Mark Perkins brings the story behind one of the most punishing cycling events in California to life in The Fresno Uphill Climb to Kaiser: The First 38 Years of the Fresno Cycling Club's Greatest Event. He chronicles how one group of friends' fateful excursion to Kaiser Pass to train for the Sierra Super Tour evolved into an honored and grueling tradition that has spanned decades in its running. Mark's colorful accounts of the origins and development of this strenuous but much-loved tradition do much to illustrate its effect on the culture of the Fresno Cycling Club and on California cycling, strongly supported by his extensive collection of FCC correspondence, collectibles, and keepsakes.
In addition to Mark's well-told and engaging recollections of the FCC's Uphill Climb to Kaiser over the years, you'll also be presented with:
- Club flyers, announcements, and the only existing collection of The Rough Draft (FCC's newsletter)
- Newspaper articles, poetry, jokes, and other pieces associated with the event
- Route sheets, route maps, sponsor/supporter sheets, and elevation graphs
- Photographs of or relating to the Climb to Kaiser-all in color!
- More than 2600 names of previous participants, listed alphabetically (including year, nation, and time)
- A treasure trove of many other pieces of trivia and memorabilia, such as each year's event t-shirt design.
When you pick up a copy of The Fresno Uphill Climb to Kaiser, know you're in for a wild ride through one of the most storied chapters in the Fresno Cycling Club's history!