Wildflower Pre-ride
As a tribute to one of my favorite cycling websites, PezcyclingNews.com, I am writing this little Wildflower pre-ride article. If you are scratching your head and thinking what's a pre-ride article, then check out these links to PEZ pre-ride stuff from the spring classics, so you can see what real writing is!
The PEZ Pre-Ride: Amstel Gold Course
Roubaix '05: PEZ Rides The New Cobbles
First Ride: POMPEIANA PEZ-Clusive!
Cool stuff, eh!
Chico Wildflower Century
First off, here are the parcourse for the Wildflower 100 mile course, which contains three climbs (Humboldt, Honey Run, and Table Mountain) totalling 4500 feet elevation gain in the first 60 miles and then lots of flat orchard roads on the run in back to Chico.
This is it! If you have trouble with the detailed areas of the map you can use this link to view the PDF version.
The ride begins just moments from home, at the Silver Dollar Fair Grounds heading toward downtown Chico before heading up HWY 32 to Humboldt Rd. Once on Humboldt, riders might notice the beautiful wildflowers (imagine that) as well as some local history in terms of wagon wheel ruts in the lava cap and rock walls along side the road, which were build by Chinese laborors 150 years ago. The wagon wheel ruts are from wagons run by the Chico and Humboldt Wagon Road Company between Chico and the Humboldt mines in southern Idaho and northern Nevada. If you are interested there is more to learn here. Also, one thing riders might not notice is an old dump which was cleaned up about a year ago. The dump is famous for it's lead poisoned soil after years of battery disposal on the site. Learn more here.
Once Humboldt Rd is crested, it's a quick jaunt down HWY 32 back toward Chico to cut over to the beginning of Honey Run. Honey Run is one of the more beautiful climbs in the area with Butte Creek running along it's side. The road crosses Butte Creek at a historic point, the Covered Bridge.
The picturesque bridge, built in 1894 at the confluence of Big Butte and Little Butte Creeks and is one of only 12 remaining covered bridges remaining in California.
Among several stories concerning how the Honey Run got its name is a humorous one involving a young couple who, while strolling near the bridge were confronted by a bear. The young man was heard to shout, "Run, Honey! Run!" And thus, the name.
After crossing over the creek, riders will begin the climb to Paradise. On this climb they will feel just like euro-racers as they ride up painted roads. But alas, you will not find the names of Armstrong, Petacchi, or any other famous riders, unless Joe Loves Kathy is a rider I've overlooked.
Just before the riders crest Honey Run they will encounter photocrazy.com's photog taking pictures of the riders, which can be purchased via their website. They are nice, I've got a couple and plan on getting another this year. So, make sure as you get toward the top to zip up your jersey and wipe the sweat from your brow where as you look like a seasoned pro in your picture!
The first rest stop is just a mile or so away after cresting Honey Run and humdreds of riders will be milling about getting tasty treats from the Upper Crust and downing quenching drinks courtesy of Knudsen Juice of Chico. It's sad and a great loose to the community, but I heard the Chico plant might be closing down.
Once you've gotten your fill of pasteries, fruits, and drinks you'll be blazing down Pentz Rd at insane speeds to Durham-Pentz Rd and then to Wheelock where you make the ride into Oroville to begin the climb of Table Mountain.
Wheelock is short but very beautiful with it's endless fields of olive trees on a nice hillside. Then it's a quick ride across HWY 70 to Coal Mountain Rd. Coal Mountain meets up with Table Mountain Rd which traverses both Table Mountain and HWY 70.
Table Mountain is a much longer climb compared to Honey Run, but the road is much better. Table Mountain is a 3 mile-long, 65 million-year-old lava flow that actually consists of two portions separated by a large chasm. If you are interested you can find more info here or here.
If the day is sunny and warm, you might find Table Mountain to still feel as if the lava is flowing, so bring your suntan lotion. As I was saying the climb is long and seems never ending but once you've managed to get near the top you are rewarded with a wonderful view of the wildflowers and the Sacramento Valley. Then it's a fairly flat section of road with a nice down hill section before rider's connect back up with HWY 70 for a 50 MPH ride down to the lunch stop at Spring Valley School.
The lunch stop is more like a bike convention with what seems to be 1000 plus riders chowing down on gourmet food, such as my favorite, the duck pate sandwich. There were bunches of selections to be had in terms of sandwiches and also many vegitarian choices. Usually they have a PA systems out there blaring music and it's a real friendly environment for riders. I have a great time chatting up old friends and some local riders I don't see at the weekend rides.
After lunch, it's all flat road out in the orchards which takes us past Butte College, through Durham and Dayton before bringing us home on Chico River Rd. Though I would like to do the full 100, I'm getting word from some of my fellow riders they might only be intereted in 65. I'm going to attempt to convince them it would be best to ride all the hills and cut back into Chico from the last rest area via the bike path eliminating the final 25 miles. Really, the hills and those views are where it's at on this ride and I have to admit the 25 miles at the end gets to be a bit much. Anyways, I'm mostly interested in hangin' with my friends and doing the hills rather than the entire 100 miles.
