Was going to be the last week of the trip but events back home made me extend it by a bit. Last week of doing top100 climbs. It was great to hang out with friends in Tahoe, now back to alone on the road.

Just an easy ride today to send the Spratts off. They have a huge race next weekend so they wanted to save their legs, which was lucky for me because they’re monsters.

Marc leading us along the bike path that connects Tahoe to Truckee.

Ryan and Mike random ass shot in Truckee. Looking for that lake.

We just rode along the lake to the end of the road and then back. No loop.

It's just the discount version of Lake Tahoe but still pretty nice. Has a beach, that's all you need.

On the way back we finally stopped by the Penny bear. It's a huge concrete statue next to the water...

It has over 203 000 pennies stuck in the concrete. Built for Burning Man in 2017 and then moved to Tahoe, with all the other bear-themed stuff.

Mike in awe at the Pennybear, like those monkeys in 2001: A Space Odyssey in front of that block.

Later that afternoon we did a ( very short ) hike to Eagle Rock. That's the top.

Some painted ladies fluttering around the flowers at the top.

This thing is a "Plated Fence Lizard" apparently. These tiny guys are running all over the place in the region.

Ryan and Mike soaking in the view.

What a great picture.

The planned ride ( Sonora Pass ) is still blocked due to snow this late in the season. So we just rode around the lake again.

Lake Tahoe is split between Nevada and California. The Nevada side has a bunch of sweet Casinos and towns.

Art for sale at a little coffee shop. Seems like a bargain if you ask me.

Had to leave the airbnb in Tahoe that morning. We didn’t ride together so I had nothing planned. Just found a small random ride along the way.

Driving from Lake Tahoe to Mt Shasta. You can see the mountain quite early as it towers 3000m above everything around it.

The whole way there is a volcanic area, with tons of these rocks all over the place.

Lake Almanor, about 3 hours from Lake Tahoe. Got a little bit of Lake Louise vibes going on.

Passing through Westwood, CA, to check out this huge wooden status of Paul Bunyan and his historically accurate ox.

About an hour from there you can find this random sculpture bonanza in a tiny town called Cassel.

Mouse Dog

Jimmy Grasshopper

Cybercat

Sassy Robot

"You're Going to Oil Me With that Can?" Robot.

Just impressed the paint is still on these at this point.

I'm sure this is the biggest ant... I have to know.

Ok last one. But there's so many more. Definitely one of the best spots to check out for these roadside attractions.

Lake Britton. Very small random lake stuck in the mountains. Just the right size for a recovery day ride.

Going slow means I stop and take pictures of wildlife. Check out this Turkey Vulture perched in a tree! Pretty rare to get close to these birds.

Butterfly orgy near the lake.

This cam is so good it's getting all the little scales.

There's a little dam across this lake, with a road to cross on top. Who knew?

There's also a 15% road down to the river base. Not today world, not today.

Burney Falls. I think. There's a little loop of trails and some campgrounds around here. Nice little spot.

Very nice.

Approaching Mt. Shasta. I didn't look up what it was before so I was pretty impressed seeing this giant mountain approach.

Stayed in Shasta City, right at the base. Mt. Shasta is the 5th highest peak in the USA and definitely the most impressive I've seen as it just towers above everything else around it.

Two top100 climbs planned that day, just 20km from each other. Sadly it was still too early in the season for both to be totally open, so I just rode to the end of the passable road and called it. Missing about 500-600m of climbing as a result. Felt like total garbage that day so fine by me.

This sign is how they actually got Capone. Just waited for him to go skiing and bam, life in prison.

Not an amazing view from this climb. The view is the mountain itself. The road takes you about halfway up and then you can hike the rest and go die in the snow.

End of the road. They really just don't bother plowing it. Yeah blame nature for your laziness, guys.

20km away, bottom of the second climb. You can see Mt Shasta with his little friend, Black Butte.

Saw a sandhill crane family at the bottom. Not sure if they're wild or being raised by ranchers here somehow?

Very nice views of Mt Shasta at about halfway on this random climb. It's just a boring highway pass so there's not much to see.

End of the road. Saw a truck doing a U-Turn there. Bet he was happy.

Back at the bottom I saw a group of these things. They're apparently called Helmeted Guineafowl, a farmed bird around here. Looks like a turkey crossed with a quail, it's hilarious.

Had some time to kill so dropped by the nearest McDonald'.

Some loud redneck and his brood were happily feeding the gull swarm. Hope they find your truck and cover it with turds.

And yes some of these become chicken nuggets. It's the perfect business. People buy fries, feed the gulls then you get free "chicken".

The original plan was to drive to the top of Etna and suffer through the climb but I felt pretty good and the weather was just perfect so I decided to just do both sides. Driving up the East side I was really wondering if that was the climb because it’s about as nasty as the west side, just a little too short so it only ranks at 180th in the country.

