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This was the big climbing day, to get up and over Donner Pass. The first 62 miles were almost non-stop climbing, with 8200 feet total elevation change. We started cursing every downhill, because it was elevation that we were going to have to gain back. Magra Road was the worst - the switchbacks were fine, but it straightened out, and went straight up the hill.
Bruce also advised us to get off at mile 40 (about halfway along I-80), and get some lunch at Burger King. We did, and I was glad for the food, but it sat poorly on my stomach for the rest of the ride. Got off I-80 to go over Donner Pass itself. I was disappointed not to find any kind of sign or plaque. I would have like to get a picture there. I'm not even sure Donner Pass is a single geographical point. At any rate, it was pretty clear when we got to the end of Donner Pass. There was a railroad-style barrier they could lower to close the road in winter. Just past that was a scenic overlook, and the descent started.
As soon as we got in, Andy had to look up the highest point in Britain. Ben Nevis, in Scotland, is about 4200 feet. Today we climbed about two Ben Nevises. "I've been higher than any Englishman has any right to be." Dinner was a "pizza party"; it turns out that Pizza Hut has a concession in the hotel, but they do have a beer and wine license, with local beer on tap. Mmm, beer. |
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We were parallel to I-80 for most of the day. For a 16 mile section,
we were on I-80. In the map rap last night, Bruce said not to
get too worked up about it, that it's like the bike trail we were on
in Sacramento (except for the 70 mph traffic off to the side). In
fact, the first section had a wide, flat, clean shoulder. The second
half wasn't in as good condition, and had considerable sand and
truck-tire debris. The climbing was long but not steep, so really, it
wasn't bad.
We lost 1200 feet of elevation in something like 3
miles. I was all the way out in the traffic lane, because I was going
as fast as the cars (even gaining on them), even while braking pretty
heavily. I almost hit a chipmunk at 30 mph, which would have been bad
for both of us. My max for the day was 41 mph, but I don't think it
was there; I think it was on one of the shorter, straighter downhills,
where I wanted as much momentum as possible going into the next hill.