The weather for the ride was looking a little dim with rain forecasted thoughout the week for Sunday. But today, Saturday, the forecast for tomorrow seems to have cleared and it's not supposed to rain. What a relief! Look for the post ride post perhaps with some pictures!
The PEZ Pre-Ride: Amstel Gold Course
Roubaix '05: PEZ Rides The New Cobbles
First Ride: POMPEIANA PEZ-Clusive!
Cool stuff, eh!
Chico Wildflower Century
First off, here are the parcourse for the Wildflower 100 mile course, which contains three climbs (Humboldt, Honey Run, and Table Mountain) totalling 4500 feet elevation gain in the first 60 miles and then lots of flat orchard roads on the run in back to Chico.
This is it! If you have trouble with the detailed areas of the map you can use this link to view the PDF version.
The ride begins just moments from home, at the Silver Dollar Fair Grounds heading toward downtown Chico before heading up HWY 32 to Humboldt Rd. Once on Humboldt, riders might notice the beautiful wildflowers (imagine that) as well as some local history in terms of wagon wheel ruts in the lava cap and rock walls along side the road, which were build by Chinese laborors 150 years ago. The wagon wheel ruts are from wagons run by the Chico and Humboldt Wagon Road Company between Chico and the Humboldt mines in southern Idaho and northern Nevada. If you are interested there is more to learn here. Also, one thing riders might not notice is an old dump which was cleaned up about a year ago. The dump is famous for it's lead poisoned soil after years of battery disposal on the site. Learn more here.
Once Humboldt Rd is crested, it's a quick jaunt down HWY 32 back toward Chico to cut over to the beginning of Honey Run. Honey Run is one of the more beautiful climbs in the area with Butte Creek running along it's side. The road crosses Butte Creek at a historic point, the Covered Bridge.
The picturesque bridge, built in 1894 at the confluence of Big Butte and Little Butte Creeks and is one of only 12 remaining covered bridges remaining in California.
Among several stories concerning how the Honey Run got its name is a humorous one involving a young couple who, while strolling near the bridge were confronted by a bear. The young man was heard to shout, "Run, Honey! Run!" And thus, the name.
After crossing over the creek, riders will begin the climb to Paradise. On this climb they will feel just like euro-racers as they ride up painted roads. But alas, you will not find the names of Armstrong, Petacchi, or any other famous riders, unless Joe Loves Kathy is a rider I've overlooked.
Just before the riders crest Honey Run they will encounter photocrazy.com's photog taking pictures of the riders, which can be purchased via their website. They are nice, I've got a couple and plan on getting another this year. So, make sure as you get toward the top to zip up your jersey and wipe the sweat from your brow where as you look like a seasoned pro in your picture!
The first rest stop is just a mile or so away after cresting Honey Run and humdreds of riders will be milling about getting tasty treats from the Upper Crust and downing quenching drinks courtesy of Knudsen Juice of Chico. It's sad and a great loose to the community, but I heard the Chico plant might be closing down.
Once you've gotten your fill of pasteries, fruits, and drinks you'll be blazing down Pentz Rd at insane speeds to Durham-Pentz Rd and then to Wheelock where you make the ride into Oroville to begin the climb of Table Mountain.
Wheelock is short but very beautiful with it's endless fields of olive trees on a nice hillside. Then it's a quick ride across HWY 70 to Coal Mountain Rd. Coal Mountain meets up with Table Mountain Rd which traverses both Table Mountain and HWY 70.
Table Mountain is a much longer climb compared to Honey Run, but the road is much better. Table Mountain is a 3 mile-long, 65 million-year-old lava flow that actually consists of two portions separated by a large chasm. If you are interested you can find more info here or here.
If the day is sunny and warm, you might find Table Mountain to still feel as if the lava is flowing, so bring your suntan lotion. As I was saying the climb is long and seems never ending but once you've managed to get near the top you are rewarded with a wonderful view of the wildflowers and the Sacramento Valley. Then it's a fairly flat section of road with a nice down hill section before rider's connect back up with HWY 70 for a 50 MPH ride down to the lunch stop at Spring Valley School.
The lunch stop is more like a bike convention with what seems to be 1000 plus riders chowing down on gourmet food, such as my favorite, the duck pate sandwich. There were bunches of selections to be had in terms of sandwiches and also many vegitarian choices. Usually they have a PA systems out there blaring music and it's a real friendly environment for riders. I have a great time chatting up old friends and some local riders I don't see at the weekend rides.
After lunch, it's all flat road out in the orchards which takes us past Butte College, through Durham and Dayton before bringing us home on Chico River Rd. Though I would like to do the full 100, I'm getting word from some of my fellow riders they might only be intereted in 65. I'm going to attempt to convince them it would be best to ride all the hills and cut back into Chico from the last rest area via the bike path eliminating the final 25 miles. Really, the hills and those views are where it's at on this ride and I have to admit the 25 miles at the end gets to be a bit much. Anyways, I'm mostly interested in hangin' with my friends and doing the hills rather than the entire 100 miles.
The weather for the ride was looking a little dim with rain forecasted thoughout the week for Sunday. But today, Saturday, the forecast for tomorrow seems to have cleared and it's not supposed to rain. What a relief! Look for the post ride post perhaps with some pictures!
posted by Tony Rocha at
4/23/2005
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