The ride had its traditional mass start at the 5:30 AM with a motorcycle escort out of town. Even at that hour I was diligently sipping on my Camelback. After a flat 20 miles, the pack disintegrated as the climbing started.

The significant climbs for the day are as follows:

In the beginning I hooked up with some riders from Bakersfield from the Simply Fit team and company, which included a 2-man tandem and some gents whose quads were the same diameters as their waists. I quickly ingratiated myself with the tandem, as I knew I would need their help later on to get across the valley in the final 50 miles.

Unfortunately, they wanted to blow through the 2nd rest stop, and I knew I had to keep eating and drinking in increments throughout the day or it was going to catch up to me later. So, I did a solo grind up to Shaver Lake, which was already feeling very hot and my stomach was in distress. If I was going to feel like this all day, it wasnt going to happen. The workers informed me that I was the first woman to the Shaver, to which I replied in a somewhat Private Benjamin-esque fashion – Why cant I be a normal gal – getting my nails done and shopping. This is lunacy!

The sustenance I received there, coupled with some shade and cooler temps at 5000 feet improved my disposition. By the time I reached the next rest stop outside of Big Creek. I knew the next climb awaiting me was going to be the toughest of the day, but the kindness of the volunteers, who hand-parked my bike, lifted my spirits. The also wrote my name on a little white board, informing all who would be passing through that I was the first woman at Big Creek at 10:20 AM. Okay, I was beginning to like the sound of this. And they also told me that I was much nicer than the first man there, who didnt have time to talk to them. So, I left with a smile on my face, fully prepared to tackle the next 7 miles with its exposed areas and 20% grade pitches in spots. I will not forsake my triple! I saw a few walkers on the climb; Im not sure of their gearing.

After lunch at Huntington Lake (PBJ with enough salt to choke a horse), I went on to tackle the rides namesake: Kaiser Pass. It was mercifully cool, and the road still lined with snow banks. Still, it was a haul and at an elevation of 9200 feet, my breathing was somewhat labored. My speedo had died at mile 70, so at this point; I was just riding by time, telling myself that this was like climbing Diablo and would be over in about an hour.

Once greeted by siren at the top (not for medical reasons:0, the climbing wasnt quite over, but it was close. Id have one more climb up Tamarack Ridge. I mixed myself some Sustained Energy to drink on the way down and braved the descent back into the heat, which would be shared with droves of motorcyclists who were on a fundraiser event called Rumble to the Summit.

The motorcyclists were fine. It was the heat turned out to be many peoples undoing. I returned to Shaver Lake, drank a soda, ate more salt and Tums, filled the Camelback and bottles with ice, and was reunited with my tandem friends. Sweet Jesus!

We descended into the 110-degree valley, with the wind blowing on us like a fiery furnace. The tandem riders were very paternal and kept an eye on me to make sure I wasnt dropped. But by the time we reached the final rest stop at Millerton Store at about mile 143, with only 12 miles remaining, Wayne, the captain was cramping and feeling horrible. He made a decision to sag in and exchange shoes with a teammate so that the tandem would finish the ride. I thanked them for all the work and decided to push on the final miles on my own. I made a wrong turn, which added maybe 4 miles, but made it back in one piece, with a time of 11 hours and 44 minutes. To my surprise, Wayne the captain got a second wind and was able to captain in the tandem. They finished just before I did, which I thought was perfect since they had done so much work.

When I arrived, I saw a few folks who only a few hours before were charging down Kaiser being swaddled in towels and looking pale and weak. Another fellow I had started the day with came in and sat on the floor with his eyes closed. He was trying without much success to drink water. Wow, he had several Furnace Creek 508 finishes and lived in Fresno and he was undone by the heat.

Out of some 275 registrants, 159 completed the ride.

So, would I do it again? When Fresno freezes over! If it werent for the heat, I would in a heartbeat. It is a nice, community event with great volunteers. I like the fact that it is small - what I imagine the Death Ride used to be about. Hopefully it stays that way.

The next day I reclaimed my female birthright by spending the day with girlfriends and a short trip to Stoneridge Mall :-) Peace.