Saturday Special: Stories from the Death Ride.
July 12, 2025, randonneuring bicyclists gather for the Death Ride: Tour of the California Alps in the Sierra Nevada.
With temps reaching the high 90s, the Death Ride https://deathride.com/death-ridecourse/ takes off from Turtle Rock Park near Markleeville, CA. An expected 1300 bicyclists will pump over Monitor and Ebbetts Passes, and the Pacific Grade to Alpine Lake and back for a total of 103 miles (165.76km) between 5 a.m. to 6:30p.m. today. Elevations will reach over 14K feet.
Monitor Pass is less challenging than the winding, cliff-hugging track over Ebbetts Pass, but it also weeds out the snowflakes. If you can't hack Monitor, there's no way you'll survive Ebbetts. Add July's heat and that's why it's called The Death Ride. Frankly, I'm surprised someone hasn't died during this bicycling beast. Many have attempted suicide by cliff-soaring, but have failed due to the efforts of EMTs and ham radio operators providing communications in this cell phone free zone.
One bicyclist illustrated the "snowflake" designation with classic aplomb. Coasting down the long slope between Monitor's summit and Hwy 395, he asked the ham radio operator at the checkpoint to call the SAG truck to pick him up. Wiping the glow of sweat from his brow, he just couldn't return over that mountain. He was done. I'll wager he was one of those "mountain" bikers who park at the top of the hill, sail down in a few adrenaline-charged minutes, then hitch a ride back to his car. Just throw the bike in the trunk.
When the SAG truck arrived and loaded his bike, he refused to climb in with it. "There's no seatbelt. I'm not riding in there." The driver told him to call his buddies, who were probably enjoying several cold ones at one of Markleeville's taverns.
His case is rare, however. Remarkable people conquer this feat every year and come back for more. We were deployed as radio support at Pickets Junction, just nine miles shy of Carson Pass when it was part of the course and the third peak to be surmounted. The people who make it there are titans, in my opinion. They passed snowflakedom long ago.
One senior cyclist, maybe in his late fifties or sixties, asked if he could lie down under our pop-up for a little nap. As he lay there on the pavement, others gathered around to hang out with drinks and snacks and pet our trembling pooch, Cinch.
After a few minutes, we realized the sleeping biker was very quiet. "Is he alive?" We tapped him on the shoulder to check. He opened his eyes and rose, refreshed and ready to tackle the last few miles.
Most of these people seem capable of scaling Sierra Nevada summits on a hot July day without breaking much of a sweat. One guy told us he trained for the event by climbing several flights of stairs in the tall building where he worked. Every day, he pumped up those stairs just as he would on a bicycle. They are truly magnificent and surprisingly humble human beings. Meeting them changed my rancorous opinion of mountain bicyclists, at least for this randonneuring breed.*
Another Death Ride hero is Hans Bernhardt, AKA The Chicken Man. According to Hans' Facebook page, he enjoys supporting funding-raising events that contribute to local communities and causes. The Death Ride profits benefit the Alpine County Chamber of Commerce and its programs. To thank the volunteers, Hans brings rubber chickens to give to everyone. There are tiny chickens, about three inches long, to attach to hats, clothing, and key rings. The traditional rubber chickens are fastened to the pop-ups that shelter snack and water checkpoints located along the course.
Hans pulled up to Pickets with two large plastic bags full of rubber chickens. He had passed out so many of these things over the years that nobody wanted any more. He hauled those suckers over the entire course. It had to be an extra twenty pounds hanging off his handlebars.
The highway over Ebbetts pass requires a speed limit of 45 MPH. If you drive over this road, you'll encounter some of the prettiest Sierra Nevada scenery, but you won't be able to enjoy it. While trying to stay attached to the road, you will suffer from acute acrophobia. It narrows to a squeaky two-lane snake over the pass. A foot or two off one side is a sheer drop where you can see the tops of tamarack pines. The other side is just as steep, but upward. Any long vehicle driver will regret choosing this route. It's purely a Sunday drive for the skilled and sober.
One of our newest hams, 12-year-old Emerson Ramirez, reported that a biker had launched from the highway at one of the many hairpin turns. Rescuers deployed immediately to the rescue. As the EMTs stood at the site, marveling at how they managed to airlift the rider to medical aid, another rider screamed toward them. They moved aside just as he soared over the cliff, following the exact same wheel track as the first guy. With six ambulance calls and two airlifts, it was a busy day. And Emerson reported it all over the radio with professional confidence, even when pressed for information he didn't have.
By evening, most participants had checked in to Turtle Rock. The ham radio operator at the Hermit Valley checkpoint secured his duty and headed home. As he wound down the ess curves, he spotted a man struggling to climb onto the roadside. The ham skidded to a stop to help him.
The biker had slid off the road, but managed to land where he could rest, then climb up the cliff. He was just cresting the top when the ham saw him. The ham radio'd 911 dispatch in Markleeville where another ham was stationed. Rescue was on the way, but they told the ham not to give anything to the biker. No water. No food. Nothing.
It was a horrible predicament for the ham who could see the biker was dehydrated and fading fast. All he could do was sneak a few sips, but nothing more. It was a long wait until the EMTs arrived. With all the other riders long past that point in the course, the ham was the last person driving down the hill. It was pure luck he came by just as the biker appeared on the roadside. Otherwise, he may not have survived the night.
We enjoyed our station at Pickets, but for our final year, we were assigned a spot below a hairpin turn on the downhill side of Monitor. After checking out the place, we agreed it was going to be a major shit show with bikers careening around that curve into a crowded checkpoint. Also, there was very little space to set up our station. It was going to be an interesting day.
As we prepared to leave home, we listened to the radio chatter. It's always fun to listen to hams as they cover these events. That year was special. A wildfire flared up from a deep canyon miles away. Winds were high that day and within minutes, the Turtle Rock radio station was ordered to evacuate. The Death Ride was cancelled and all participants called back in to evacuate.
The Tamarack Fire consumed thousands of acres of beautiful Sierra Nevada forests, destroying Turtle Rock campground and several homes. One really unlucky victim not only lost a trailer they had parked at Turtle Rock, but also their newly purchased home on Hwy 395. All their housing options were destroyed.
The checkpoint volunteers left their water containers to be picked up later. Some of that water undoubtedly came in handy for firefighters. The fire burned for over a month and threatened the town of Markleeville. It was saved in part because a rancher had irrigated a huge pasture between the town and the wildfire's trajectory. The fire went around the pasture and the town.
The Death Ride has returned and is running today. I'm tempted to bail on the garden chores to listen on the radio where it’s safe and I can sip a cool one in front of the AC.
*Randonneuring is a long-distance, non-competitive cycling sport where riders attempt routes of 200 kilometers or more, completing them within specified time limits. It emphasizes self-sufficiency and friendly camaraderie rather than racing. A key aspect is completing the ride within a time limit while passing through designated control points (checkpoints). Wikipedia AI
All photos by Sue Cauhape unless stated otherwise.
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Amazing cyclists, for sure!
Your writing always improves my education in some way, Sue. Thank you. I learn so much about things I've never even heard of. What an adventure your life has been. You are so curious! After reading your first paragraph here, I had to sit down a bit. It exhausted me. I am dumbfounded by the people who challenge themselves in this way. It is so mot me.... ha ha ha