Northern California - Napa Tour de Cure Route

I am seriously considering riding this years Tour de Cure this year, and am debating between the 50 and 100 mile options. The 50 mile ride is supposed to be flat, and seems like it would be pretty easy, however I've read that the 100 mile ride has about 1,300 feet of climbing in it, which isn't a very usful number without grades. Does anyone on here know how steep the climbs are? I would probably be doing the ride solo, so I don't want anything too brutal.

1300 feet is nothing to worry about, that is very little for 100 or even 50 miles. If you can ride 100 miles you can do the 1300ft.

There is only one climb but you do it from both sides. As you go north out of Napa county into Sonoma county there's about a 500 foot hill, then you do a loop in Sonoma county and come back over it. The rest of the stuff is too small to be called a climb or a hill. It was the fastest century I've ever done.

RIDE_REPORT (http://diabloscott.blogspot.com/2005/05/tour-de-cure-for-diabetes-napa-valley.html#links)

It's cake. It was my 3rd century in as many months & by far the easiest.

It's well-supported & very scenic. I hope to have more than my friend & me on the team this year...although we raised a fair amount of $$ despite our size.

Where are you currently riding? I'm in Vacaville.

Dude, I am a huge wuss and yet the first 6 miles of my typical loop has 1300 feet of climbing. That ride sounds very easy (for a century).

Dude, I am a huge wuss and yet the first 6 miles of my typical loop has 1300 feet of climbing. That ride sounds very easy (for a century).

+1

All the "flat" rides around my house involve at least 800-1200' of climbing if I go 15-20 miles. 1300' in a 100 miles - neglecting a cliff scenario, how bad can it be? :D

Seriously though, while there are a few truly flat centuries around (Bike Around The Buttes, Delta Century), if there's less than 4000' of climbing then I consider it one of the easy ones.

Cool. Do you have links for any of these routes?

Cool. Do you have links for any of these routes?

Here's a whole bunch of century route maps. These are JPEGs so click on them to bring up a bigger image:
http://diabloscott.blogspot.com/2000_06_01_diabloscott_archive.html

Flattest ones there are the Lodi Sunrise Century and Foxy's Fall Century

Here's a whole bunch of century route maps.

Awesome site, Scott! I think I will use this to create some of my own "unsupported" rides. One of my goals for 2007 (my first full year back on the bike in 15 years!) is to do both an organized and a "self supported" metric century. Now if it will just warm up a little!!

Here's a whole bunch of century route maps. These are JPEGs so click on them to bring up a bigger image:
http://diabloscott.blogspot.com/2000_06_01_diabloscott_archive.html

Flattest ones there are the Lodi Sunrise Century and Foxy's Fall Century

Thanks for the link, Scott! I'm going to check out the FFBC's Primavera -- that looks like fun.

Haven't ridden the devil yet, but it's on my to-do list. My husband & his crazy friends launch their hang gliders from several different locations there; every time I drive it I imagine what it's going to be like to ride it.

Great resource, Scott! Thanks

One data point for you regarding Tour D'Organics - I did the Santa Cruz 60-mile route last year and it was a great ride. There were some logistical difficulties because somehow they planned it to be the same day as the 15,000 person Wharf to Wharf run! But once we got out of town the route and support were very nice. Especially nice to talk to the guys at the UCSC farm and visit a couple of the private growers out there.

I am seriously considering riding this years Tour de Cure this year, and am debating between the 50 and 100 mile options. The 50 mile ride is supposed to be flat, and seems like it would be pretty easy, however I've read that the 100 mile ride has about 1,300 feet of climbing in it, which isn't a very usful number without grades. Does anyone on here know how steep the climbs are? I would probably be doing the ride solo, so I don't want anything too brutal.


I am doing the 50 or the cent. this year-
last year my whole family and a few friends did the 25 together- my first ride on my single speed roadie..

however- your Q is about the rise..

i don't know what kind of rider- but- I'm a big guy and I have done it..
I did a century from Windsor to Napa and back via Silverado trail-
it's a toughy but then again I'm not in the best shape..
I huffed and puffed and was slow- but I made it...

if you wanna hook up- my e-mail is Singlespeedrider@hotmail.com

If you are in anything approaching reasonable shape for a Century, the climbing for this one will not be a problem (and this from a big, really slow climber). The headwind on Silverado Trail can be a royal pain in the final miles, though.

