few fellow Carson City riders, who were able to not only finish the race, but stand on the podium during the awards ceremony: Levi Grabow won the Sport Men 19-29 category, Brian Wallace won the Sport Men 30-39, Melissa Jones took second in Sport Women 19-39, and Susan McElhany was second in Sport Women 40+. Also, Seth Jezek was the third place rider in Junior Men 14 and under. All the riders from Carson City did a great job last weekend, and you can probably see them out riding our local trails. If you see them, ask them about their experience at the race.
I really appreciate that the mountain biking community in our area puts forth so much support for these races. The local bike shops do a great job sponsoring these events, and there is always a nice raffle at the end, so even if it’s not your day to win, place, or show, you still might go home with some nice swag. At the end of the series, a series champion will be named, too.
If you’re a rider who is looking for a way to meet other riders from around the area and push yourself on a challenging course, there are still 4 races left, and you can sign up at Bikereg.com. The remaining races are: Kirkwood Mountain Classic at Kirkwood on July 30, Sky Tavern Classic in Reno on August 14, The Great Tahoe Flume Race on September 10, and the Sawtooth Ridge Challenge on October 2.
Here is some exciting news I found over onCarsonNOW.org. What a great addition to May’s Bike Month celebration!
Organizers of the the 2011 Amgen Tour of California, the largest cycling event in North America, announced today the Stage 1 and Stage 2 race routes for Lake Tahoe.
Lake Tahoe’s first-ever involvement in the race as the official Overall Start is Sunday, May 15 and begins at South Lake Tahoe at 6,300 feet, the highest start elevation in the six-year history of the competition. Stage 1 wraps up in North Lake Tahoe at Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort, with the Stage 2 Start taking place nearby at Squaw Valley USA on Monday, May 16.
Cyclists will begin at MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa on the California/Nevada border in South Lake Tahoe. The peloton will loop past Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course around Heavenly Village, past the starting line again and onto Lake Tahoe Boulevard (Highway 50) through the casino corridor then clockwise around the 72-mile perimeter of Lake Tahoe.
Riders will gain 700 feet in elevation as they wind up switchbacks on the West Shore. Upon reaching the top of scenic Emerald Bay, one of the most photographed places in the world and the first of three King of the Mountain finishes, they will descend 500 feet while exceeding speeds of 40 miles per hour until the flats of Homewood, home to Lake Tahoe’s oldest marina. Athletes will cruise along the historic West Shore, making their way to North Lake Tahoe and the heart of downtown Tahoe City and then onto Kings Beach.
Cyclists will leave the California side of the lake and enter Nevada, the first out-of-state course for the Tour, and pass through Incline Village. The group will skirt by spectacular Sand Harbor State Park and the legendary Thunderbird Lodge along the East Shore at lake level before a long and steady 1,000-foot ascent to Spooner Summit at an elevation of 7,150 feet.
Speeds here will increase to 45 miles per hour as they descend back toward the lake and through the tunnel at Cave Rock. Racers will then pass Zephyr Cove Resort, returning to Stateline, Nevada, the scene of the overall start.
After crossing the state line and back into California at South Shore, the peloton returns to Emerald Bay with its remarkable views and the second King of the Mountain finish. Here some riders may gain separation from the pack before their second descent onto the West Shore.
After passing Tahoe City for a second time, there’s a short ascent to Dollar Point before turning left up Brockway Summit (Highway 267) at North Lake Tahoe to 7,000 feet and one last chance for the climbers to dictate the race outcome with the third and final King of the Mountain finish. After cresting the summit, the lead group plunges down a rapid descent into a hard left turn onto Northstar Drive, where both sprinters and climbers will set-up for a high-speed blast to the finish line at Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort.
The spectator-packed finish line is also home to the Amgen Tour of California Lifestyle Festival, which features a health and fitness expo, cancer awareness education, cycling gear, family activities, bike safety, food and entertainment. Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort will also host a Break Away from Cancer Walk on Sunday, May 15.
