Day Zero | Saturday, April 12

Luggage

● Drop off your luggage (but not your bikes) at the luggage van.

  • 7236 Caribou Court. SD 92129 between 3 - 5 pm on Saturday.

  • Remember to bring only what you and your 5th grader can carry.

  • If we find your luggage to be unacceptable, we will reject it.

  • You have the chance to go home and repack.

  • Chase does not need to drop off anything on Saturday.

  • If you could loan us your stand-up bike pump for the week, please bring it.

Day One | Sunday, April 13

DRIVING TO THE RIVER

Driving route PQ to Yuma 171miles

  • Most of us stop at the In’ n’ Out in El Centro (mile 122, on 4th Street) for lunch and a bathroom stop.

  • The RAC starting point on Algodones Rd has no address. It’s this dirt lot.
    32° 44' 2.7618" N 114° 43' 8.3723" W One of us will be there by 1:30 p.m.

  • You want to get to the river by 2pm and

    • Unload your bike

    • Get ready

    • Put on sunscreen

    • Dip your front tire in the Colorado River

    • Take pictures

    • We do not provide water at the river.

  • Fill your bottles and CamelBaks at home.

  • There are no restrooms

  • Chase and Youth Support meet with Sabine, Kate, Joe, and Kumar at 2:30 pm at the

    Penske.

    COLORADO RIVER TO GOLD ROCK RANCH 17.4 miles | 593 feet

  • We leave the river at 3 pm after a short announcement.

  • Mile 2: Sandpit. Feel free to walk your bike.

    • Only stretch on the RAC where you don’t need to single file. Yay,

    • Bring lots of water. There is no chase in the sand pit.

  • Reach Gold Rock Ranch.

Day Two | Monday, April 14

GOLD ROCK RANCH TO CATTLE CALL PARK 62.5 miles | 1157 feet

  • Leave Gold Rock Ranch.

  • Ride to morning snack.

  • “Do not pass” zone after snack. Follow volunteer instructions.

  • At 11 am-ish, we will check out the solar eclipse.

  • Ride to lunch at Glamis Beach Store.

  • Ride to afternoon snack stop.

  • Ride to Cattle Call Park in Brawley

Day Three | Tuesday, April 15

CATTLE CALL PARK TO OCOTILLO 41.4 miles | 830 feet

  • Leave Cattle Call Park

  • Ride to lunch at Sunbeam Lake

  • Ride through scenic Plaster City.

  • Reach Ocotillo Community Center.

Day Four | Wednesday, April 16

OCOTILLO TO VALLECITO
35.5 MILES | 1818 FEET OF CLIMBING

  • Leave Ocotillo Community Center.

  • Ride to Border Patrol station.

  • Officers might stop drivers (never riders) and ask for identification.

    • Ride to snack at the top of Sweeny Pass.

    • Steep downhill on Sweeny Pass.

      • Stay in front of your child.

      • Stay out of the gravel.

      • Control your speed.

      • Follow the advice of volunteers.

    • Ride to Vallecito.

    • Lunch and dinner at Vallecito.

    • There are showers at Vallecito. Bring quarters.

    • Pack a sweater for tomorrow or leave a sweater in a chase car.

    • Don’t miss tonight’s ghost story.

Day Five | Thursday, April 17

VALLECITO TO SPENCER VALLEY SCHOOL 35.1 MILES | 3572 FEET OF CLIMBING

  • Leave Vallecito.

  • Ride to snack stop at Stagecoach Store.

  • Ride to lunch at the Banner Grade Store.

  • No chase allowed on the Banner Grade.

Chase will drive up Banner Grade in front or behind all riders.

  • Ride up Banner Grade.

  • If you have family meet you in Julian:

    • Our arrival time at Julian High School is 2:45 pm or later.

    • Families should park near the library, not right in front of Julian High School.

    • Families may not stop on the Banner Grade.

  • Volunteers will serve free pie to registered RAC participants.

