Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Before and after weight loss climb (videos & pics)

I went up to Donner Summit to shoot video of the riders in the Donner Summit Time Trial. It's a 3-mile climb from Donner Lake to the summit, and I captured more suffering from the riders on this year's event than on last year's.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRtN2mcPYHk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRtN2mcPYHk

After watching that I had to do some suffering of my own, of course. I descended and climbed back up. I was hoping to be able to do this 3 mile climb in 30 minutes or less, and I did it in approximately 29:50, in spite of the stubborn 20 pounds that just won't come off. According to this (http://www.tahoemccloudrental.com/roadbiking.html) site, "A commendable goal for the 3-mile climb is under 30 minutes". Of course, if you look at the results of this year's time trial, the slowest person climbed it in 28:16. But I'm not racing and I still have weight to lose, so I'm not gonna complain about my ride.

Unfortunately my Contour died permanently this time. It couldn't be turned off, requiring a battery pull. When I put the battery back in it wouldn't turn on, in spite of following the advice in Contour's FAQ and doing a reset. I felt like throwing the damn thing off a cliff, but hopefully their support can get me a working camera.

Since I believe in being prepared for crap like that, I brought other cameras with me. That means it's back to the handlebar-mounted digital camera for this climb video. That means louder suffer sounds, so be forewarned!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUrtap22pAY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUrtap22pAY

After going over the other side of the mountain and climbing back up the west side for the second time, my friend filmed my descent to Donner Lake with a camcorder mounted on the moonroof of his Honda Ridgeline. Since the audio was 100% wind noise, I added music but left just enough of the raw audio for effect.

http://vimeo.com/35820242

http://vimeo.com/35820242

I continued down Donner Pass Road to Northwoods Blvd for the final steep, painful climb of the day. It's short, but it's a good one!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bMgNHyvMQI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bMgNHyvMQI

Here's the last part of the climb up Donner Pass Road from last summer when I weighed 40 pounds more (around 185 lbs, give or take). I was over 7 minutes slower on this climb. This is on my friend mrRhwalden's YouTube channel. He came with me on this year's trip too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxVv2HR7XgA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxVv2HR7XgA

Garmin Connect data from last year's climb: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/45882017

Garmin Connect data from this year's climb: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/110211931

Panorama shots made from several photos stitched together in friend's camera
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s66/hardmf1/DonnerLakepanorama8-28-11.jpg
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s66/hardmf1/DonnerLakepanorama8-28-112.jpg
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s66/hardmf1/DonnerLakepanorama8-28-113.jpg
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s66/hardmf1/Donnermountainspanorama8-28-11.jpg

3 riders climbing up
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s66/hardmf1/3ridersclimbingDonnerPassRoad8-28-11.jpg

After finishing the 3-mile climb to Donner Summit
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s66/hardmf1/roadbikeatDonnerSummit8-28-11.jpg

Top of Northwoods Blvd in Truckee
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s66/hardmf1/NorthwoodsBlvd10gradesign.jpg

Somebody had a little fun with the rocks on the west side of Donner Pass Road near the summit.
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s66/hardmf1/roadbikewithrockpeopleonDonnerPassRoad8-28-11.jpg
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s66/hardmf1/rockpeopleonwestsideofDonnerPassRoad8-28-11.jpg

Here's a compilation of all the short video clips my friend shot of me climbing the east and west sides of Donner Pass Road. Sometimes he drove by me with a window-mounted camera. The rest of the time he stood on the side of the road, like a spectator in a race. :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpNX96_oVfI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpNX96_oVfI