Upon completing Stage 1, competitors will have ridden a lap-and-a-half around Lake Tahoe, the largest alpine lake in the country, conquering 119 miles and three mountains passes in approximately five hours and a total elevation gain of 5,500 feet.
North Lake Tahoe will host the Stage 2 Start of the 2011 Amgen Tour of California at Squaw Valley USA, home of the 1960 Winter Olympics, the following morning, Monday, May 16. The action starts directly under the historic Olympic rings at the center of the Village at Squaw Valley with riders peddling the cobbled corridors before turning onto Squaw Valley Road and then descending to the Olympic Flame entrance and a left-hand turn onto Highway 89.
The peloton will follow the picturesque Truckee River corridor as they make their way on Highway 89 toward Truckee and through the two roundabouts near the Interstate 80 overpass. Riders will then turn left onto historic Donner Pass Road before riding the ramp over Interstate 80 and past Donner Memorial State Park, home to the infamous Donner Party.
The pack will continue along the northern shoreline of Donner Lake as they make their approach to the steeps of Old Highway 40 on their way to Donner Summit and the day’s first King of the Mountain finish. With some of the best views of the approaching riders and Donner Lake far below, this spot is sure to jammed-packed with enthusiastic spectators.
From there, athletes speed pass Sugar Bowl Ski Resort, Donner Ranch Ski Resort and Soda Springs Ski Resort and descend into California’s Gold Country via Highway 20 and the finish line for Stage 2 at the Sacramento State Capitol.
“Lake Tahoe is pulling out all the stops to provide cyclists and spectators with an unforgettable experience,” said Tourism Director Andy Chapman of the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association. “This is our golden opportunity to make our mark on the cycling community, and businesses and organizations are eager to welcome the thousands of visitors who will be traveling to the lake, many for the first-time ever.”
“Hosting the overall start in South Shore will not only provide economic impact this year and beyond, but it will also further brand Lake Tahoe as a ‘must ride’ biking destination,” said Carol Chaplin, executive director of the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority.
Beginning with the inaugural race in 2006, the Amgen Tour of Californiaquickly became the most successful race in the United States with economic benefits to the state, global recognition and the level of competition. The race also set records in attendance for a single sporting event in California, as well as any cycling event ever held on U.S. soil, with more than 2 million spectators in previous years.
The North Lake Tahoe Resort Association and the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority are spearheading promotional and sponsorship efforts for the Lake Tahoe Stage 1 Start, Stage 1 Finish and Stage 2 Start, and serve on the Amgen Tour of California Lake Tahoe Local Organizing Committee. Stage 1 of the race is presented by Michelob Ultra, and Stage 2 is presented by the California Travel & Tourism Commission (CTTC).
In previous years, the race has drawn some of the world’s most recognizable and respected riders, such as top Tour de France competitors, world champions and Olympic medalists including Lance Armstrong, Tom Boonen, Oscar Freire, Paolo Bettini, Fabian Cancellara, Carlos Sastre, Ivan Basso, George Hincapie, Mark Cavendish and Andy Schleck.
The 2011 Amgen Tour of California will cover 800 miles and visit 15 Host Cities for official stage starts and finishes, while other cities along the route also will have the opportunity to witness the excitement of elite professional cycling.
Stages for the 2011 Amgen Tour of California include:
Stage 1: Sunday, May 15 – South Lake Tahoe to North Lake Tahoe-Northstar at Tahoe Resort
Stage 2: Monday, May 16 – North Lake Tahoe-Squaw Valley USA to Sacramento
Stage 3: Tuesday, May 17 – Auburn to Modesto
Stage 4: Wednesday, May 18 – Livermore to San Jose
Stage 5: Thursday, May 19 – Seaside toPaso Robles
Stage 6: Friday, May 20 – Solvang Individual Time Trial
Stage 7: Saturday, May 21 – Claremont to Mt. Baldy
Stage 8: Sunday, May 22 – Santa Clarita to Thousand Oaks
For best viewing points, where to catch the riders up close, a complete list of events (including the Tahoe 10-Day Countdown leading up to the race) and lodging accommodations, click to www.TahoeAmgenTourofCalifornia, follow us on Twitter and Facebook. For details about the Tour, visit www.amgentourofcalifornia.com.
