Day Two: From the Mountains to the Desert

Today's ride started at 7 am in the mountain town of Pollock Pines, and we enjoyed some gorgeous alpine scenery for the first few hours while we ascended Hwy 50 over Echo Summit and then down in Lake Tahoe. After a lunch stop in South Lake Tahoe, we tackled Kingsbury Grade (for the rest of the day's 7,200 feet of climbing) and then dropped down to Gardnerville and the high desert of Nevada.
The high desert portion of the ride turned out to be a mixed blessing. We had a very strong tailwind that pushed us across the desert and up and down several minor passes. On the downside, our wind-aided speed made for hours of sitting in the saddle and kept our legs moving at higher speeds than we would have liked. And did I mention that the temperatures in Nevada were in the low 90s?
By the time the day was done, several riders sagged in and others suffered through bouts of low energy, stomach problems, lung problems, etc.
Tomorrow: We continue across Nevada. See the entire route at www.fixhistio.org