a bear of an achievement...

in a culmination of preparation for the race around lake tahoe, i rode to big bear lake. because of my lack of homework prior to the ride--i unwittingly embarked on a day of climbing that nearly doubled the vertical foot total of any previous ride this summer.

to get to big bear lake, you must pass through 50+ miles of the san bernardino mountain range in the san gorgonio national forest shown below.


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the ride begins up mill creek canyon. a canyon that holds many memories for me as this is where i took amy when first looking for a home as a break from the smog. this is also the site of my first several mountain-bike rides after arriving in redlands two years ago.

this climb sets the tone for the rest of the ride. it's persistent 6% grade grinds on for miles, but out of the pain comes some spectacular views of the canyon and of the valley below.



the ride to big bear lake is larger than life. with sweeping canyon switchbacks and dizzying drops from this winding canyon highway




while riding, i listened to george crile's 'charlie wilson's war' (a fascinating and captivating look at the US funded jihad in afghanistan in the 80's.)

the story kept me riveted and i almost forgot i'd embarked on a seven hour solo event--what with charlie wilson and gust avrakotos keeping me company.

sitting between redlands and big bear lake is one small obstacle that must unavoidably be overcome:



while onyx summit lies on the highest paved road in southern california and is the high point of the ride at mile 42, reaching the summit felt anti-climactic. i could not yet see big bear from this vantage, and every vertical foot i traversed while descending to the lake taunted me in the realization that getting home might be tougher than i had bargained for. getting to onyx summit again at mile 68 of the ride became a test of will that i have--to this point in my life--nevver experienced on a bike.

reaching big bear was a relief, but not the emotional release i thought it would be. i did stop for a chicken sandwhich at am/pm and ate it on a grassy plot near the lake to the sounds of sarah mclaughlin. sarah was a calming influence in the face of the climb i faced to get out of the big bear valley, and was in honor of amy who had the kids during this 7+ hour ordeal...in fact, it's hard to know whose day was tougher--hers or mine.


to calm my nerves and find general inspiration for the climb out--i left sarah playing. the 15 mile, 1700 foot climb to onyx summit with the grade often reaching 6 and 7% hit me physically. if you think back to those times at night when you had 'growing pains'. the type of muscle cramps that hurt so bad your mom comes in to massage your legs and you fear you won't make it through the night? this was the experience i had upon restarting my ride. at times i was worried that i was pulling my muscles from their tendonous hold on the long-bones of my legs. the ache felt unbearable and i thought i may be stuck at mile 60 with no phone coverage and amy waiting anxiously for me to return and take the kiddos off her hands...

at that moment, there was no joseph lee to push me forward with his optimism and complaint-free manner as during the ride on the PCH. in this time of need, i turned once again to wilson and avrakotos. once my mind was firmly trained on their quest to procure funds and means to shoot down the 'murderous hind helicopter' in afghanistan i was off and climbing.

upon reaching the summit i stopped to reassess. the ache in my legs had subsided and i had a 7443 foot descent (albeit undulating at times) looming ahead and life felt good.

in honor of the tickets i purchased for the concert later this month, i turned to weezer for the ride home. throughout the ride home songs sprung up at just the right times--'trouble maker', 'dope-nose', 'get dangerous' for the descents, and 'heart songs', 'best friend', 'girlfriend' and 'beverly hillls' for the remaining climbs. i thought of amy at home with the kids. i thought of stephen's birthday present to me of 'best friend' in an email and i felt dad cheering me on as i passed a large scout camp nestled in the backwoods of the san gorgonio national forrest. i even thought of jonny's dismay just off his mission when his two older brothers knew all the words to 'we are all on drugs'...all these moments served up meaning as i rode on.

in all, the 9,500 vertical feet and 110 miles of climbing left me spent, but happy.

if you made it to the end of this post, then you certainly have the stamina to come try this ride with me again before we leave southern california for colder pastures...