If you are in anything approaching reasonable shape for a Century, the climbing for this one will not be a problem (and this from a big, really slow climber). The headwind on Silverado Trail can be a royal pain in the final miles, though.

Yeah, but the last 5 miles can be with a headwind going back to the north.:D This is the only 100 miler I've done so far. I rode it in 2003 and 2004. The climb was steep enough for me to use my granny both years, but it's not that long. I like to spin and not wear myself out. I'm thinking of signing up for the 50 miler this year. Coming back from a knee problem, and have to get new muscles used to a new bike.
I do this ride very year that I can, as the effects of diabetes took my brother from us at 46 years old. If you guys want to get a team going, let me know. Some teams have so many riders that they cover all the mileages.

NEWS FLASH:

Greg Lemond will be at the Napa Tour de Cure this year. I don't know if/how much he'll be riding or whether or not he'll be available for photos and autographs.

Ah, Greg Lemond. Maybe I can sneak a bungee onto his seat post and draft.;)
I already signed up for the 50 miler.

NEWS FLASH:

Greg Lemond will be at the Napa Tour de Cure this year. I don't know if/how much he'll be riding or whether or not he'll be available for photos and autographs.
I heard from my team captain that Greg is going to do the ride and I think the email said he's doing meets & greets, too. Now all I need to do is get in shape so I don't get shelled off the back constantly like last year...

Thanks for the link, Scott! I'm going to check out the FFBC's Primavera -- that looks like fun.


I'll be at mile 55 on Greenville Rd at our Water Stop. Last year we had water, sports drink, pretzels, and some Jelly Belly Sport Beans. It's also the last Porta-Potty before you start the climb to the top of Altamont Pass.

I just signed up for this. I hope to meet other BF folks there. I'm in Benicia if y'all want to ride before the event.

Another news flash - one member from Team Jelly Belly will ride along with each of the four routes.

http://tour.diabetes.org/tdc07/55722-8030-jellybelly.pdf


I'm doing 25 with my daughter.
http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR?pg=personal&fr_id=4409&px=1722708

That's really cool. Any idea who's riding with which group?


Another news flash - one member from Team Jelly Belly will ride along with each of the four routes.

http://tour.diabetes.org/tdc07/55722-8030-jellybelly.pdf


I'm doing 25 with my daughter.
http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR?pg=personal&fr_id=4409&px=1722708

NEWS FLASH:

Greg Lemond will be at the Napa Tour de Cure this year. I don't know if/how much he'll be riding or whether or not he'll be available for photos and autographs.

That's awesome! I'm going to be there. I'd have my LeMond Etape-amalet signed by him but it's my only bike and I've got to ride the century on it.:D

By the way, anyone mapped out the route in some GPX-able format yet (BikeRouteToaster, Google Earth, etc)? If not I'll get around to it and post it (for general use and corrections, the map on the TdC website is kind of lame). I'm in love with my new Garmin Edge 305 and I'm addicted to mapping things anyway.

That's awesome! I'm going to be there. I'd have my LeMond Etape-amalet signed by him but it's my only bike and I've got to ride the century on it.:D

I'm going to dig out an old poster or something too. I think I have one of him in a rainbow jersey on a Gitane. Dear daughter can play in the bouncy house while I wait in the autograph line.

I mapped out the ride as best I could following the route on the PDF they've got on the site. Here's a GPX and TCX version. The Training Center version has turns and rest stops, but the GPX version is just the route. It's what I plan to have on my Edge for the ride, but any revisions, corrections, suggestion, etc, are of course welcome. And, you know, use at your own risk. :p

GPX (http://s3.amazonaws.com/bikeroutes/TdCNapa2007.gpx) TCX (http://s3.amazonaws.com/bikeroutes/TdCNapa2007.tcx)