…and we’re back! It was a busy couple weeks of good riding without a lot of time for writing. Let’s get caught up now with a mix of reader submitted photography and some of my own pictures and stories.
Levi @ District CX championships in Reno by Kary Grabow
First we have some CX championships racing action in Reno from Kary Grabow.
Paul Bass at the Bicycle Authority
Here’s a photo from the Bicycle Authority taken by Dan Turner, Paul Bass and his new 2011 Kona Cowan frame. Who’s Paul Bass you say? He’s a Kona Bikes pro rider, and is the guy that did a back flip over Ash Canyon road. Here’s a video of that stunt HERE.
Last race of the 2010 Season from Dan Turner
Here’s a photo of the Bicycle Authority BMX team at the last Carson race of the 2010 season.
Furly Night Commuter by Antoine Pethers
Here’s a photo from Antoine Pethers in New Zealand, riding his fur covered Surly, or “Furly” as he calls it. Antoine says, “Riding home from work on the East Coast Bay’s ‘Share with Care’ bike path. It’s nice to be physically separated from the drunks at this hour of the night. Getting warm in Auckland, shorts and a t-shirt at 10.30pm.”
Winter storms left the foothills covered in snow for days. Cold temperatures made the trails packed and frozen though, and we actually got some good riding in. It was definitely slow going and challenging, but the changing conditions really keep the same old trails interesting!
Robin Sharp riding the slushy snow above Lakeview.
Ashley Dale dropping down to the V&T
After our cold spell, the temperature warmed up at the noon hour, and the snow became butter cream frosting. Instead of riding on top of it, we were sliding through it, fighting to stay upright. There was walking and crashing involved at times which caused mixed emotions from the riders. Some grumbled, some laughed. I don’t think anyone cried. But in the end, it’s still nice to get out. Winter can be tough!
Rainbow Monkey
Last week the snow left the flats and southern facing slopes, leaving the trails in epic conditions. Hard packed sand with very little rolling resistance and tons of traction. Hero Dirt. One day we even had a rainbow to ride under.
Tom on the Four Day Trail
Although the Creek Trail is still under the snow at the bottom of the canyon, all the other trails were open in Ash Canyon including the higher elevation Evidence Trail. Clearing the switchbacks on this trail has never been easier!
Jingle Bell Run
Last weekend, my friend Brent and I had the opportunity to be ride leaders for the 5K Jingle Bell Run. I stayed up front with the leader to make sure people knew the course, and Brent floated around and helped with problem traffic areas. The runners were all decked out in Santa hats and jingle bells. What a good time!
I ain’t got no brakes!
We’ll finish with this video. Scott Russel demonstrates why disc brakes are a better idea on a snow bike!
These pictures were selected from the Bike Carson Flickr Pool. Instructions for adding your photos to the pool can be found HERE.
Here’s some great news from the Tahoe Bicycle Coalition! (and thank you to others who sent me the info as well)
It is Official! 2011 Amgen Tour of California in Tahoe.
The Amgen Tour of California, America’s number one professional cycling race, is coming to Tahoe to begin the 2011 tour.
The race begins on Sunday, May 15 in South Lake Tahoe and ends May 22 in Thousand Oaks.
Unique to a region and particularly Tahoe is that there will be two race starts and one finish. On the first day of the race, it will begin in South Lake Tahoe and finish at Northstar-at-Tahoe. On the second day, the race will begin from Squaw Valley USA and finish in Sacramento.
