Think you're too old to be fit? Think again.

I just walked in the house and there was a message on the answering machine from a friend - R.G. He had called to share the fact that he had - bolstered by my awesome home made blackberry jam on a peanut butter sandwich - riden up Kingsbury Grade yesterday.

That’s 11.2 miles with a 2,600 foot elevation gain.

R. G. will be turning 80 this year. He’s got over 2,500 miles on his bike this year alone … several century rides and about six rides around Lake Tahoe.

Not too bad for a retired airline pilot, huh? He started cycling in his 50’s, as a way of staying fit to fly.

R. G. says that the key to riding now, at his age, is consistency. One or two days a week don’t allow for this kind or level of performance. So it’s day in and day out - although not rides like this obviously. He had last riden the KG in 2005 when he bought his newer Trek Madone 6 Series - the same one that Lance and the Team used in the final Tour victory.

Here’s what other bikers say about Kingsbury Grade:

Like Mt Rose and Geiger Grades Kingsbury is a popular climb that is used to test riders fitness and training progress. The climb is an 11.2 mile climb in Douglas County. You can get to the start of the grade by taking Nevada 206 (Foothill Road) south from Genoa to Nevada 207 or you can head west on 207 from US 88 south of Minden, NV. There is a convenient parking lot located here so it is a great starting point. The road conditions on this side of the summit are usually excellent. The road is nicely paved and a good bike lane exists all the way to the summit. The first two to four miles are steady, relatively easy climbing as you rise above the valley floor. Do not let this fool you because the climb gets tougher as you go. Catch a last view of the valley before turning west and proceeding toward Lake Tahoe. The climbing continues to be gradual but little by little it will become steeper as you grind toward the summit. The climb becomes much steeper between the 7 and 8 mile mark. This will be a tough ascent with the grade kicking up to the 11-12% range. Once this section is conquered you still have 2 to 3 miles of good climbing ahead through a series of switchbacks until you reach Daggett summit at 7,332 feet. I want to emphasize that the last third of this ride is very tough and will test riders of all ability levels. It is important to pace yourself over the first two thirds to save enough energy for the final push to the summit. Once over the summit it is a quick and dangerous five mile descent to Lake Tahoe and the Nevada casinos. I urge the use of extreme caution on this side of the mountain. The road is not paved well and there is no shoulder for bicyclists. The traffic is fast and plentiful in this area. I have not personally climbed from the lake using this road. This is a much more dangerous section of road but can be done with care. This is also a jumping off point for Myers and Luther Pass (described on another page at another time) the climb from the east side however is a great test and should not be missed if you are climbing in the Sierras.

Friday Fish Wrap: 17 July, 2009

This week’s Wrap begins with some thoughts from the road … as in bicycling along Reno’s beautiful backroads, and highways.

In as many weeks, I nearly bit the dust for a second time … uh, asphalt, actually, as a car pulled out in front of me. I had turned from McCarran, south on Talbot Lane. I saw the older man in the big SUV sitting in the driveway of some commercial offices on the right, preparing to enter the street.

As is my custom, I raised my hand in a friendly gesture, to indicate “I see you. Do you see me?”

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