Day 4 Auburn to Truckee.

This day was being viewed with some trepidation by a good number of the party as it meant we were going over the Donner Pass, which is the highest pass over the Sierra Nevada mountains and tops out at more than 7000 feet. I was not particularly anxious, but only because I did not know what was coming!! The day was sunny and cool at loading and there was plenty of use of the vans to carry extra clothing for the descent later. The climbing started early through pine forests and went on for miles at about 6 to 8% with ramps of 12%. After a break we got on Interstate 80 which is basically like our motorway, but you are allowed to ride on the shoulder. It was busy but a smooth surface. We climbed for mile after mile counting off the 1000' markers. Stopped for lunch and then climbed steadily for another 7 miles. Then off the Interstate and continued to climb on ordinary roads so that we were now above the snow that had been on distant peaks earlier. Finally reached the top of the Donner Pass at over 7000'and frnkly it was chilly. The total amount of climbing today was over 9200 feet. Another break and a then a great descent, after putting on warm clothing, in a thirty mph run all the way down to 6000' in Truckee, where we had a well earned pizza and a 'bud' while watching the Redwings win the Stanley Cup. Today was 72.4 miles, by very hard with the amount climbed, the bad news is that there is more climbing tomorrow.