Here is the complete race schedule:
Sunday, May 15: South Lake Tahoe to Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort
After seeing the Sept. 1 post about the race on BikeCarson.com, I decided it would be fun to head up to Spooner and compete in the Great Tahoe Flume Race. I used to do a good bit of mountain bike racing “back East” in West Virginia where I lived before moving to Carson City a year and a half ago. I haven’t done any racing lately, but this seemed like a good excuse to get out and try a new trail and enjoy the weather, and eat cheeseburgers at the post-race bar-b-que.
Cortney on the Flume
I was a little nervous signing up for the race, because most (ok, all) of the riding I have been doing lately has been at lunch with the Jeff and Company up in Ash Canyon. Great riding, but the farthest I have been is about 12 miles, and the race was 18 miles, thus the concern that I would be able to finish. But, the Lunch Guys assured me that I would be fine, so off I went.
I arrived at Spooner about an hour before the 9:00 race start to get registered and do a little warm-up riding. The registration was done ahead of time online, so it didn’t take long to sign the waiver and get my race shirt. Then, all I had to do was wait for the start, which seemed like forever. I was racing in the Sport Women class, so we started at 9:03 after the Pros, Experts, and Sport Men had already taken off.
The race started with a 4-mile climb up to the saddle above Marlette Lake. Lots of climbing right off the bat! I felt strong on this climb, but that would not last the whole race. Next, the course dropped down around Marlette Lake and onto the famous Flume Trail. People keep telling me the view from the Flume trail is nice, but I wouldn’t know because I didn’t have time to stop and look. There were other riders on my tail, and I was pedaling as fast as I could in the big chain ring. It was probably for the best, because I may have fainted if I had time to look over the edge to Lake Tahoe. Since I was riding in the big chain ring, my legs had little chance to recover before making the next climb up Tunnel Creek Road. This was no good, because I hit a rock and spun my tires during the climb, but I was too tired to correct the bike and I had to get off. I got passed by 2 people. Bummer. But it was for the best, because while I was stopped, I had a snack, which gave me some extra energy for the next climb. At the top of Tunnel Creek was a water stop, but since I had plenty of water in my CamelBak, I just poured a cup of water over my head. Refreshing.
I wish someone would have told me that there was a sandy DOWNHILL of DOOM coming up, because I am not very good at riding in the sand, and my bike was fish-tailing all over the place. This downhill to the Red House Flume was the scariest part of the course. I rode VERY conservatively down this hill because I did not want to wreck.
Podium!
Jeff warned me during our lunch ride on Friday about Sunflower Hill. He told me that it seems that you are at the top, but that it keeps going. He was right. This climb seemed as though it would never end! It was a good opportunity to use my climbing skills though, and I was able to pass 3 people in this section. Hurrah! I was very happy when I got to the top. From there, it was just one more downhill, and then the climb back to the saddle above Marlette Lake. After 2 hrs and 24 minutes, I was finished, and I even got 2nd place in my category.
Since the race finished at the top of the hill, not back at the parking lot, we had an easy 4 mile cruise back down the hill, where hotdogs and cheeseburgers awaited the arrival of hungry racers. I had both. And a brownie. To wrap up the day, there were awards, both for the race and for the overall Nevada Cup series. Then there was a raffle. I think everyone that stuck around won a prize of some sort.
Post race prizes
Overall, my impression of this was that it was a very well-put together event. The course was challenging, but not impossible, and was very well-marked with arrows and streamers all along the route. Also, course marshals were stationed at every intersection to help and give directions if necessary. Thanks to the Reno Wheelmen for organizing it. This race was a fund-raiser for the Bike Patrol, thanks to them as well for keeping the trails safe for users. Hopefully this is the end of a long hiatus for this race. Can’t wait for next year!
Full results can be found on this PDF from the Reno Wheelmen’s site HERE. (Thank you for finding the link, Scott!)
I couldn’t find a name to credit the photography, but I found the photos HERE. (Thanks for the photo tip, Dusty!)