  • Please stay and cheer on all riders as they come up the hill.

Don’t miss this. A real highlight of the trip.

  • Retrieve your sweater. This spot can be chilly.

  • Ride to Spencer Valley School.

  • Dinner that night is at Heroes Pizza (across the street from Spencer Valley School).

  • We eat in shifts. The first shift starts at 5 pm.

  • If the night is chilly, campers may sleep inside the Spencer Valley School.

  • If you have a hotel room in Julian, arrange for chase drivers to drive you up.

  • RVs park in the dirt lot next to Heroes Pizza

Day Six | Friday, April 18

SPENCER VALLEY SCHOOL TO GIRLS SCOUTS ESCONDIDO 43.3 MILES | 1748 FEET OF CLIMBING

  • Breakfast is served at Heroes Pizza. The first shift starts at 6 am.

  • Julian hotel sleepers must be at the Spencer Valley School no later than 7:00.

  • We all must have left Spencer Valley School by 7:30 a.m.

  • Bring scarves and gloves or put socks on your hands. The first hour is chilly.

  • Leave sweaters in a chase car before the first hill and as you warm up.

  • Ride Black Canyon.

  • Black Canyon has steep dropoffs, deep ruts, and lots of gravel

  • Please stay close to your kids.

  • Make sure they

  • control their speed (especially in turns)

  • stay away from the edge

  • stay out of ruts

  • Only one chase (Sabine) is allowed on Black Canyon Road. All other vehicles turn around and drive to Ramona via the 78.

  • Ride to lunch in Ramona.

  • Ride through Highland Valley Road. Control your speed.

  • Arrive at the Girls Scout Center.

  • Riders who are heading home for the night arrange for pick up at the Girl Scout Escondido

    Program Center. 3050 Las Palmas Ave. Escondido, CA 92025.

    • You are encouraged to take your luggage home from here.

Day Seven | Saturday, April 19

GIRLS SCOUTS ESCONDIDO to MISSION BAY 29.1 MILES | 1651 FEET

  • If you spent the night at home, be back at the Girls Scout Center parking lot no later than 7:30 am.

  • Ride to snack at Torrey Meadows Park.

  • Group pictures:

    • all 5th graders

    • all riders

    • all chase

    • everyone

  • We will not take individual school group pictures.

  • If you would like a picture of the kids from just your school, please do that privately.

  • After snack, chase parents drive to Mission Bay.

  • Your work is done.

  • Thank you for your awesome work.

  • We could not do the RAC without your help

  • Riders leave Torrey Meadows Park.

  • Riders arrive at Mission Bay.

    • 2600 De Anza Road. Mission Bay Park. SD 92109. By the circle.

  • Chase parents, family, and friends greet incoming riders.

    • Please invite friends and family to arrive at Mission Bay no later than 1 pm.

    • Encourage families and friends to bring posters and flowers.

    • No “confetti bombs.” No noise makers. We want to come back next year.

    • Kindly ask your family to stay on the sidewalk and not crowd the road.

    • Parking can be scarce on sunny days.

    • Thank you for coming.

  • Volunteers ride in first, followed by parents.

  • Kids will ride in once volunteers and parents are in place.

    • Kids will ride it in reverse order.

      • The groups of kids who were typically in the front all week will ride in last.

      • The group of kids who were in the back all week will ride in first.

      • We want to emphasize that the RAC is not a race.

      • This choice might disappoint some kids. Please tell them in advance.

    • The kids will be assisted by Youth Support.

    • Dennis rides in last.

    • At least one volunteer will cry.

    • Please stay and cheer until ALL kids have reached the beach.

  • Once all riders are in, head to the water, dip your tire and take pictures.

  • You are done. Congratulations.

  • Now tell the world what you did this past week. Nobody will believe you.

    Epilogue

  • Please pick up your luggage at 7236 Caribou Court. SD 92129 between 5 - 6 pm on Saturday evening.

    • The luggage truck will not go to Mission Bay