Continued....local Sierras as we headed north. About four miles past Tahoe City the bike trail ends  at the Squaw Valley Ski Area and becomes a bike lane the runs next to the highway.  None of the casual cyclists or walkers continue past this point and we were thankful when we could actually pick up some speed and get on to Truckee.  The bike lane along this stretch of road is very wide and relatively safe compared to other bike lanes we have ridden.  There was a lot of traffic on the road so it was pretty loud, but the scenery along the Truckee River is very pleasant.  The road runs slightly downhill and we had a tail wind so we were moving at a pretty good clip for the seven miles to Truckee. 

Once you get to Truckee just follow the road signs to Donner Lake which goes right through downtown.  The city has put a bike lane with a wide shoulder all along the route making it easy to negotiate. Up to this point there has been less than 100 feet of climbing, but that will change soon.  We continue on the road to Donner Lake where the bike lane ends about half way to the other end of the lake

The road narrows and there isn't enough space for bikes and cars to run two abreast, but thankfully the there isn’t much traffic and it what there is moves slowly and courteously.  As soon as you get to the far end of the lake the road starts to climb.  It is time to settle into a low gear and just crank up the hill.  The road is not unbearably steep; the front wheel of your bike won’t come off the pavement, but it is probably in the 6 to 7 % range.  The road is narrow in spots, but most areas have at least a little shoulder.  The whole way up you can see the beautiful old highway bridge above you as a marker not far from the top of the climb.  When you get to the bridge the worst of the climbing is over and the view back down to Donner Lake is breathtaking, worth taking a minute to appreciate.  The last mile or so to the top is pretty anticlimactic with no real views or markers to let you know you are there. This took us to mile 23 and just under1400 feet of climbing so far in the ride.   Continued ...