If you’re looking to climb, Kingsbury Grade is one of the better options in the area thanks to its relatively wide shoulder (compared to Geiger Grade or the Mt Rose Highway, which are next to nothing).

This route starts off with a tough climb up to Tahoe so park as far from Kingsbury as you need for a solid warmup. The elevation profile tells most of the story but the great part is that there are almost unlimited rest/coffee/beer stops through South Lake Tahoe and Meyers. There are some great views climbing up to Tahoe but nothing too romantic about the riding (fairly busy roads through the South Lake casinos) until you get to the Upper Truckee River area where the route turns into a steep but quiet 1200 ft climb where you’ll cross and hook back up to a busy Luther Pass Road but quickly drop down into a pretty amazing panoramic view of Hope Valley.

Make sure to stop at Mad Dog Cafe for a near end of ride sandwich and beer. If it’s a windy day, maybe make it 2 beers to ease the frustration of having to full on pedal downhill into a headwind back to you car, which is a common occurrence in the Washoe Valley area.