80 Miles on Old Hwy 80

We rode the entire 80 For Haiti route on January 29, 2010 to finalize the details of the route sheet, checkpoint locations, and more for the February 13 event. The 81-mile route has 6090' of total elevation gain. There are only three stop signs and no lights and traffic is minimal to non-existent. I took a lot of photos of the spectacular, one-of-a-kind route along the way.

Elizabeth rode her 2007 Ritchey BreakAway and wore Ibex wool knickers, Ibex wool Skimmer cap, Ibex Kilometer Gloves, Injinji wool socks, and Earth Wind and Rider wool jersey. Chris rode his 1985 custom Ron Stout and wore Ibex wool bib knickers, Ibex wool glove liners, Injinji wool socks, and a 1994 Castelli wool jersey (for Bridgestone). It was very cold in Pine Valley, but warmed up nicely once we had climbed up out of the town / valley.

For a less than six-minute video slideshow (with music) of the entire ride from start to finish, click here.

For a traditional slideshow of the same images, click here.

Below are some selected shots of our ride (but you should really check out the full video slideshow to "get the whole picture"!):

Above: soutbound on La Posta Road.Above: A curious gap in the border fence near JacumbaAbove: One Hwy 80 resident has many one-of-a-kind statues spread around his property. They remind me of the Korean War Memorial in Washington, DC.Above: A front yard in Live Oak Springs

Above: the descent back into Pine Valley, our start/finish

Above: A great ride deserves a great bike. It was custom built for me at the beginning of 1985 by Salt Lake City builder Ron Stout: my second sponsored bike and my first one that was custom. I used it when breaking the San Francisco to Los Angeles record in April 1985, when qualifying for the 1985 Race Across America at the 712 mile John Marino Open in May 1985, and it was also my main bike in the 1987 Race Across America, among many other adventures.

We hope you will join us for 80 FOR HAITI on February 13! Click here for all the information and to register!

PLEASE RIDE 80 FOR HAITI: FEB 13

Fellow Rough Riders, please join us for this important cause on February 13. It's an awesome route, and, more importantly, represents our collective effort to do something on behalf of the 150,000 dead and 600,000 homeless in Haiti.
L'Union Fait la Force = Strength Through Unity

(National Motto of Haiti)

LA JOLLA, CA - AdventureCORPS, Inc., an athlete-run firm producing some of the world's toughest sports events - including the Badwater Ultramarathon and Furnace Creek 508 races in Death Valley - will host "80 FOR HAITI," a cycling benefit ride for Haiti relief supporting Mercy Corps on Saturday, February 13, 2010. The event will feature an 80-mile ride along Old Hwy 80 in southeastern San Diego County. There will be an $80 entry fee and 100% of the entry fees will go directly to Mercy Corps, one of the most respected relief organizations worldwide. AdventureCORPS will absorb all costs, but food, drink, and support sponsors are being sought.

The "80 FOR HAITI" cycling event start / finish line is just 44 miles east of San Diego, in Pine Valley, CA. The route is spectacular, on absolutely quiet roads through rolling terrain.

As international relief efforts continue in Haiti, a Mercy Corps earthquake response team is in Port-au-Prince responding to urgent needs.

Registering for this ride - or donating to the cause, if you can't do the actual ride - will help families in Haiti recover from the most powerful quake to hit the country in more than 200 years. Mercy Corps relief workers with experience in disaster responses ranging from Hurricane Katrina to the Myanmar cyclone are converging on Haiti from Africa, Asia, and North America. They're focusing first on the immediate needs -- for water, food, temporary shelter supplies and much more -- and expanding their work to three areas: clean water, post-trauma support for children, and job creation.

The needs in Haiti are immense. Its capital lies in ruins, as many as 200,000 may be dead, and survivors are increasingly desperate for food, clean water and shelter. Please ride "80 For Haiti" and/or give what you can to help families recover.

Cycling participants in 80 FOR HAITI must pre-register for the event, so that we can plan accordingly. PLEASE register prior to February 6 for the ride. Donations will be accepted through February 13, and beyond.

You Want to RIDE on February 13? Great! Please join us, and tell your friends!

You Can't Ride on February 13, but you want to donate to the cause? GREAT! Use this link to our fundraising page:

80 FOR HAITI HIGHLIGHTS:
• February 13, 2010
• Held along Eastern San Diego County's Old Hwy 80: Minimal traffic, no traffic lights, and just a few stop signs.
• Three well-stocked checkpoints, plus roving SAG support vehicles on the course.
• The entry fee is a minimum $80 donation: 100% of ALL entry fees will go to Mercy Corps.

