Snow!

 Backside of Kirkwood looking good today.

Old Bike Parts

 Bucket of Replaced Bike Parts

Here's all the parts I replaced I successfully replaced on the old Trek Xcaliber 7.  Rides like new, shifts smoothly, climbs better.

Round Mound Peak Bagging

    This is from the top of Round Mound on the Nevada side of South Lake Tahoe.  Beautiful hike through meadows and forest ending with this view on the 4th of July.  10/10 would recommend

Twisty 50

 I really liked this view of 50 winding up to Spooner Summit. This is from the trail to the top of Captain Pomin Rock

Okay, it was better in person...You should go.

Big Leaf Maple Turning Fall Colors

 Out for a little stroll, I notice the big leaf maple and dogwood are coming along nicely with their Fall colors.  Fall is shaping up to be beautiful here in Pollock Pines.  Weather is perfect for outdoor chores, the softer sunlight creates a golden hue which I enjoy.  The smell of wood smoke in the mornings as the mountain folk take the chill off is another sign of the season changing that I find charming.  The unlucky ones flip a switch for their heat.  I worry about their soul.

Hollowtech Upgrade

 Gotta grease it before insertion.

Shimano M5100 11-51t

 I feel like my climbing is about to get easier!

New vs Old

Leverage! Crank Removal

 Now with iron pipe!  Does this make you shake your head?  We can't all be perfect.  Wallow in my glory.  The 2 foot galvi pipe, the stabilizing wrench coyly propped against the water bottle cage for counter force.  This is more art than mechanics.

2016 Trek xcalibur 7 conversion to 1x11

Out with the old defunct square taper bottom bracket and in with the BB 52 hollowtech with SLX cranks.

Proper Bike Mechanics 

Compact Crank Puller

 Another bike tool!  This tool will remove the cranks off the old style square taper bottom bracket.

Actually, it's already removed one crank, now onto the next!  It wasn't easy.  I'll post a video.  I had to employ leverage!

 

📌 Quick Stats

• Location: Emerald Bay / Desolation Wilderness
• Trailhead: Bayview Campground
• Distance: ~4.25 miles round trip
• Elevation Gain: ~1,900 feet
• Summit Elevation: 8,699 feet
• Difficulty: Moderate–Strenuous (short but steep)
• Time: 2–4 hours round trip
• Best Season: Late spring through fall
• Parking: Paid

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Trail Guide: Maggie’s Peak South – Lake Tahoe

Overview

Maggie’s Peak South is one of those hikes where the reward comes quick. Sitting just above Emerald Bay, this summit gives you one of the best panoramic views in the Tahoe Basin without demanding an all-day sufferfest. At about 3.5 miles round-trip (out and back) with roughly 1,500 feet of elevation gain, it’s a steep but manageable climb that feels both wild and accessible.

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Getting There

• Trailhead: Bayview Trailhead, directly across Highway 89 from Inspiration Point.

• Parking: Small lot at Bayview fills early in summer; This used to be a campground but has been turned into paid parking

• Permit: A free Desolation Wilderness day-use permit is required; you’ll find a self-serve station at the trailhead.

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Trail Breakdown

Start: Bayview Trailhead
The hike begins under tall Jeffrey pines with immediate shade. Within minutes you’ll see signs for Granite Lake and Desolation Wilderness—stay on this main trail.

Granite Lake (1.0 mile in)
About a mile up, you’ll reach a quiet alpine lake tucked beneath rocky cliffs. Granite Lake is a good pause point to catch your breath before the real climb.

Climb to the Saddle (next 0.5 miles)
From the lake, the switchbacks start to kick in. The trail is rocky and exposed at times, but views of Emerald Bay peek through the trees as elevation builds. You’ll top out on a saddle where the terrain opens into wide granite slabs.

Final Push to the Summit (0.25 miles)
From the saddle, follow use-trails branching left toward Maggie’s Peak South. The path isn’t always clear, but cairns and boot tracks lead the way. It’s a short, steep scramble to the broad summit plateau.

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The Summit

At 8,499 feet, Maggie’s Peak South delivers a sweeping view of Emerald Bay, Cascade Lake, and the blue expanse of Tahoe itself. To the west, Desolation Wilderness stretches out with its rugged granite basins and peaks. It’s a prime spot for photos—both the iconic aerial shot of Emerald Bay and wider panoramas.  The point just East of the actual summit offers the best views.

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Quick Tips

• Best Season: Late spring through fall. Snow lingers on the shaded sections into early summer.

• Gear: Sturdy shoes, plenty of water—this trail is steep and mildly exposed. Trekking poles help on the descent.

• Timing: Early morning beats both the crowds and the afternoon thunderstorms

• Add-on: Strong hikers can continue north to Maggie’s Peak North for a slightly higher, quieter summit.

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Why Hike It?

Maggie’s Peak South offers the kind of view usually reserved for longer backpacking trips, yet it’s reachable in just a couple hours. It’s a perfect half-day adventure: challenge enough to feel earned, but short enough to fit before a swim in the lake or a casual afternoon in Tahoe City.

Wild Chicken! maybe Sage Grouse?

Park Bike Tool

First Bike Tool Arrived!

The first of several new tools have arrived for my foray into bike mechanics!  This is the Park tool BBT-22.  It will help me remove the old failed square taper bottom bracket.  Will it work? Will I use it ever again? Who knows!  

Still waiting for the rest of my orders for this Trek upgrade.
 

 My Dirty Old Trek

I should buy a new bike.  Should.  I won't though, I'm a congenital tinkerer, to my own detriment.  I'm going to upgrade this 2016 workhorse to make it good as, well, almost sort of new.

Trek, the Toyota of the bike world

This poor 2016 Trek Xcaliber 7 I picked up new a decade ago is just wearing out.  I've never changed the chain, the old bottom bracket square taper sealed cartridge is clunking with every pedal stroke up a steep grade.  The most cleaning it gets is when it rains and I've left it outside.  I slop oil on the chain and the accumulated grit has worn down the chain ring.  I probably shouldn't be a bike owner.  Certainly not a new bike owner.

So let's upgrade it!  I need a climbing gear, drive train, better brakes...You know what I know about bike mechanics?  Nothing.  Turns out there is a lot to learn.  Thanks ChatGPT!

First there is the vocabulary.  What does your foot rest on?  The pedal of course, that's easy enough, unless you have the oxymoronic clipless pedals.  I don't.  So what is the pedal attached to?  The crank arm.  Which in turn is attached to the bottom bracket. (BB)  When you pedal, the front sprocket that your chain runs over is called the chain ring.  Then there is the chainline, that is how well your chain lines up from the chain ring to the rear cassette.  

Of course you need to learn the geometry of your bike so you buy the right parts.  Again, thanks ChatGPT and google.

Then you order a bunch of parts and tools and hope it works out.  That's the stage I'm in now. I've got a used Shimano M7000 11speed crank and bottom bracket coming.  This will be an upgrade to Hollowtech II technology.  I assume that's good?  Also have a Wolfs Tooth 30T chain ring coming at the required M7000 standard 96bcd.   What's 96bcd? That means 96mm Bolt Circle Diameter.  Oh, and make sure it's compatible with the asymmetric Shimano bold pattern.  The more you know.  

Anyway, I'll keep you updated.