Note: You must register in advance for this ride, there is no day-of-event registration. Registration closes at noon on the Friday before the ride. You must be a member of PCH Randos and RUSA to register.
A pleasant, fairly flat jaunt from Pasadena to the Claremont Colleges. There is a great coffee stop at Euro Cafe in Claremont. The ride will end at Handel's Ice Cream so we can celebrate all of our K-Hound Award winners for 2023. Kerin is buying ice cream for all PCH Randos who are there at the finish when she arrives.
This is a self- supported ride. Riders are responsible for obtaining their own food and water out on the course. There is no SAG vehicle.
Note: You must register in advance for this ride- registration closes at noon two days before the ride. There is no late registration or day-of-event registration. You must be a member of both PCH Randonneurs and RUSA in order to register. Be sure your memberships for both RUSA and PCH Randos have been renewed for 2024 before the ride date or you will not be able to participate!
Start off 2024 with a brevet on New Year's Day! Take advantage of the light holiday traffic and get your randonneuring season off to a great start.
This is a ride to Santa Barbara and back, starting in Moorpark. In the morning you will leave Moorpark heading north through the citrus farms and ranches of "The Ridge". A steep descent on Balcolm Canyon (make sure your brakes are good) takes you toward Santa Paula. From there you will work your way west to Ventura and the coast. The turn around is at the harbor in Santa Barbara, where hopefully you will pick up a tailwind for the return leg. The return to Moorpark is similar to the Santa Barbara Easy route, going through Oxnard and Camarillo and climbing Santa Rosa Rd. There is about 3700 feet of total climbing in this ride, a lot of it in the first 10 miles.
This is a minimally supported ride. Riders are responsible for obtaining their own food and water on the course. There is no SAG vehicle.
This 200km ride follows the Santa Ana River from Huntington Beach to San Bernardino and back. It's a pleasant route along the the river and you are guaranteed to see lots of bird life!The majority of the ride is on the Santa Ana River Trail, a paved multi-use path, except for the portion between Green River and Norco where the multi-use path has not yet been completed.Unless the Santa Ana winds are blowing, expect consistent headwinds on the way back!
This is a minimally supposrted ride. Riders are responsible for obtaining their own food and water on the course. There is no SAG vehicle.
This ride has a bit of everything- a quick jaunt into the mountains, some river trails and a turn-around at the Pacific Ocean. The ride starts in Pasadena and makes it's way over to Highway 39, which goes up San Gabriel Canyon past two large dams. Then you will do a lovely out-and-back along the West Fork of the San Gabriel River on a (mostly) car-free road through a beautiful, wooded canyon. After heading back down Highway 39, you will get on the San Gabriel river Trail which will take you all the way to the coast. Grab a quick lunch at the Five Guys or Chronic Tacos in Long Beach and then make your way back to Pasadena via the San Gabriel and Rio Hondo River Trails.
The ride has about 4400 feet of climbing, almost all of it early in the ride. None of the climbing is steep except for a short section at the end of the West Fork Rd.
Make sure you begin the ride with ample pocket food. There is no convenient place to get food until mile 51. This is a minimally-supported ride. Riders are responsible for obtaining their own food and water out on the course. There is no SAG vehicle.
This is a climby ride in Northeast Los Angeles that provides many terrific views of the LA area. The route starts at Occidental College in Eagle Rock and visits Flat Top Park in Montecito Heights, the arroyo Seco, South Pasadena, Montrose, La Tuna Canyon, Griffith Park, and Elysian Park.
Note: You must register in advance. Registration closes at noon on Thursday before the ride - there is no day-of-event registration. You must be a member of RUSA and PCH Randonneurs to register.
This is a very popular, fast 300k brevet. Riders start by heading through Corona to the Santa Ana River Trail and following it all the way to Huntington Beach and the first control. There you head north either on the beach path or PCH (your choice) and then inland on the San Gabriel trail to Las Lomas. This is a 45 mile stretch so stock up on calories. The climb over the Santa Fe dam is scenic if you look to the mountains. At Las Lomas we will forage at the 7-11 control.
Now riders back-track for a while until we hop over to the Rio Hondo bike path. There’s a quarter mile stretch of dirt that’s normally rideable, but you can walk it without losing much time. Next you’re on the Los Angeles River trail dealing with headwind for ten miles or so. As you enter the Long Beach marina there are many routes through the area – the important thing is the keep the water somewhere on the right. At Belmont pier you will head inland for a block and choose between many controls such as Chronic Tacos, Jack-in-the-box, Arco, Vons, 7-11, and others.
Then riders return to the beach path and follow it a little longer and some quiet(ish) roads until PCH which you follow to Newport Beach. Now you ride more bike paths to a control at Crossroads shopping center in Lake Forest. It’s hard to beat sitting by the illuminated fountain as the light fades while eating Pad Thai. The last section is a mixture of bike paths and quiet roads but contains some climbs – noticeably Pioneer Way and Green River Road. Some riders may find the gate from Lakeview Ave onto the Santa Ana trail locked when they get there. In this case, continue on Lakeview and make the first right onto La Palma. You will rejoin the route 4.5 miles later- this is explained on the cue sheet. The finish is at the Desert Inn in Corona where food and drinks will be provided.
