53 MILES / 1,470 FEET

100 MILES / 2,415 FEET

• The 100 mile ride, which circumnavigates the southern metropolitan area, offers a pleasant variety of central and southern Sacramento County landscapes:  American River Parkway, edge of the foothills, pasture lands, farms, orchards, and the Sacramento River.  The ride is essentially flat.  The course avoids risk of winter ice and snow, but Scott and South River Roads can flood after heavy rainfall.   
  
  

  • Starting in Carmichael, both rides proceed east to Folsom along the upper American River Parkway and then head south on Scott Road to Rancho Murietta.

  • The 53 mile ride loops back from Rancho Murietta along the Jackson Highway and the Folsom South Canal to the American River Bike Trail.

  • The 100 mile ride continues from Rancho Murietta to Wilton, Sheldon, Elk Grove, Franklin, Hood, Freeport, West Sacramento, and thence returns via the lower American River Parkway.
    
    

• SETTING

  • The American River Parkway, providing a scenic conduit through the Sacramento metropolitan area.

  • Rural roads of south-central Sacramento County.

  • River Road and South River Road along the Sacramento River.
    
    

• START

  • Five Points Shopping Center, on the southeast corner of Arden Way and Fair Oaks Blvd in Carmichael.

    • Travel to the intersection of Arden Way and Fair Oaks Blvd in Carmichael, CA (immediately east of Sacramento).  Park in the Five Points parking lot (SE corner of Arden Way & Fair Oaks Blvd, away from retail outlets).

    • Riders optionally may start at any point along the American River Parkway Bike Trail.  This would alter total mileage on the 53 mile ride; total mileage on the 100 mile route would remain unchanged.
      
      

• 53 AND 100 MILE RIDES

  • Climbing:  Inconsequential.  Aside from a few gentle rolling hills on Scott Road and one short hill on Stonehouse Road, both rides are essentially flat:
    Elevation Gain (53 Mile Ride) = 1,470 feet
    Elevation Gain (100 Mile Ride) = 2,415 feet

  • Difficulty:  as the rides have minimal climbing, difficulty relates only to mileage.  As there is relatively little shade, riding these routes in very hot weather could be uncomfortable. 

  • Urban sections:    

    • both routes pass through Folsom.

    • the 100 mile route passes through Elk Grove and West Sacramento. 

  • Risks: 

    • Inexperienced cyclists on the American River Parkway Bike Trail:  particularly on weekends there can be significant numbers of young cyclists who are utterly ignorant of the "rules of the road" and who can act entirely unpredictably. 

    • Urban cycling (generally easy). 

    • Occasional assaults on bicyclists have occurred on the American River Bike Trail between the H Street Bridge and Discovery Park (100 mile ride).

    • Huge gravel trucks on Scott (north of White Rock Road) & White Rock Roads:  they travel fast and often give little heed to bicyclists.  I never have seen them on Scott Road south of White Rock Road.  They are present on weekdays and some Saturdays; I never have seen them on Sundays (which, in this regard, would be the safest day to ride this course).