Something Different, Or, to Quote Huell Howser: 'That's Amaaaazing!'

No, I did not have a religious experience, meet the president, climb Kilimanjaro, come out of the closet (not that that was ever an issue, or necessary; I'm not gay, not that that's a bad thing), get a sex change, or anything like that. No, I'm up near Lake Tahoe - I ran, I biked, and, just now, I mountain-biked.

I know, total anticlimax, I'm sorry, but it really was amazing, and having only just finished it, my blood's pumped on adrenaline, so I have to write about it. I'm hanging out in Serene Lakes, a quiet community off the Soda Springs exit from Interstate 80 that features two lakes, Serena and Dulzura (named after the daughters of some king; on Google Maps, they're called the Ice Lakes, hence the name of a nearby Ice Lakes Lodge). Situated in the world-renowned Royal Gorge cross-country ski area (that, being a downhill skier, I never took advantage of), it's really quite peaceful and picturesque, and just minutes from ski resorts like Sugar Bowl. Anyway...

[dinner break]

Just had the most amazing dinner, but I'll get to that. A friend of mine showed up around 5:00 and expressed a desire to take our mountain bikes on the trail; he'd just bought a new Cannondale, and I had an old Trek. I was quite willing to go, which kinda surprised him considering I'd just gotten back from a four-mile run a few minutes before, my second such run today. I told him I needed ten minutes and a coupla Gatorade shots, and I'd be good. Two such shots, a piece of toast with strawberry jam, and ten minutes later, we took off for a fire/logging road accross from the Ice Lakes lodge. I'd walked down part of the road before, but never far, or with a bike.

Was I in for it.

Going down the road, we followed Serene Creek as it winded down a ravine. Rocks and potholes were everywhere, and we had one helluva bumpy ride, made worse by the fact that we'd have to climb back up what we'd just rode down. We had to pull off to the side and hold our breath as a couple of pick-ups drove by, leaving whirling walls of dust for us to go through.

But what we found made it all worth it.

Unfortunately, I forgot to pack a camera, so these aren't my photos; top from http://www.panoramio.com/photo/2874239, bottom from http://gambolinman.blogspot.com/2005/08/north-fork-american-river-100-hours-of.html

By this time, we were dreading our return trip, so we decided to turn around and head back lest we add even more distance to be picked up later. The climb was hard, easy gears all the way up, but once we hit asphalt at the lodge it was smooth sailing all the way home, where, lo-and-behold, dinner was waiting: tacos, baby! Corn and wheat tortillas, grilled chicken, black beans, corn, lettuce, diced tomatoes, grated cheese, cilantro... perfection, just what we wanted after a grueling bike outing.
We'll definitely be back on that trail soon. With lunch, water, and a camera.