Total distance is 188 miles with 4000ft of climbing. Because it is so flat, has few stop lights or stop signs, and only has four intermediate controls, many riders have completed this route in under 12 hours. Most riders set a personal best on this route. It is ideal for randonneurs attempting their first 300k and for experienced riders looking for a personal best 300k time.
Full lights and reflective gear are required. Please see Article 10 of the RUSA Rules for Riders.
This is a minimally supported ride. Riders are responsible for finding their own food and water on course. There is no SAG vehicle.
Note: You must register in advance for this ride- registration closes at noon on Thursday before the ride. There is no late registration or day-of-event registration.
The route starts by following the San Francisquito Creek bike trail up to San Francisquito Canyon Road (one of the early routes between the LA Basin and the big valley) and then continues past the site of the 1928 St. Francis Dam collapse, and up and over San Francisquito Pass. After a short, steep descent (ending in a T intersection, so use caution!) the route continues down the rift valley of the San Andreas Fault to the control in Leona Valley. Continuing down the valley to Bouquet Canyon Road, the route then goes up over the Leona Divide to a long descent along the north side of the Sierra Pelona Ridge to return to Santa Clarita. A few miles on the riverside bike paths leads to Sierra Highway and then up along the south side of the ridge, through Agua Dulce and Acton to the top of Soledad Canyon. Another long descent leads back to Santa Clarita. Climbing up Sand Canyon and down scenic Placerita Canyon to the control at the nature center, the site of the first discovery of gold in California at the Oak of the Golden Dream, the route then continues along a few flat miles of surface streets and bike paths to the finish.
The canyons are often warm (even in winter) and are usually dry and windy. There is water available at several locations along the route. It is a good idea to fill water bottles before starting the descents down Bouquet Canyon and Soledad Canyon, as there is no water available in Bouquet Canyon, and water stops are a considerable distance apart in Soledad Canyon.
This is a minimally supported ride. Riders are expected to be self-sufficient and obtain their own food and water out on the course. There is no SAG vehicle.
Registration will open on December 1st
This is a point-to-point 300km ride from San Luis Obispo to Moorpark. The route leaves SLO along the coastal route, then works it's way inland to a photo control in Sisquoc. From there riders will travel west to Orcutt, head south on highway 135, and climb the Harris Grade to a control in Lompoc where there are many lunch options. Be sure to fill up and stock up in Lompoc. From Lompoc, riders will travel on old Highway 1, which cuts through beautiful, empty countryside to rejoin the 101. Now there is a thrilling descent to the coast at Gaviota, where you will begin a stretch on the 101 freeway to Goleta. The freeway is busy, but there is a big shoulder and the views of the Pacific Ocean are fabulous. You will continue following the standard California Coastal bike route through Santa Barbara, Carpinteria and Ventura. Riders will turn away from the coast at mile 163 and work their way east through Oxnard, Camarillo, and the Santa Rosa Valley to the finish in Moorpark.
The ride finishes in Moorpark at the new Fairfield Inn and Suites. From there it is a 1.5 mile ride to the Moorpark train station.
The total amount of climbing on the ride is a modest 7,000 feet, much of it in the first half of the ride. The winds are typically favorable heading south down the coast, but you never know.
Riders can take the Amtrak to San Luis Obispo on the Friday before the ride. There are two Pacific Surfliner trains per day that allow you to wheel your bike in and store in a special bike area. The bike is free, but you must add a bicycle reservation to your ticket and there is a limit to the number of bikes on one train. The Coast Starlight also allows bikes, but for this train you wheel your bike to the baggage car and the conductor will load it into a bike area. Another option to get to the start is to join with some friends and use a one-way rental car. Terri will be able to transport a small drop bag (no more than 15 pounds) from the start to the finish.
Riders are responsible for obtaining their own food and water on the course. There is no SAG vehicle. There will be food provided at the finish.
Registration will open on December 1. There will be a 28 rider limit because this is the number of bikes that can be transported back to Joshua Tree.
Note: You must register in advance for this ride- registration closes at midnight on Sunday before the ride. There is no late registration or day-of-event registration. You must be a member of both RUSA and PCH Randonneurs to register.
The Joshua Tree to Vegas 300k is a point-to-point brevet from Joshua Tree National Park to Las Vegas, with SAG support in route across the massive Mojave desert, finishing in Henderson, NV (south of the Vegas strip). The entry fee includes a shuttle for you and your bike back to Joshua Tree on Sunday. Most riders park their cars near the start in Joshua Tree (on the city streets) and take the provided charter bus shuttle service back to Joshua Tree after the ride. We have plenty of space to accommodate everyone that wants shuttle back from Vegas to Joshua Tree. There are 2 Motels (Joshua Tree Inn and High Desert) within a few minutes of the start for those wanting to maximize sleep before the ride. [Option for OC riders: Some riders come to my home in Foothill Ranch, CA for a 3:00AM departure to Joshua Tree and I can accommodate up to 5 riders for this extra shuttle]
Alternatively, for riders flying into the LA area, John Wayne airport (SNA) is the closest to Willie and thus the easiest logistically for pickup. Bike boxes will be taken to Vegas for any riders that wants to fly from Vegas directly home. On the Las Vegas end, some riders may want to fly back home from Vegas. Bikes will be shuttled back to LA / OC even if you fly, just leave bikes and excess gear with Willie.
