Mendo Hopper²
Three-day adventure ride in Mendocino County
Aug. 30-Sept. 1
Day 1: 75 miles 6,500 ft Day 2: TBD Day 3: 79 miles 7,990 ft.
Two-day epic adventure ride in Mendocino County. Oct 14-15
Ride Details
A Hopper like no other. This is your chance to ride little known dirt roads in remote Mendocino County. Over 25 years of riding and exploring in Northern California has led to the crazy combination of pavé, dirt and gravel roads that make up this three-day cycling adventure.
Mendo3DayAdventure
This trip is limited to 25 riders.
Route
Sat. Day 1: Day 1 begins at 9:30 AM as we roll out of Ukiah and head to Eastside Rd and then through Redwood Valley before hitting our first climb of the day, Tomki Rd. At mile 13.7 the road turns to gravel and crosses Tomki Creek 8 times before hitting the pavement again at mile 17.5. From here you continue north and then west back to Willits on a mix of pavement and gravel. There will be a quick stop to grab a bottle or top off at mile 24 for those in need. Otherwise, the main feed zone is at mile 44. Mile 29 is the intersection of Downtown Willits and then we head west on Sherwood Rd. The second climb of the day is good to fair pavement and climbs from 1350 ft to 2820 ft. Our feed zone will be at mile 44. Sherwood Rd turns to dirt at mile 41.5 and rolls along the ridge and descends to our finish at mile 74.4. That’s over 20 miles of dirt! From here riders will roll south to our private campground in Caspar. Day 1 includes 35+ miles of dirt/gravel.
Saturday: Day 2 Day 2 we’ll have 2 routes to choose from. (30-50 mi) Routes TBD.
Sunday: Day 3 Day 3 we roll out at 9:30 along Hwy 1 to Navarro Ridge Rd. We’ll roll along the top with epic views of the mighty Pacific before dropping on dirt down to Hwy 128. Then the course heads up Flynn Creek Rd and hits Comptche. From here we head west on Comptche/Orr Springs until the course connects with the Hopper famous Low Gap Rd. 25 miles of rolling dirt ends with a 9 mile descent down Low Gap Rd. to cold beer and lunch at Low Gap Park in Ukiah. Day 2 has 30 miles of dirt!!
Hopper Adventure Tour
By nature, Hoppers are demanding mixed-terrain adventure rides. These are not “gravel grinders”. There will be some gravel, and you will do some grinding. The course however is a mix between beautiful to horrible pavement; hard-pack to super-chunky gravel; single track and ripping buffed logging roads, rutted and dusted out dirt roads. The course will be very challenging, but “do-able”. Our goal at Hopper Adventures is to create epic loops that connect people to place and showcase some of the most beautiful areas in Mendocino County. The vision of this trip came to be when looking for loops to include in the annual Grasshopper Adventure Series. But in order to go to the coast and back is a huge day! So, we have created the first ever “Hopper Tour” that takes you from Ukiah to Fort Bragg on Friday. Saturday we will have 2 ride options for you, 30-50 miles (or just chill on the beach). And Sunday we ride back to Ukiah. Any route changes will be finalized at least one week prior to the event.
Rest Stops/Feed Zones
Day 1: Station 1: Mile 24 Osmo/Gelvio feed zone. Station 2: Mile 44 Osmo/Gelvio feed zone.
Day 2: Station 1: Mile 34 Osmo/Gelvio feed zone. Station 2: Mile 58 Osmo/Gelvio feed zone.
If you wish to leave your personal bottles and food you may leave a clearly labeled bag with your name and ride number. We will set it out at the Station 2 feed zone.
Logistics
On Saturday morning you will leave your gear at registration for us to transport to our hotel in Fort Bragg.
The trip includes:
- Ride snacks and hydration
- Breakfast Saturday and Sunday
- Lunch Friday, Saturday
- Dinner Friday and Saturday
- Bike wash Friday and Saturday
- 2 nights at the Beachcomber Hotel (Double Occupancy)
- single occupancy surcharge $350
It can be chilly in the evenings so plan accordingly. We will keep you updated on the weather and packing suggestions as the date for MendoHopper approaches.
Schedule
Friday
6:30 AM ParkingDrop off camping gear. NO DAY OF REGISTRATION
8:00 Ride Starts
Saturday:
TBD
Sunday: Roll 9 am
Whatcha’ get
- An amazing three-day, super fun adventure
- Ride support; hydration and nutrition.
- Lunch and breakfast by Michelin chef Matthew Accarrino from SPQR/Mattina in San Francisco
- Gear transportation to Fort Bragg and back
- Cold Guayaki, Sierra Nevada beer
- Meals: 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners
- Hopper Socks
- Unforgettable stories of adventure!
Results