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Preface
Bill Chandwell and I left for the Eastern Sierra Double a day early. This was because we had some concerns about finishing the ride. We were looking for any advantage. Our greatest concern was the altitude of the Eastern Sierra so we decided an extra evening at higher altitude would help, if not physically then psychologically. With this in mind we left for South Lake Tahoe
When we arrived in South Lake Tahoe Nevada 30 feet before crossing into Nevada
In Nevada
After getting back to the room we hit the sack. Neither of us slept well and after a poor night’s sleep packed up and finished the trip to Bishop where the ride was to start.
We arrived early enough to allow time to nap which turned out to be a great idea. I was exhausted by the poor nights sleep in Tahoe the night before and the drive. And, the last thing I wanted to do was be tired Saturday morning.
Feeling refreshed from a nap we walked to the host hotel and signed in for the ride. The Eastern Sierra Double has an 18 hour time limit. Wanting to make sure we succeeded we chose the early start time which was 4am. You had to
declare this at sign in and assure the organizers that you’d take longer then 14 hours. I guess they felt that the riders would be too spread out if those who left early rode to fast. Neither, Bill or I had any aspirations of a sub 14 hour double century so this was an easy decision.
After 5 hours tossing and turning Friday night we woke up at 3am . We ate some Doughnuts (health food) we bought the day before and headed to the start. After a roll call of the riders who were to leave early
and some last minute ride info we headed out right at 4am
Mile 0 – 29.6 Bishop to Round Valley School
We headed out in the dark with about 25 other riders. Once leaving the city limits the larger group had split up. We were soon in just the company
of 5 other riders. The air was calm, the temperature cool and moon still up and full. It hung low enough to highlight the outline of the Sierras. It was a surreal experience. As if we were not riding but watching ourselves move along. Soon, the moon crept behind the mountains and the sun began to rise on the range opposite to us. We soon crested a small incline and began to coast down a long straight road running toward Round Valley 6:10 . The crew was still setting up. Our early arrival was a good thing as the cut off times of the next two stops are strictly enforced. We kept the stop short taking time just to fill up bottles and use the bathroom and then heading on.
Mile 29.6 – 48.7 Round Valley Crowley Lake Park
After leaving the first check point both Bill and I knew we’d soon be climbing. We back tracked on our trip to Bishop to scout this climb. It’s over 8 miles long and gains over 3000ft. Knowing this we simply spun along and chatted waiting for the monster climb. The climb began at mile 32 on Old Sherwin Grade. The climb is
deceptive. It looks as if you are not climbing yet each time you hit a switch back you could see the green oasis of Round Valley 100 feet up the hill as I took a conservative approach. At mile 39 we hit the summit and flew down about a mile only to be greeted with another 3 miles of climbing back to hwy 395. We then took a left turn and passed a Mountain store called Tom’s Place and then Crowley
Lake 8:45 . Our timing was still going well as we were over an hour ahead of the closing time. We spent about 10 minutes here tanking up and getting some food before heading on.
Mile 48.7 – 71.5 Crowley Lake
After leaving Crowley Lake
71.5 – 104.5 Crestview to Mono
Lake
Once we were back on the bikes our legs felt heavy and slow. The majority of the climbing was behind us but its effects had filled our legs with lead. Again, we were back on Hwy 395 and slowly made our way to Dead Man’s Summit June Lake June Lake June Lake 15 mile loop felt shorter as time just drifted away while we were sight seeing. After the loop we again made a left tern to go north on Hwy 395. On 395 there’s a small pitch up following by a descent to Mono Lake
104.5 – 130.0 Mono Lake
After lunching on Subway Sandwiches and Soda Bill and I remounted for the trip back to Bishop. Although the majority of climbing was done we still needed to climb back to Sagehen Summit. This took us South on Hwy 395 out of Mono. At this point the wind had kicked up making the ascent up from the lake as well as the 8 miles to the next turn incredibly difficult. Finally after not being
able to reach a speed of 10 miles per hour due to wind we made a left turn onto Hwy 120. This took us out of the wind and down a long gradual descent. Because of the strong wind I made the turn a few minutes ahead of Bill. I didn’t think he’d be long so I sat up and enjoyed the descent and tail wind. I was now coasting at 25 plus miles an hour. This continued for several miles and then Bill caught up. On this section we passed the Mono Volcanic Domes as well as the road leading to the South Tufa (pronounced too fah) which is volcanic rock that’s been covered with minerals from the lake. This forms
columns of rock that look rather alien. This whole area was alien to be honest. The area was barren of fertile soil mostly covered with decomposed granite and the little vegetation was sparse. After circling the north side of the Mono Domes we began the climb to Sagehen. On paper the climb doesn’t sound difficult, its 10 miles long with a grade of 4 percent. But, when combined with 80 degree temperatures and 7000 to 8500 ft in elevation it became a real death march. Bill was nearly out of water when luckily enough a sag vehicle stopped to create a make shift water
stop. Good thing too as a half dozen cyclist needed to tank up including Bill and I. After another hour of climbing we made it to the summit. That’s a bit misleading though as the climb exceeded 8500 ft then descended and climbed to Sagehen at 8200 ft .
130.0 – 158.9 Sagehen to
Benton
At the rest stop I confided to Bill that I was wiped out and worried about the remainder of the ride. The only hope I had was to recover on the descent off of Sagehen. It took some time to get things together on Sagehen. While we were there we could see thunderclouds developing, then some thunder, then some lightning. It was then that I started to kick it into high gear. The last thing we needed was rain on a long descent that we were not familiar with as it could be
dangerous. After mounting the bikes we headed out. On the first section of the descent the speeds really ramped up. Soon I was flying down coasting at over 50 miles per hour over poor asphalt. Bill was a way back doing the same. The descent was incredible but the poor road conditions were frightening. I was terrified of flatting due to the cracks running across the road. Some of the cracks in the pavement where over 6 inches wide. Most of this section of the ride was either a descent or
rollers and I made good time even leaving Bill 5 or 10 minutes back. At the bottom of the longest descent I though I’d avoided the rain but I was wrong. I soon noticed my bikes cyclocomputer fog up, and then there was the smell of water and then whoosh. For the next five minutes I rode down a hill at 25 miles an hour getting soaked from rain and thinking that there is no Laundromat to save me if it keeps going. Luckily as fast as it started it stopped. Bill, who was behind me, reported just riding over wet roads but no rain. After the rain we continued on toward Benton Benton
158.9 – 199.2 Benton
In Benton Benton 10 miles . Then it was flat for another 5 or so and then it turned right into a ferocious headwind for the remainder of the ride. Finally we made the last turn onto Hwy 395 in Bishop and back to the hotel.
We signed in at 7:09 with a total time of 15:09 for the ride. This was our third double this year giving Bill his 3rd triple crown and my forth. Now we just have 2 more doubles for the year to join the thousand mile club.
Total time 15hrs 9 minutes
Ride time 13hrs 7 minutes
Food 16 gels (Carboom)
1 banana
¼ muffin
2 packages of gummy bears
3 Pepsis, 2 brisk teas, 1 red bull
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