True!

There really aren't many steep climbs on the ESD. The Old Sherwin Grade is a constant 8%, and any really steep climbs are very short.

The steeper grades are the ones that lead from the Owens Valley into the Sierra to the West or the Inyo to the East. They'll have sustained 10%+ pitches. There is a website out there somewhere that catalogs what they believe to be the toughest climbs in the US. Some of those climbs are on that list.

The Everest Challenge used to take in a lot of those climbs. I've always wanted to do that ride, but never got around to it. And it's been snafued out the last couple of years. The next time it happens, I'd better get on it. I'm not getting any younger!

We did do one of those climbs as a "recovery" ride the next day ... Pine Creek. That's the road that leads to that Tungsten Mine. Of course, I have pictures.



We started at Pine Creek Road and US395, watered up and hopped on the bikes. The grade increases gradually, starting at 1-2%, slowly working it's way up to 6-7%, just as I remembered it.



But it kept going. Pretty soon it's 8-9% ... then a good long stretch at 11-12%. How the hell could I have forgotten that? My friends started chiding me about my "recovery" ride. lol




But we all made it soon enough. What great views! And after that, we all adjourned again to Burger Barn. Yum.



It was waaaay more fun than I have any right to expect. Our friend James (a Bishop resident) came out to say hi and to sag us with water and some treats.