First let me state that this course is largely on rural back roads with few services and patchy cellular reception. It is a very fun, friendly course for double century riders of all levels when the ride is well supported, as the Davis Bike Club does. But if you choose to attempt this course alone, it could be extremely challenging. You should be a very strong, experienced, self-sufficient rider, preferably with firsthand knowledge of the course. Carry a CamelBak in addition to your 2 water bottles and be certain to fill it during lunch at Lower Lake/Clear Lake. Slower riders should not attempt this course without a personal SAG! as they will likely find NO AVAILABLE SERVICES after Lower Lake, until they get back to Davis, which is 90 miles away! (I rode this course solo last year, but I had a personal SAG from Lower Lake to Capay, and I needed it!)
Also, for those riders who have not ridden this course, there are ~4 miles of gravel after Middletown. Nothing difficult, I’ve ridden it on a racing bike, which wasn’t pleasant, but still do-able.
Chances to pick up provisions along the way
First Chance: ~35 miles Winters
- Lester Farms Bakery Open 5:30 am Weekdays, 6 am Sat/Sun. Located on the right just past the rt turn onto Hwy 128/W. Grant Rd. Fresh baked pasteries, cookies, breads, coffee and various other drinks available
- There is also Winters Country Market, (a mini mart) on the at the right corner as you turn on to Hwy 128. I have no experience with it.
- There are no services until you get to Pope Valley. The Markley Cove Store burned down in last autumns fires.
Second Chance: ~75 miles, Pope Valley
- Pope Valley Store opens at 10am. Small mini mart type store. Drinks, and miscellaneous snacks. There is a porta potty available there to the right of the store.
Third Chance: ~90 miles Middletown
- Chevron station at the corner of Hwy 29 and Wardlaw where you make a right turn. Standard gas station minimart. Open 24 hours.
- Hardester’s Market (grocery store), just a block past your scheduled right turn after you come into town, opens at 7am.
Fourth Chance” ~110 miles Lower Lake or Clear Lake
Lower Lake High School is the usual lunch stop. We recommend that you eat your fill in the Lower Lake area. You will find fast food plentiful.
- When you come into town you will make a right turn on to Hwy 59. There will be a Fosters Freeze and a KFC a few doors down. Or turn rt on Dam Rd and there is a Carl’s Jr, McDonalds. Or take a left on Lakeshore Blvd and there will be a Taco Bell, Subway and Food Etc. (Grocery Store)!
- Or turn left on Olympic Dr. to find a Safeway approximately 1 mile down the road.
And this will be your last chance to get food and water for quite a few miles. We strongly recommend that you do not proceed beyond this point without eating, drinking and filling your water bottles and your large Camelbak unless you have a personal SAG. (I filled my CamelBak with water from a Carl’s Jr soda dispenser. They didn’t seem to mind.)
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Your next services will be in Guinda at 158 miles. To get there you will need to climb Resurrection. For those of you who aren’t familiar with this climb, be forewarned it is deceptively difficult. The road surface and shoulder are good, and the grade is rarely more than 4%. But it is long, and you climb it in the afternoon when it can be hot and there is NO SHADE -seriously, no shade- until you get near the top. You will feel the full fury of the sun on a hot day. The reflected heat from the road can get well over 110F on a hot day, (personal experience). We place a rest stop on the top of the climb, but it won’t be there for you. If you do have a personal SAG, you may wish to have them check in with you at the bottom of the climb, the top of the climb (at the large pull out) or at the Judge Davis Trailhead a few miles down the back side of the climb or a combination of the three. There is a restroom at the trailhead. The rest of the ride to Rumsey/Guinda is rolling downhill. But there will be no services or water until you get to Guinda. (We do not recommend the Cache Creek river water!)
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Fifth and Last Chances ~158-173 miles, Guinda to Capay
- There is a store on your right as you come into the small town of Guinda, at 158mi (population 254). The store is “The Corner Store”. It is very small, but it has snacks and drinks and ice cream bars!. It closes at about 6 pm. (Remember, in these small towns, closing times may be approximate. If there is no business, there is no reason to stay open.)
- If you get to Guinda after the store closes or you choose not to stop, your next service is in Brooks at 165mi at the Mini Mart at the Cache Creek Casino. But this closes at 5pm. It won’t be much help if you were late for the Corner Store.
- Next service is the Road Trip Bar and Grill in Capay at ~173mi, closes at 7 pm. It has a small store attached to the restaurant.
- If you still need food and drink after this point, you will need to go about ½ mile off course and go into Esparto, which is just 1-2 miles past Capay. There is “The Ravine on Sixteen”, a small restaurant on the main street. Serves until 9 pm and a lite menu until closing, possibly midnight.
After this, there is nothing and you’re all alone until you get back to Davis. But at least it’s flat!