Could be America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride

In Nevada, looking across Lake Tahoe to California.

BiketheWest puts on a bike ride they call "America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride." It's 72.5 miles around Lake Tahoe on the California-Nevada border, and I rode in it on Sunday.

Not sure if it is America's most beautiful since I have not ridden every inch of America. I'm leaving that to my sister who this week finishes up a ride from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Champaign, Illinois. Here she is in Kansas, which, she notes, is not flat:

But back to the Tahoe ride. If it's not the most beautiful ride, it certainly is a contender. Great scenery that in places could even qualify as "soul aching." Giant Ponderosa pines. Clear blue water in a lake surrounded by snow-covered peaks (even in the drought).

Plus, it's a well-supported ride with food, water and rest stops every 15 miles or so. They even put on a lunch stop with sandwiches, chips, cookies, potatoes, fresh fruit and energy bars.

John on the ride to Emerald Bay.

I rode it with John, a California friend, who joined us last year for the Seattle to Glacier National Park ride. We completed the ride in under seven hours, even with our stops at every food opportunity except one. Even with my slow progress climbing hills, which remains the weakest part of my riding -- and cause for many apologies to John for his having to wait for me at the top of all the climbs.

You know I'm having a good time and experiencing an endorphin overdose when I turn into the Big Bopper and break out in "Chantilly Lace," which is what happened flying down from the Spooner Summit in the last 12 miles of the ride. You knooow what I like!

Makes me feel real loose, like a long necked goose. Oh, baby, you knooow what I like!