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The 25 RAC | Sunday - Saturday

Day Zero | Saturday, April 12 

Luggage 

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

    • 7236 Caribou Court. SD 92129 between 2 - 4 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   171 miles 

  • 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 2 pm 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 luggage truck.

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.

  • Ride to lunch at Glamis Beach Store.

  • Ride to the 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. 

    • There are no assigned shifts. You eat when you are ready. 

  • Campers may sleep inside the Spencer Valley School if the night is chilly.

  • 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 drop offs, 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. Police will help escort us 

  • 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 in RAC shirts:

    • all 5th graders

    • all riders

    • all chase

  • 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. 

  • RAC volunteer Joel will take pictures of each incoming rider.

    • These pictures will be available to you free of charge 

  • 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 2-4 pm on Saturday evening. 

    • The luggage truck will not go to Mission Bay 

The End