The route itself has huge expansive views across the Mojave desert including mountains, sand dunes, Joshua trees, railroad lines, the Ivanpah solar power plant, even the casino lights of Primm, Jean and Vegas. Riders can see for 50+ miles at several vista points. Traffic is generally quite light and often 10 or 15 minutes go by without a car passing. Climbing is reasonable at 8500 feet, but concentrated mostly 2 massive climbs, and 2 smaller climbs. Wind is normally blowing toward Vegas, so it’s possible to have a tailwind the whole way there! Pavement quality is good for the most part as most has been recently repaved, but there are a number of miles that have a few avoidable potholes. 23mm tires will work, but 25 or 28mm would be wiser. Since cell connectivity is limited and spotty, the SAG will sweep the route to make sure no one is left out there.
Important:
All riders need to contact Willie Hunt well before the ride so shuttle space can be logistically handled.
New Finish Hotel! Because the M Spa Resort has become way too expensive for rando budgets, the finish has been moved to the Silverton Casino Lodge, 3333 Blue Diamond Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89139. All riders need to make their own room reservations at the Siverton Casino Lodge or nearby hotel. Make your reservations early, Las vegas hotels tend to fill up because of events going on in town. You are welcome to use the PCH Randos Google Group to help coordinate room sharing.
Drop bags will be taken to Vegas and normally are available at each SAG stop in route. However, I cannot guarantee that your drop bag will be available at every stop, because there will be 2 SAG’s and they will be spread out, one in the lead, and one following up the rear. You choose at the start which SAG for your drop bag, depending on your riding speed.
Generally the return shuttle will leave at 9AM Sunday morning, so you may want to limit the partying in Vegas Saturday night!
Because Joshua Tree to Vegas is more costly than our typical brevet and also involves many fixed expenses for the club, the following refund policy will apply:If you cancel your registration by 2/1/24, you will receive a $120 refund.If you cancel your registration by 2/17/23, you will receive a $75 refund.After 2/18/23 there will be no cash refunds. (but we can offer you a free registration in another 2024 PCH Randos brevet)
Registration will open on December 1st.
Note: You must register in advance for this ride- registration closes at noon on Thursday before the ride. There is no late registration or day-of-event registration. You must be a member of both RUSA and PCH Randonneurs to register.
The ride starts in the Santa Clarita Valley and traverses through Valencia and Newhall along bike trails and surface streets to Sierra Highway. It then climbs up along the original route of what was known in the 1860s as Beale's Cut Stagecoach Pass (Beale's Cut was a narrow channel cut through the pass where tolls were charged to travel to and from the San Fernando Valley. Beale's Cut still exists but is difficult to see from Sierra Highway.) The route then travels across the top of the San Fernando Valley and over the beautiful Santa Susana Pass, and then down and across Simi Valley to Moorpark. Climbing up Grimes Canyon Road to cross the Santa Susana Mountains, there is a fast and winding descent into the Heritage Valley. The route then travels down the valley to Santa Paula, where it turns up Highway 150 into the Topatopa Mountains and down the long descent to the Dennison Grade and on down into the Ojai Valley. Heading west over the double bumps the route descends to Carpenteria. Following the coast south to Oxnard, the route turns inland across Rancho Las Posas and through the Las Posas Hills back to Moorpark, where it again crosses the Santa Susana Mountains. The return to Santa Clarita follows Guiberson Road to Piru along the northern edge of the Santa Susanas, then along Highway 126 (where the shoulder has been designated and painted as a bike route.) Following a few miles of streets and trails the route ends back in Valencia. There are beautiful views of rock formations in the Santa Monica Mountains, and of the Heritage Valley, the Ojai Valley, and Lake Casitas along the route, as well as an opportunity to see the sunset over the Pacific from our namesake highway.
There are several moderate climbs on this route, but for most part they are 6% or less with occasional short sections at 7--8%. Services are available along the route, but at least two water bottles are recommended due to the dry, and often windy and hot, conditions that may be encountered, particularly on the climb from Moorpark, and between Ojai and Carpenteria.
The ride starts at Bridgeport Park in Valencia, and ends at the ride leader's house a short distance from the start, where there will be food and drinks available around a backyard fire pit. Limited parking is available in the parking lot at the start, and also to the east of the park along Bridgeport Lane and Parkwood Lane.
All participants are required to have working front and rear lights on their bicycles and meet the reflectivity guidelines as required by Article 10 of the RUSA Rules for Riders. An inspection will be conducted to ensure compliance for your safety during the ride.