ABOUT THE HAITI EARTHQUAKE
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake with the epicenter near Léogane, approximately 25 kilometres (16 mi) west of Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, striking at 16:53:10 local time (21:53:10 UTC) on Tuesday, 12 January 2010. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 13 kilometres (8.1 mi). The United States Geological Survey recorded a series of at least 33 aftershocks, fourteen of them between magnitudes 5.0 and 5.9. The International Red Cross estimated that about three million people were affected by the quake, and the Haitian Interior Minister believes that up to 200,000 have died as a result of the disaster, exceeding earlier Red Cross estimates of 45,000–50,000. Several prominent public figures are among the dead. The Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive recently announced that over 70,000 bodies have been buried in mass graves. Source (and more details): Wikipedia.com

OFFICIAL CHARITY
The Official Charity of 80 FOR HAITI is Mercy Corps. Mercy Corps is a team of 3700 professionals helping turn crisis into opportunity for millions around the world. By trade, they are engineers, financial analysts, drivers, community organizers, project managers, public health experts, administrators, social entrepreneurs and logisticians. In spirit, they are activists, optimists, innovators and proud partners of the people they serve. According to their website:

"Mercy Corps has long been recognized as an excellent steward of the resources entrusted to it. Over the past five years, more than 89 percent of our resources have been allocated to programs that help people in need. Ensuring that resources are wisely spent is the cornerstone of our values, vision, and strategy for growth in the future. We are proud of the awards, endorsements, memberships, and honors that substantiate our track record of accountability."
More info about Mercy Corps' Efforts in Haiti.

MEDIA COVERAGE
Lots of media coverage of the event is being published, including:

Los Angeles Times Blog | Bike San Diego | Xtremesport4u | EcoVelo |

Velo Cult | Biking Bis | Bike Radar | Active.com

ROSTER OF RIDERS, DONORS, MEDIA, AND SUPPORTERS
Click here (and let's get YOUR name on this list!)

Route Description

The 80 For Haiti event will start and finish at Pine Valley County Park at 28810 Old Highway 80 in Pine Valley, CA 91962. It's an extremely easy location to reach. All participants should park within the Park, NOT along the highway or in front of local businesses.

Click here for Google Map of the start/finish location. Click here for more about Pine Valley, CA.

We'll use the same start lline as our April 17 Mount Laguna Bicycle Classic: Pine Valley County Park. From the park, we'll ride a four-mile loop around Pine Valley to warm up, then we'll head east on Old Hwy 80 to La Posta Rid. Next, we'll head right / south (mostly downhill) on La Posta to a left / east on 94. CP1 will be located here, at the intersection of La Posta and 94, at mile 30.4. Heading east, 94 will rejoin the 80 as we enter the town of Boulevard. We'll continue east on 80 through Jacumba to the end of Old 80 at the Desert View Tower, which sits above Inkopah Pass with a commanding view of the Anza-Borrego Desert. CP2 will be located here, at mile 44.6, the turn-around. We'll then beeline straight back to Pine Valley on Old Hwy 80, with a third and final checkpoint located in or near Boulevard at approximately mile 60. We hope to be able to serve a finish line meal at Pine Valley Park. There will also be roving SAG vehicles on the course to support the riders.

EMAIL OF THE WEEK

Thanks for doing this, it is the right thing to do! Karen & I will ride the 80 for Haiti, below is what I sent to our riding group.

Hello fellow riders sorry for the interruption in our riding schedule hopefully weather permitting we can start our weekend rides again this next weekend. Originally Karen and I were going to ride in the Tour de Palm Springs, however we have decided to do the 80 for Haiti ride on February 13, 2010 instead. It is an 80 mile out and back ride in East County. 100% of the proceeds will go to Haiti relief. We have all done this ride or portions of it. Realizing that 80 miles is a long way and I have never rode that far myself, Karen and I plan on riding out as far as we can then turning back when we feel it is time. So my thoughts are let’s try to get as many of our fellow riders that we know to participate in this worthy cause. If you want to do a portion of the ride and turn around early then maybe you can if willing, provide a roving SAG support to your fellow Alpine Riders, i.e. You can haul my fat ass back to the car if I give out.

While I did not deploy to Haiti I have been involved daily in the USA Urban Search & Rescue response. The US&R task forces that did deploy were from the east coast (they were closest) with the exception of the LA County task force. Many of my friends are still in Haiti as of today 1/23/2010; the stories they have shared with me about the people of Haiti are of their strength and bravery and of their sadness at losing whole families, dozens of friends etc.

