SUCCESSFUL DEATH RIDE (from Doug Smith)

Saturday July 12th Bruce Campbell, Mike Rubino and I successfully completed the 44th Annual Markleeville Death Ride. Thank you and the many Club members who encouraged us on our training rides, asked us about our readiness and sent many texts and messages of support.

As many Club members can attest, The Death Ride is a brute. Friday afternoon we picked up ride packets, fiddled with our bikes, checked and rechecked our gear, then settled into our rooms. Among the three of us, we totaled about 7 hours of sleep then fidgeted and fussed until it was go time. We then drove to Turtle Creek, just outside of Markleeville, and readied ourselves and bikes for the 3:30 am ride start.

An early start

In total the ride took us about 12 hours, including 10 hours on the bike, most of it climbing and grinding our way up some very steep hills that started at about 5800 feet of elevation and topped out with Ebbetts Pass at 8750 feet. It’s a very personal ride. It’s such a long day and is so difficult we each just quietly managed our energy and encouraged each other along the way. We meticulously worked on staying hydrated, drinking electrolytes, eating quality food at the rest stops, and consuming lots of energy bars and sugary energy foods such as fig newtons, chocolate, even drinking Cokes and downing shots of pickle juice (to stave off cramps). In total, per our Garmin’s, we each burned about 10,000 calories on the ride.

Top of Pacific Grade!

I’ve attached a few pictures and a short video Mike took of the bag pipe player, who every year plays the bag pipes on the top of Monitor from 5 am when the first riders come through until about 9 am when the last rider passes.

Included in a few of these pictures is our friend Patty Doyle-Jones who Mike and I met on an Alta Alpina Cycling Club training ride last year. Patty is a retired Vet who lives in Carson City. And Patty is one heck of a strong rider. Of course she completed the ride too. Patty joined us for multiple mountain training rides this year.

Finished!

Throughout the ride at each mountain pass they stamp our ride numbers as proof of having completed each of the five passes to earn the right to wear the “coveted” Death Ride finishers jersey. Periodically you will see a few of our Club members wearing these jerseys. Believe me they earned them.

With that as our story, Bruce, Mike and I would like to again say thank you. We appreciate your support. Go Lincoln Hills Cyclists!!!!

• Editors Note: For those interested in adding this to their palmares, registration for the 2026 Death Ride is already open. https://deathride.com