Archive for the ‘Fall Recreation’ Category
By Tim Hauserman
Start of Ironman
You’ve been seeing them all summer, but especially the last month. Riding the Kings Beach-Tahoe City-Truckee Triangle with their beautiful Tri bikes. Swimming along the shoreline of Lake Tahoe. Or running on the bike trail between Tahoe City and Squaw Valley. They are Ironman athletes, training for what is regarded as one of the toughest Ironman competitions in the world, the second annual Ironman Lake Tahoe, on September 21st.
The Lake Tahoe Ironman begins in Kings Beach. The racers step into the chilly waters of Lake Tahoe at 7 am for a 2.4 mile open water swim. They emerge from the water and try to quickly transition to their bike. A bit of a challenge since they are freezing cold. There is plenty of time to warm up, however, as now they face a 112 mile bike ride. They head towards Tahoe City, then down the Truckee River corridor to Truckee, where after wondering around Truckee they ride back to Kings Beach. Ah, but first they have to take a tour of Northstar and climb over Brockway Summit. From Kings Beach they do another complete lap, and then continue on from Kings Beach to Tahoe City again before heading into Squaw Valley.
Cycling along Lake Tahoe
Now it’s time for the athletes to run a Marathon. That’s right. After swimming nearly 2 and a half miles, and riding a grueling 112 miles, they have to run a marathon. The run takes the racers through Squaw Valley and a tour of the Resort at Squaw Creek before heading down the bike trail towards Tahoe City. They run several laps to get in the necessary number of miles before racing or stumbling to the grand finale in Squaw Valley. But they don’t have much time to stumble, because the clock is ticking and they have to finish before midnight to be Ironmen.
The last leg
If racing in the Ironman is not in the cards, you definitely want to watch it. You can join the thousands of volunteers helping the athletes, or pick a spot along the course to cheer them on. There are a number of traffic restrictions and road closures in the Tahoe-Truckee region on September 21, so be sure and find out all the details at the official Ironman Lake Tahoe website. http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/events/americas/ironman/lake-tahoe.aspx#axzz3Bb7W5CpK
(Photos from the Ironman Website)
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Once again, The Village at Northstar is hosting the Autumn Food and Wine Festival, with wine seminars, Farm to Table Dinner, Gourmet Marketplace, a Grand Tasting and Culinary Competition, Celebrity Chefs, Hands On Cooking and More.
Come join the fun on what the locals have known for years! This is not only a great event, but Summer isn’t over as far as we’re concerned. Fall is gorgeous here, the weather is still nice, and most of the crowds have gone.
Come see for yourself!
For more information, go to: TahoeFoodandWine.com, NorthstarCalifornia.com, or call 1-800GoNorth
Also, NBC Bay Area did a nice little expose on the event.
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By Tim Hauserman
Scenic view high above Lake Tahoe along the Fiberboard Freeway
The Fiberboard Freeway winds through US Forest Service land between Highway 267 at Brockway Summit and Tahoe City. The name comes from the former owner of the property, the Fiberboard logging company. Freeway is a tongue in cheek phrase to refer to what is certainly the major road through the forest, but is by no means an actual freeway. Really, it means that much of it has pavement.
The Fiberboard Freeway is the main artery for mountain bikers to access the elaborate network of trails that include the Tahoe Rim Trail, Watson Lake and The Western States trails. You can start at Brockway Summit, or head up to the Fiberboard from Tahoe Cross-Country Ski Area outside of Tahoe City. While the dirt trails that head off from the Fiberboard are prime mountain biking terrain, the road can also serve as a very worthwhile road biking destination. The first 10 miles from Brockway Summit towards Tahoe City are paved, and very lightly traveled. So why not ride out and back and enjoy a road ride through the middle of the forest? I can’t think of a reason.
While it is just a 20 mile round trip, if you are looking for exercise, you can find enough on this route. There is not a lot of flat. The first six miles is a mostly uphill jaunt to the top of Starratt Pass, where you will find an offshoot trail to Watson Lake. Along the climb you will find frequent glimpses of Tahoe, cross the Tahoe Rim Trail twice, and pass some impressive trees and fields of mule ears.
Then you begin a long and steady downhill, which eventually bottoms out before climbing again to a crossing of Stump Meadow, or what nordic skiers will know as the top of the Gold Trail. Just a bit further brings you to the end of the pavement and your turn around point.
Fiberboard Freeway
On the way back, Great Ski Race skiers will start to have flashbacks, as your ride back to the top of Starratt is the same route you would be skiing in the race. You decide whether skiing it or riding it is easier.
Words of caution: While the good news is that you are riding on pavement through the forest with almost no cars, rain and other cars have dragged gravel and dirt on the road in some spots. Take those downhills a little more cautiously then you would if you were on the smooth pavement.
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