This year the Death Ride offered a Y2K
Grade option. From Hermit Valley one could ride west to Pacific
Grade, an additional 5 miles with 900 feet of climbing. I did this
stretch of road in 1994 on the six-pass Death Ride the Thirteenth
and thought nothing of it. I decided to tackle it.
It turned out to be much harder than I remembered.
Nothing but climbing, and I was already suffering when I hit a 25%
grade section that twisted up through a couple of switch backs.
Ouch!
When I reached the top I was cooked. I rested a bit and then descended
back to Hermit Valley. There I commandeered a folding chair in the shade
of a tree and took my first real rest of the Death Ride. Later, Michael
arrived and asked me about Pacific Grade.
Should he attempt it? It took one word, No, to talk him out
of it. It took me a while to get going again. Michael and I pushed off
together to do the climb back up to Ebbetts Pass. Pictured above is Ray
(of Waganupa fame) who we saw for the first time.