Sierra Foothills
Gravel Escape
Auburn & Nevada City
April 19-21, 2024
3 days of mixed-terrain adventure with an awesome group + really good food, wine & beer.
Join our group of gravel explorers to Auburn for three days of mixed-terrain riding in April. Our guide Paul Mackenzie has ridden throughout the area and is excited about returning to curate excellent mixed-terrain routes and assist riders with a support vehicle. The drive to Auburn is about two hours from the Bay Area, allowing for three days of quality riding between our arrival on Friday at noon and our return on Sunday evening.
The trip will include two shorter days of riding (25-40 miles) and a longer day (50-75 miles) on Saturday. The region is carved by the tributaries of the American River with flowing waterfalls, swimming holes, rustic bridges and hilly terrain.
We've committed to pairing excellent routes with great eats! We’ll have two hearty and healthy dinners on Friday and Saturday night with meat and vegan options. A dinner might include: tomato and bread salad with fresh herbs, roast chicken with leeks, cacio e pepe, raspberry ice cream and homemade cookies. Cyclists deserve the chance to enjoy great food after riding all day!
We pair our menus with award winning California wines and beers. We’ll enjoy award-winning bottles from vineyards such as Thacher, Tablas Creek, and Justin. We’ll also have a selection of other drinks for those that prefer non-alcoholic options.
Included in the trip
3 days of guided riding
Friday dinner, drinks and dessert
Saturday breakfast and dinner, drinks and dessert
Sunday breakfast
Comfy Airbnb accommodations at 2 homes in Auburn 1.3 mile / 5 min distance from each other).
Bike assistance (although we are not professional bike mechanics, we’ll do our best to help you with any mechanical issues on the road)
You’ll need to bring your own gravel bike and tools, as well as your preferred on-the-bike nutrition (bars, gels etc). You will either be able to buy your lunch each day from a restaurant or market during the ride or we will pack a light lunch in the support vehicle. You’ll drive to Auburn and back, and we may be able to help you coordinate carpools.
Your guides:
Paul Mckenzie has cycled and raced bikes across the Western US, run a pro women’s cycling team, led a popular blues band and founded the Nifty-Ten-Fifty cycling event. He also snaps a mean photo.
Hugh Rodman has been cycling throughout his life, although it took decades to realize that it was way more fun to do with other people. One of the few things he's won in this short life was a cooking competition.
April 19-21, 2024
Trip cost: $850 per person / $425 deposit
If you’re ready to reserve a spot please use the contact page
Hope to catch you on the road soon!