Come ride in the beutiful Owens Valley.
Event based out of Bishop, CA, USA.
IMPORTANT
This will be a Unicycling Society of America sanctioned gathering. You will need to be a USA member (there is a yearly fee) and sign up through their website to attend, but the gathering is free.
GETTING TO BISHOP
No commercial flights into Bishop airport but feel free to bring your own.
Approx. driving times to Bishop from:
Las Vegas 4.5 hrs
Los Angeles 4.5 hrs
Reno 3.5 hrs
San Francisco 6 hrs
Public transit (bus) from Lancaster, CA (from the south) and Reno, NV (from the north) is available.
Enterprise car rentals available in Bishop.
ACCOMMODATION
Camping with facilities available at Brown's Town and Brown's Millpond Campgrounds. Millpond will be quieter. There are others.
Plenty of motels, etc. available in Bishop.
Plenty of forest service land around for free camping.
Most of the valley floor is Los Angeles Department of Water and Power land and Camping is prohibited on their property.
CLIMATE
Bishop is high desert, around 4,200 ft. For highs, it'll likely be hot on the valley floor (90's) to cool at 8,000 ft (60's) with lows in the 40's on the valley floor. Can rain or snow also. Be prepared.
Bring plenty of sunscreen and fluid capacity. I'll be starting with 2.5 litres Friday and Sunday and 3.5 litres Saturday.
MEDICAL
If you don't have good medical insurance, consider joining Air Medcare Network (I am not affiliated in any way). Bishop has a good hospital but few full-time specialists. A major medical emergency will result in a flight to Reno. That will cost you around $90,000. Insurance is less than $100 per year and covers many locations throughout the SW USA. Check out their website for details. Call your insurer if you're unsure.
Ask me how I know...
Friday Sep 13th, 12pm.
Chipmunk trails just south of Bishop.
You won't find most of these trails on any apps.
10 minute shuttle. There are plenty options to bail if you get tired. Trails range from smooth to chunky but this is largely a technical ride with rock features and drops. I'll be riding 27.5". Trail rating generally black to double black.
Meeting/Parking:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/GJwKMtgYTF2fNnq97
Finish/Shuttle point:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/kSQmzo7fE1ZssgNXA
Route:
https://strava.app.link/NsBoXq60mIb
6 miles. Approx. 1,000 ft ascent. Approx. 1,500 ft descent.
Saturday 14th, 8am.
45 min Shuttle. We'll start with Black Canyon Trail to Black Canyon Rd to Poleta Canyon, to Redding Canyon Rd. There are no bailout options. This trail traverses remote country. Be self sufficient. Trail mostly singletrack, rating Blue with a few Black features in the middle. Mostly smooth. Steep and loose at times.
Meeting/Parking:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/thEAovJkunEYTjXcA
Start/Shuttle point:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/qxnSitvnvnA3yT5f8
Route:
https://www.trailforks.com/goto/ro/8251/
Lower section of the Route above differs from what we will ride. I'll try to make a more accurate route.
15 miles. Approx. 1,500 ft ascent, approx. 6,500 ft descent.
Sunday 15th, 8am.
20 min shuttle.
Lower Rock Creek trails. There is a bailout option at 3 miles in if you need to leave early, but the best is yet to come...
Meeting/Parking - space is limited:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/YR7EXBwCdvFNgRML6
Route:
https://strava.app.link/e4IzXq33mIb
https://www.trailforks.com/trails/lower-rock-creek/
Trail rating for the upper two sections (3 miles) is Blue, third and final section (5 miles) is Black. Once you enter the third section you can no longer bail.
8 miles. Approx. 2,000 ft descent.
All trail parking is 2WD accessible.
