Chico-Velo Tour of Unknown Coast

In 2008, I did the Tour of the Unknown Coast billed as California's Toughest Century. I nearly perished and swore I would never do this ride again.

Fast forward 5 years.  Chico-Velo sponsors a tour of the same 100 mile route but sanely spread over two days.  They break-up this breathtakingly beautiful ride with a camp-over at the Mattole Camp and Retreat Center.

The Chico-Velo version is a sagged tour where they schlep your camping gear, provide great meals, and vital rest-stops at the tops of monster climbs this route is famous for at a very reasonable fee.

There were approximately 75 riders participating in this year's tour.  I attended the ride with Dave and Kristina Vandershaf.

The 100 mile route is broken up into:

First Day - 63 miles with 4800' of climbing
Second Day - 37 miles with 4580' of vertical

The tour takes in the best of the California North Coast - rolling bucolic farmland, majestic redwood forests, along meandering rivers, 10 miles of the Lost Coast, and three monster climbs of the King Range.  All beginning and ending in the fairytale Victorian Village of Ferndale.

My hats off to the volunteers of Chico-Velo.  They really know how to put on a fantastic supported tour.

To view photo album, click on "Chico-Velo Tour of the Unknown Coast" below photo:

From Chico-Velo Tour of the Unknown Coast