Lucky for John the hiker that I parked on top because I gave him a ride down the mountain back to Etna. He’d been out hiking the Pacific Coast Trail for 12 days and popped out here. He was happy not to have to walk 16km back to town on the road.

Started the day going through the nearby small town of "Weed".

And yeah they're really leaning into it, with tons of weed-themed souvenir shops.

Parked on top of Etna Summit. You can't see much of anything on either side until the very last 500m of road that just has nothing on either side. There's a trailhead on top as well.

Very nice view. Really good feeling to take a whiz on top of mountains, with nobody else around.

Found some 'Murica on top as well. Sounds pretty rad to 'Murica at the top of a mountain too.

Some Mule deer chilling at the bottom of the west side. Lots of deer in the area, they must smash into cars constantly given the extremely narrow and steep drive.

Of course a river can be found alongside the road. Where do they even come from?

This is near the top, after like 12km of 9% grade. There's no god damned way any cow makes it there, what is this joke?

Drive from Etna to Happy Camp is the sketchiest narrow road that follows a river canyon. Constant hills and sharp turns. Don't go here.

My prize for making it to Happy Camp.

From there you have to take another narrow mountain pass road to connect to the highway. It's over 1000m of climbing in all burned lands.

Not sure what happened there at the top of the pass. I guess it's a hassle to come clean this up. Given the road, it's not hard to imagine this happens decently often here.

Decided to go camping in a small Redwood forest campground that night. Florence Keller Park, near Crescent City.

Pretty sweet campground! Finally back near the Pacific Coast as well.

Was going to do this one and the next one in the same day but something came up back home which made me have to extend my trip, so I just took my time planning / doing bike maintenance instead. Again perfect weather today and felt really strong, doing 322 watts up the whole thing. Camping hot dogs is the secret.

G O Road is a really random climb in the middle of nowhere and it’s just 9-10% the entire way to the top, pretty much. Another wheel-melter descent.

Got to KOM (fastest time) by a lot. Felt great, just smashed it.

After a drive through the winding redwood forest, you end up at this bridge where the climb begins.

That's about it for the view on top. The road keeps going but I have no idea to what or where.

Found a little trail from my car down to the river. Just a nice relaxing day.

Spent the night at this huge pull-out on the Oregon coast.

It's really something else, I'll have to drive / bike down this way one of these days.

Last top100 of the trip. Felt really good going up the first side so hey, just decided to do both to round the week off at over 10 000m elevation. You would think I’d be tired but the camping hot dogs are keeping my going strong.

To get to the climb you need to take this small winding road along the Rogue River.

It's a super sketchy road that's mostly one lane wide and it barely even shows up on Googlemaps… It sort of connects the Oregon coast to Grants Pass and the I-5 highway. Closed most of the year due to snow.

Since it starts at sea level, the top is just endless boreal forests instead of bald snowcapped mountaintops.

There’s a little road that keeps going up but it’s still completely snowed up. When the hell can you ever go here?

Another good view while going down the East side.

The pass gets you down to the small “town” of Galice, which is also on the Rogue River. Tons of trucks just bring rafts up the river through the pass. Very sketchy.

That “Town” has… a vending machine. I expected at least a gas station. Thank God I brought cash. Oh you can do boat tours as well but no one cares about boats.

Good advice. How fast does water run again?

Once I was done with my 5 hour ride, I just drove over the mountain to Grants Pass. Sort of a last minute plan to go inland instead of up the coast back home. Hey, might as well since I’m here.

Grants Pass Caveman. There’s a mild caveman theme here. I think they’re leaning into the metheads.

Welcome to Oregon, where nature meets hobos. North America is really turning into some kind of shithole. Beer-smelling shirtless hobo at the rest stop…. very gross.

Someone turned a broken tree into Batman. That’s real recycling there.

End of the 4th week. Body feels good but mental fatigue is real. As much of a costly scam Anytime Fitness was, I do miss the easy convenient showers. Just don’t feel like giving them 200$ for it this month.

Last week for sure incoming as I explore Oregon!

More travel stuff:
Arizona/California: Drive to Tucson • Tucson • California Climbing • Bay Area / Washington
Canada Coast to Coast: Victoria •Vancouver Island • Vancouver • Southern Rockies • Prairies • Ontario • Niagara • Quebec • Gaspesie / PEI • Maritimes • Newfoundland • Maritimes2 • Bay of Fundy • Quebec2 • Montreal • Ontario2 • Prairies Statues • Jasper/Banff • Northern Rockies • Washington State Bonus

Car Conversion / Purchase: Part 1 • Part 2 • Part 3
Life on the road: Part 1 • Part 2

2023 Summer Trip - 4 - Tahoe to Oregon