Eastern Sierras
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Great ride out of South Lake Tahoe up and over Luther Pass.
We didn't need to do many miles so stopped early at a campground that was officially closed. We snuck around the barrier and had the place to ourselves with fantastic views of the rocky hills on the opposite side of the valley.
We had spotted Markleeville on the map as a likely place to have a cafe as we decided that we had earned a coffee and food. However it was all closed. This was not bad news as there are plenty of nice places to stop, make coffee and eat.
Next on our agenda was Monitor Pass. It took a long time to climb and we were in our lowest gear the whole way. The road was very quiet and quite stunning. The summit marked our highest point on the tour so far.
The effort of climbing was more than rewarded by the views down the other side. We could not believe our eyes and had to keep stopping to let it all sink in. Sadly photos don't do adequate justice to the scale of the views.
Contact points (inspired by a comment from Jane Morris)
We spend about 5 hours per day riding. This means that for 5 hours all our weight goes through our bottoms, our feet, and our hands. Consequently, it is important that these contact points are as comfy as possible.
Starting with our bottoms. These rest on leather Brooks saddles. The leather on these gradually moulds to the shape of your sit bones. We have spent a lot of time and money trying different saddles out and these are the comfiest for long distance touring by far. They are not light but they are worth it. They are so comfy we do not need padded cycling shorts.
Our hands rest on Ergon grips. These have a sort of paddle shape that supports our palms and prevents numbness. I use Jones loop handlebars which have a slight back sweep to keep my wrists in a neutral position. Rachel uses regular flat bars but her grips have extensions on the ends to give her a variety of hand positions.
Finally our feet. We are long term users of Shimano SPD pedals which clip our feet into our pedals for efficiency and security. Prior to the trip we bought sandals which are compatible with these pedals. The sandals have been fantastic. They are cool when it is hot, are easy to clean if they get a bit whiffy, they dry off quickly if we have been riding in rain (or if we have been paddling/swimming in them) and we pair them with thick socks if it is cold (please don't report us to the fashion police).
One side effect of wearing these is they result in a very peculiar tan-line.
If the thought of 5 hours sitting on a saddle makes you wince, you may find it hard to believe, but please take our word for it that it really is a comfortable combination.
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Such a shame photos can't capture what it is like in real life. I have basically given up taking panoramic photos and stick to pictures with people in them with the view in the background. You should be OK with the fashion police out in the sticks, but watch out when get back into more suburban areas!! Your crimes against fashion may catch up with you in the end. Just tell them it's all the rage in Blighty! ;-)
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