53 MILES / 1,470 FEET

76 MILES / 1,115 FEET

100 MILES / 2,415 FEET

• The 100 mile ride, which circumnavigates the southern metropolitan area, offers a pleasant variety of central and southern Sacramento County landscapes:  American River Parkway, edge of the foothills, pasture lands, farms, orchards, and the Sacramento River.  The ride is essentially flat.  The course avoids risk of winter ice and snow, but Scott and South River Roads can flood after heavy rainfall.   
  
  

  • All rides start in Carmichael.  The 53 and 100 mile rides proceed east to Folsom along the upper American River Parkway and then head south on Scott Road to Rancho Murietta.

  • The 53 mile ride loops back from Rancho Murietta along the Jackson Highway and the Folsom South Canal to Rancho Cordova and the American River Bike Trail.

  • The 76 mile ride crosses Rancho Cordova to the Folsom South Canal and Grant Line Road and joins the 100 mile route in Sheldon.

  • The 100 mile ride continues from Rancho Murietta to Wilton, Sheldon, Elk Grove, Franklin, Hood, Freeport, West Sacramento and returns along the lower American River Parkway to the ride start.
    
    

• SETTING

  • The American River Parkway, providing a scenic conduit through the Sacramento metropolitan area.

  • Rural roads of south-central Sacramento County.

  • River Road and South River Road along the Sacramento River.
    
    

• START

  • Five Points Shopping Center, on the southeast corner of Arden Way and Fair Oaks Blvd in Carmichael.

    • Travel to the intersection of Arden Way and Fair Oaks Blvd in Carmichael, CA (immediately east of Sacramento).  Park in the Five Points parking lot (SE corner of Arden Way & Fair Oaks Blvd, away from retail outlets).

    • Riders optionally may start at any point along the American River Parkway Bike Trail.  This may alter total mileage on the 53 and 76 mile rides; total mileage on the 100 mile route would remain unchanged.
      
      

• 53, 76, AND 100 MILE RIDES

  • Climbing:  Inconsequential.  Aside from a few gentle rolling hills on Scott Road and one short hill on Stonehouse Road, the rides are essentially flat:
    Elevation Gain (53 Mile Ride) = 1,470 feet
    Elevation Gain (76 Mile Ride) = 1,115 feet
    Elevation Gain (100 Mile Ride) = 2,415 feet

  • Difficulty:  as the rides have minimal climbing, difficulty relates only to mileage.  As there is relatively little shade, riding these routes in very hot weather could be uncomfortable. 

  • Urban sections:    

    • the 53 and 100 mile routes pass through Folsom.

    • the 76 and 100 mile routes pass through Elk Grove and West Sacramento. 

  • Risks: 

    • Inexperienced cyclists on the American River Parkway Bike Trail:  particularly on weekends there can be significant numbers of young cyclists who are utterly ignorant of the "rules of the road" and who can act entirely unpredictably. 

    • Urban cycling (generally easy). 

    • Occasional assaults on bicyclists have occurred on the American River Bike Trail between the H Street Bridge and Discovery Park (76 & 100 mile rides).

    • Huge gravel trucks on Scott (north of White Rock Road) & White Rock Roads:  they travel fast and often give little heed to bicyclists.  I never have seen them on Scott Road south of White Rock Road.  They are present on weekdays and some Saturdays; I never have seen them on Sundays (which, in this regard, would be the safest day to ride the 53 and 100 mile courses).