So far, this Reno-Tahoe spring has been just as awkward and random as our fading winter. For cycling fans, the Tahoe Basin roads are still hazardous, with unplanned potholes, road salt and ice possible around any curve. This is a great time of year to dust off your roof racks and take your ride on a nearby field trip.

Getting a few early season miles in at the lower elevations has obvious bonuses, like less damaged asphalt and less taxing altitudes for our winterized lungs.

Long, flat bike rides near Reno and the Carson foothills are a great seasonal warm-up to all the climbing found up at the Lake.

Highway 89 North
Truckee residents can simply head up Highway 89, just north of I-80, to what is also known as the Yuba-Donner Scenic Byway. Sounds pretty, yes? Flattening out and widening soon after leaving Truckee, the entire byway is a long 160 mile journey through the gold country. But a nice 30 mile section is out to the intersection of Henness Pass Road and back, which will skirt the Little Truckee River and Tahoe National Forest. For a look at the area on a map, check out the "blank" href="http://www.byways.org/explore/byways/55728/travel.html">National Scenic Byways Program site.

Boca/Stampede
Another beautiful jaunt, also north of I-80 in Truckee, heads out to Stampede Reservoir. Most riders drive east on I-80 and take the Hirschdale off-ramp, parking toward the bottom of that exit. Start your ride by heading north under the freeway, which puts you onto Stampede Meadows Road. This bit of road has the bonuses of little traffic and, due to good sun exposure, staying dry most of the time. Think of it as moderate-to-strenuous, due to one fairly steep climb that brings you atop a hill overlooking the dam. When the pavement runs out at the 'T' it's time to turn around. Very scenic, with mountain views and grassy meadows, it'll be about 28 miles roundtrip. For a list of other trails in the Boca/Stampede area, check out the Forest Service's list here.

Mogul/Verdi
Reno residents have quite a bit to choose from, when it comes to pavement. A great, casual ride heads west out to Mogul and Verdi, using a new section of the Tahoe-Pyramid Bikeway. Start at the Walden Coffee House (a quick espresso?) at the corner of West McCarran and Mayberry, and go west on Mayberry. About 2 miles along, you'll intersect with West 4th Street, so go right to continue west.
After another mile or so, the ride starts skirting alongside the Truckee River, which is in view for much of this trip.

At Mogul, cross under I-80 and over the cattle guard. Continue west on 4th Street to Exit 4 interchange and turn right (avoid the I-80 onramp!), then right again onto Silva Ranch Road. About 1 mile down the road is the start of the Bike Link. Open just since May 2005, and less than a mile long, this link is great, because cyclists no longer have to get onto busy I-80. A round trip is a leisurely 18 miles. A note of caution: on breezy days the river canyon can have a tough headwind, so plan accordingly.

Jack's Valley Loop
For Incline, south shore and Carson Valley residents, the area stemming from the base of Kingsbury Grade is filled with great rides. A simple, non-technical loop starts with a left from the parking area at the intersection of Kingsbury and Foothill. Heading north, the gentle hills roll on into Genoa (the Country Store has superb deli sandwiches), before becoming Jack's Valley Road. When you meet Highway 395, take a right and aim south on the wide shoulder, before going right again at either Genoa Lane or Muller Lane. Either will loop back to Foothill for a roundtrip of 35 miles.

Fredricksburg
For a shorter jaunt, turn right from the Kingsbury parking area, and go the opposite way down Foothill Blvd. After 5 miles, take a right at Fredricksburg Road, and another 4 easy miles brings you to Highway 88. The whole road is wide, safe, and has less traffic than the section toward Genoa. Turning around here is about an 18-mile loop or you can go across the highway for another section.

Diamond Valley
Crossing Highway 88, the road becomes Diamond Valley Road and heads southeast. When the road Ts after 2 miles, a right will keep you on Diamond Valley Road, eventually intersecting with Highway 89. Go right on the highway for about a mile, then right again on Highway 88, before veering off to Carson River Road. This is the most scenic part, as the road meanders with the river and cruises through ranch land, before joining Diamond Valley at Highway 88 again. Total loop is about 11 miles.

For riders who don't relish the probable early-season huff and puff, consider indoor spin classes through the off-season to stay in cycling shape. At Stateline, Andrea King has been a certified 'Jonny G' spin instructor for seven years and teaches classes at the Kahle Community Center.

She advises; "Spinning in winter is great to supplement your fitness level, and it gets you out on the road with one foot in the door, so to speak. In class, we go over hill work and interval training, so we're much more ready for the actual road. Even a few classes now will help."

King advises no more than three spin classes per week, since your body does need a certain recovery time.

And where does the spin trainer like to ride once the snow melts? King says she "loves riding Mt. Rose Highway from Incline to the top of Sheep Flats. It's wide and recently paved, and not so steep that it's overwhelming."

While Coach King bikes from Stateline up to Incline for this ride, we lesser mortals may just take our bike on another field trip … and remember, it's never too late to start getting in shape!