It’s not all that often that we are able to see our destination for the day five or ten miles out, let alone one or two. Today, a truly broad mountain with white streaks of snow lacing from its peak emerged at the size of a quarter at arms length from the church parking lot in Klamath Falls. We would spend the day pedaling our way toward this mountain, Mt. Shasta, and watching it grow right in front of us, with the ultimate goal of reaching the town with the same name to its southwest. Quite the epic way to make our appearance into our final state of this summer-long trek: the Golden State of California. Largest by population, third by land area, and home to an iconic red suspension bridge that will serve as our last length of riding in one week.
Welcome to California I4K 2023 Bike America Team!
Ride Overview
Mileage: 81.9
Elevation: +3328’/-3993’
General Direction: Navigate through downtown Klamath Falls and proceed onto southbound U.S. 97, cross the California border at mile 18.9, follow the road for another 54.4 miles around the western edge of Mt. Shasta into the town of Weed, enter southbound I-5 and ride in the shoulder, take the third exit (741) onto Abrams Lake Road, meet with Pine Grove Dr. and take it and Lassen Lane the last few remaining miles to the stayover.
Points of Interest: Mt. Shasta, Cascade Mountain Range (Hamaker Mountain, Ball Mountain, the Whaleback, Black Butte, etc.), Klamath National Forest
View through the back of the sign (technically looking from California into Oregon).
Tales of the Trail
First things first, it’s NRLAD! Also known as National Ride Leader Appreciation Day, this holiday celebrates our leadership team of Patrick, Nina, and Jon Y (and Mike of course who is chilling in Champaign), and began with a very fun wake-up of party horns by their fellow riders. We took care of them every chance we got by getting them snacks, holding their bikes, filling their water bottles, and so much more.
Mt. Shasta (just right of the far away building) as seen from the church parking lot. Watch it grow in the next few pictures.
Mt. Shasta is the fifth-highest peak in California, and sits on a truly massive 17-mile wide base. It continued to amaze us as a few stray clouds gathered around its peak during the morning and dissipated in the afternoon when it finally towered nearly directly over us. The first leg of the journey gave us our much anticipated and highly celebrated crossing through California’s northern border. Fields collected along the sides of the highway as the smaller Mt. Hebron began to block its taller cousin. This made for a hefty five-mile climb with a 4% average grade along some torched pine trunks, but this only prepared us for a few dozen miles of quite fun and scenic descents through the spectacular Northern California Cascades and our move to the right of the now quite-imposing Shasta. Mile 72 brought us back to level ground as well as to the one and only Weed, California, where we stopped for some lunch and caffeine out of the heat (resisting the urge to make a joke so hard right now). From here, we got onto I-5 and took it by a prominent cinder cone called Black Butte, exited, and rolled into the town of Mount Shasta.
Sam R and Jean’s group on 97 just after dipping into California. Groups jammed to California-themed songs during this stretch.
Bikes, trains, and automobiles ft. Sam M.
Sam M and JB after passing over Mt. Hebron. Clouds have overtaken the peak at this point.
Passing Mt. Shasta to the east . . .
. . . and its friends to the west!
Tonight’s stayover is the St. Barnabas Episcopal Church. Members of the congregation prepared a wonderful and filling dinner of lasagna, salad, and dessert and we were able to shower next door at The Wellness Center. Tomorrow will begin our two-day push across the Cascades with some difficult cycling (8000’ of climbing per day anyone?) as we make our move for the Pacific coast.
Hanna and JB posing for the iconic Weed arch.
Paul and Sam M making their way toward Black Butte on the I-5.
Cyclist’s Corner: Team Edition
From now until the end of the ride, this segment will be a single open answer or poll-style question that most or all of the team will answer. :)
Today’s Question: What is your flat count as of now (end of Day 70)?
0: Sam R, Nina
1: Emily
2: Jaylen, Paul, Jonathan Y
3: Adam, Kathryn
4: Jonathan B, Hanna
5: Sam M, Patrick, Jean, Nabeel
7: Ed
9: Laurel
>10: Olivia
~Dictionary of I4K~
NRLAD: Short for National Ride Leader Appreciation Day. An I4K holiday celebrating the ride leader(s) and all they have done for the team. Each team chooses how and when to celebrate this occasion.
Goodnight Van!