SKAGGS
Next Saturday is the season finale of the Grasshopper Adventure Series. We’ve brought you the most epic series in our 14 years and will finish with a doozie. Like all Hoppers it will be long and hard and the challenge will to ride with a fast group yet conserve just enough to finish strong and not go backwards. Our approach to Caz and King Ridge will be straight forward and pretty flat. Then it’s upward to King Ridge and Tin Barn. Last years final stage headed east on Stewarts Point and then took a left on Annapolis. This year we will continue East, then cruise along the Gualala River Valley where we will be in the shade on yet another Sonoma County Certified Ribbon Road. The climb out of the river valley offers snippets of shade if you hug the right side and after 15-20 minutes you will be treated to a ripping descent. Then up, down, up down, up down, up down. I think there are four? The finish will be at the picnic area across from the Lake Sonoma Visitor Center.
If you have never done Skaggs and are looking for a challenge make sure you are fit, prepared, and hydrated. Remember that the spirit of the Hoppers is to self-support and have a buddy system. We will be waiting for you at the finish with snacks and cold beverages. Don’t get in over your head early on and spend too many chips unless you have the reserve. Expect to be on the road between 6-8 hours. After recovering a bit riders will ride back to Healdsburg where amazing food from Fork Catering and wine from Arnot Roberts will await you.
For those of you who are brave enough to do it two weekends in a row,or just want to plan ahead (yeah Google Earth) here’s the course.
We will begin at Arnot-Roberts Winery in Healdburg at 10:00 A.M.
Westside Rd-Rt. River Rd.-Rt. East Austin Creek Rd.-Rt. Cazadero Hwy. to King Ridge Rd.-(Feed Zone at top of King Ridge) Rt. Tin Barn Rd.-Rt. Stewarts Pt/Skaggs Springs Rd. Finish Lake Sonoma Visitor Center (On Rt. in picnic area)
That’s it! Simple huh? Jim Keene from NorCal will be manning the neutral water stop. We will require that everyone leave the feed with 3 full bottles. No exceptionsThere will be plenty of Body Armor beverages to top you off too. There is H20 across the street from the Boy Scout Camp if you need it.
Stay tuned for last minute details later this week.
Mig
Hello, I just have one question… Arnot-Roberts address? Is that 33 Healdsburg ave?
Thank you, Frank.
yes. behind main building
The most epic yet… and I’ll miss it.
But the So Co road crew will be patching the road for this event:
–Stewarts Point-Skaggs Springs Road, Monday through Wednesday, various sections will be patched.
Have fun!
Does top of King Ridge for the feed zone mean top of the climb or at the intersection where it is for Levi’s GF? Not, mind you, that I’ll be spending a lot of time casually sipping water on that descent.
A little before intersection while you’re climbing a little riser before Tin Barn
any dirt?
no
There will also be riders out there on eastbound Skaggs doing the ultra-butch (Terrible Two’s) Bad Little Brother ride, a 133-mile, 14000′ deathmarch. Have fun, one and all!
Sorry, didn’t have my finger on the SRCC pulse. Didn’t mean to schedule on same weekend. We’ll need to communicate next year. I was thinking this would be a good lead-up to TT .
Forgot to mention there’s the Ridge Run option of the aforementioned BLB: 135 miles and 15600′.