Let the Mountain Mutt guide you and your bike on a sweet ride

The Mountain Mutt, aka Dana Turvey*
April 24, 2008

Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride.

John F. Kennedy said this in the 60s, long before gel seats and fat tires improved the sport. And it's obvious locals and visitors agree, because cycling – via road bike, mountain or 3-speed cruiser – is one of the most popular summer activities in Reno and Lake Tahoe.

Easy rides:
If you're just getting started, and want a simple ride, or maybe there's a troop of kids involved, the 3-mile long paved path near Camp Richardson (Map it!) is the ticket. Located on Hwy 89 N. in South Lake Tahoe, the trail meanders near the lake and has absolutely no climbs. It's also a good way to avoid parking fees at the beaches, and the whole family can rent gear at Anderson's Bike Rentals (530) 541-0500), found conveniently where the ride starts. They also rent child carriers (a.k.a. pup in a cup) for the little ones.

Further north on Hwy 89, toward Tahoe City, another paved bike trail starts below Homewood, and is one of the most scenic trails in all of Tahoe. Rather than taking small children, this is more suited to hearty juniors and geared bikes, since there are a few climbs and highway crossings. Nothing technical, and it is paved – plus the ride cruises directly along the water at times. Make room in your bike bag for a camera…you'll want to remember the sights. One direction from Sugar Pine Point into the 'Y' at Tahoe City is 9 miles.

If you're just starting your mountain bike career, and want to get in some easy singletrack, head to Truckee and try the Emigrant Trail ride. About 20 miles out and back, it offers rolling hills on a single dirt trail, and is categorized novice-to-intermediate. Drive north on Hwy 89, over I-80, and park in the dirt area just past the Prosser Creek Bridge. The track starts immediately to the east. From the same starting point are a couple of 17 mile intermediate and advanced rides.

North Reno abounds with great riding, and just south of the Truckee River and Mayberry Drive is the Steamboat Ditch Trail. Parking in the dirt lot on Woodchuck Court (Map it!), beginning riders can charge out-and-back on a singletrack for 7.5 miles, or add on an intermediate section for a total of just under 10 miles. On the longer ride, there's a stomach churning drop where beginners and less gutsy intermediates will prefer to walk their rides. In the same area are some advanced trails; all these are very nicely laid out at www.greatbasinbicycles.com.

Aside from having stellar trail info, Great Basin Bikes (at Plumb and S. Virginia (775-825-8258) is a top-notch shop, with bike repair, sales and rentals. They also offer basic bike maintenance classes; if you learn to fix a tire, you won't need to call AAA if you get a flat.

A little harder:
No list of great Sierra cycling can be without the Flume Trail, which is considered one of the most scenic bike rides in the nation. Classified for intermediates, it's not a ride for sissies. The trail starts out at Spooner Summit State Park (on the east shore), and even though it's a wide trail, it's a steady climb for 3.8 miles, before shooting a fun downhill to Marlette Lake. If you haven't ridden at altitude, the climb will be a scorcher on your lungs.

From Marlette, the true Flume Trail starts, which is a singletrack with spectacular Tahoe views for 4.5 miles. Another warning – there's often steep drop-offs from the trail, so if the scenery is sucking you in, stop pedaling. If you want to see a great photo of both the steepness and the views, go to the 'services' page of the Great Basin Bicycles website.

The singletrack rejoins a wide fire trail, for a downhill to Sand Harbor. In mid-summer, this section can be 3" of silt, so good tires are a must.

At Sand Harbor, there's a choice to pedal back to Spooner on the highway, or pay a fee for the shuttle service. The return pavement ride on Hwy 28 can have crazy-busy summer traffic, so the shuttle is a great option. This service is run by Flume Trail Bikes, a bike and rental shop located at the start of the track. You can get a lot of information on the whole ride at www.theflumetrail.com, and reserve a top-notch mountain bike, if you don't plan to bring your own.

Need some new wheels?
If you're in the market for a new bike, road or mountain, Cyclepaths has one of the largest demo fleets at Lake Tahoe (www.cyclepaths.com). One location is just 2 miles south of Tahoe City, on the paved path (530-581-1171), with another in mid-town Truckee on Donner Pass Road (530-582-1890). The Truckee location isn't far from Northstar Ski Resort, which offers summer lift service for cyclists.

In Reno, you can rent bikes at Sierra Adventures, Inc. Located in the heart of downtown, Sierra Adventures (866-323-8928) offers hourly or daily rentals of all kinds of bikes, from full-suspension mountain bikes to tandems for easy cruisers. Check the website (www.wildsierra.com) for prices and information about shuttle pickups at local hotels.

So no matter your cycling style – downhill speedster, mountain climber or just cruiser – Tahoe and Reno are chock-full of trail options. After all, nothing compares to the simple pleasures of a bike ride…

* Who are the Mountain Mutts?
This week's Mutt is Dana Turvey: she enjoys moonlight serenades and long walks on the beach...but since that rarely happens, she writes about sports in the Lake Tahoe area. Personal favorites are cycling, paddling and snow skiing, and her articles have landed in Ski Racing, Montana, Tahoe Quarterly and Ski Lake Tahoe magazines.