I would hike it next time but should say that I am not a big speed freak and like to have control while biking which was not the case for a big part of the ride. I was so glad we did it and will remove it from my bucket list. The ride along the top was a bit scary as the trail is narrow with a long drop down the side of the mountain, leaving no room for errors. Well, it was well worth the struggle, the views were spectacular. I don't think we were fully acclimated to the elevation and I wasn't sure what I was thinking when we signed up for this as I tried to get thru the first four miles. We arrived in Tahoe Saturday night and did the trail on Monday. As others have noted, the first four miles are more a hike with your bike if you don't do this on a regular basis. This ride doesn't compare, it is much more difficult and the views are amazing. Well, let me clear up any misconceptions. We rode the Vail Pass while in Breckenridge last summer and enjoyed it so much we wanted to do something similar. We had a weeks vacation in South Lake Tahoe and being from Florida, wanted to take advantage of the beautiful October weather. You'll be clean and refreshed and will have just done a bike ride you will never forget. Now, run off the pier and jump in the lake. At the end you'll hit the same road you started on, and your car will be to the left, about 2 miles. The ride down Tunnel Creek is a blast, and can be really fun if you're with a competitive group. Be careful here to pick the direction that takes you down to the lake. You will eventually come to an intersection with Tunnel Creek Road. You can take your time and enjoy, or blast through it, but be careful because some people do ride in the other direction. The view is amazing, and in some places it is almost a straight vertical drop. Othefwise, the Flume trail will take you along the east shore of Lake Tahoe at about 1,000 feet or so above lake level. If you want to do more climbing, you can head to the right and up Marlette Lake Road to the Pacific Rim Trail for a fantastic view out over Carson City. To continue on, pick up the flume trail to the left hand side (west) of marlette lake. This is the beauty of the Flume Trail - it is mostly flat and downhill from here to the end. Once through it, you are rewarded with a nice little glide to Marlette Lake, a beautiful unspoiled alpine lake. I've never been able to make it through this stretch without taking a breather, but some people do power through it - it's about a 7 or 8 in my book, and I've been riding mountain bikes since 1984. There is a very steep climb as you get closer to Marlette Lake, but it doesn't last too long. The road starts off pretty gradually, and then BANG, your front wheel is pointing to the sky. This is a good spot for a quick snack and stretch for what's ahead. From here, find the sign that directs you to Marlette Lake. Continue to Spooner Lake, about 7.5 miles. It gives you a nice gradual warm up to get the legs loosened up and the blood pumping. (this will come in handy later) Head out South along Hwy 28. Sit back, and let me take you through the ride - Here's how I like to do it - Park at Sand Harbor Park parking area in NV. I've ridden around Tahoe a lot, and this is the CLASSIC, EPIC ride, and my go-to ride if I can only do one ride, and I've got the time. You could easily ride a different great trail every day of the week, and you can certainly pick an easier one. Look, there are lots and lots of great mounting biking trails around Tahoe.
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