- Gerry Brewster

ABOUT ADVENTURECORPS (the home of the Rough Riders)
La Jolla, CA-based AdventureCORPS, Inc. is an athlete-run firm producing and promoting ultra-endurance and extreme sports events, lifestyle, and media. Adventure is our way of life. AdventureCORPS’ world-class events for athlete-adventurers include epic races such as the Badwater Ultramarathon and Furnace Creek 508, muiti-day cycling lifestyle adventures known as CORPScamps, the annual Rough Riders Rally in Marin County, plus several 100- and 200-mile cycling events in Death Valley, and on and around San Diego County's Mt. Laguna. We also host and develop our adventure-related websites and blogs and provide a variety of adventure-related services. Founded in 1984 by Chris Kostman, this group effort is dedicated to exploring the inner and outer universes, seeking adventure, energy, and insight both in daily life and "out there." AdventureCORPS is a member of 1% For The Planet and the Conservation Alliance, and supports three Official Charities: Challenged Athletes Foundation, Death Valley Natural History Association, and Major Taylor Association.

Below: More photos of the 80 FOR HAITI route,

including Desert View Tower

Rough Riders Rally Roster, including Special Guest Charlie Kelly

Above: Charlie Kelly, co-creator of the sport of mountain biking and a Special Guest of the Rough Riders Rally, as seen racing Repack in 1976.

With registration just announced for the July 23-25, 2010 Rough Riders Rally, we've already gotten some great registrants. We'll post an ongoing roster on our website here. This includes name, age, city, state, gender, plus bike details, blog/website link, and "internet nickname," as applicable. We're very excited to share this special experience with such a great group of riders!

Of special note: Charlie Kelley, co-creator of the sport of mountain biking, will be attending! Charlie was partners with Gary Fisher in the the first "Mountain Bikes" company (with the frames made by Tom Ritchey). Charlie was also first mountain bike race promoter (creator of the infamous Repack Downhill). He was also the first mountain bike magazine publisher (Fat Tyre Flyer). Charlie and Chris Kostman first met at the Iditabike in Alaska in 1988.

Rough Riders Rally: Registration Now Open!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: PLEASE DISTRIBUTE ASAP

Rough Riders Rally is AdventureCORPS' new multi-surface cycling festival based in Marin County which celebrates the "Any Bike, Anywhere" ethos. The first event of its kind, the Rally includes three optional days of world-class cycling on trails, fire roads, and pavement, a display of participants’ bikes, dinners, and a live webcast.

MILL VALLEY, CA - AdventureCORPS, Inc. an athlete-run firm producing and promoting ultra-endurance and extreme sports events, lifestyle, and media, is pleased to announce the inaugural Rough Riders Rally, a multi-surface cycling festival based in Marin County on July 23-25, 2010 which celebrates the "Any Bike, Anywhere" ethos.

Rough Riding is not defined by the type of bicycle or type of riding surface. Rough Riding is a state of mind, a riding style with limitless freedom and an all-pervasive sense of adventure. The Rough Riders slogan is "Any Bike, Anywhere" and the general idea is to use as little technology as possible while traversing a variety of riding surfaces and terrains. Hence, one of the Rough Riders' mantras is "technique beats technology." For some Rough Riders, that means riding a "road bike" with 25mm tyres on "mountain bike trails." For others, it means tackling any and all surfaces while riding a cyclocross bike, an old-school mountain bike, a 70s or 80s era road bike retrofitted with 650B wheels, a classic touring bike, or a world tour-ready 29er rig. The current bicycle industry, from major manufacturers to boutique frame builders, is also beginning to address this niche market, creating bicycles, or even lines of bicycles, under such monikers as "All Road Bikes," "All-Rounders," and "Adventure Bikes."

Regardless of bicycle choice, the goal of Rough Riding is to tackle any and all possible combinations of trails, fire roads, gravel roads, paved roads, singletrack, and any other possible riding surface - all within one ride, on just one bike. Perhaps the greatest beauty of Rough Riding is that any possible ride route can be created and enjoyed: Rough Riders do not choose between "road biking" and "mountain biking" and subsequently let the bicycle determine the route and terrain of any given ride. Instead, creative, "first ascent-style" rides can be strung together in one epic route which involves all manner of riding surfaces, sights, sounds, and scenes. The Rough Riding goal, perhaps? To see it all and do it all, to truly have an adventure.

The Rough Riders Rally will include a suggested Friday afternoon ride, followed by a pizza party catered by Stefano's Solar-Powered Pizza and hosted at Tam Bikes in Mill Valley. Saturday will be the big day: a suggested six hour ride in spectacular terrain. Later that afternoon the bikes will be assembled for a bike show. At the Saturday night Rough Riders Annual Shindig, all the bikes will be on display and a tasty dinner will be catered by Punjabi Burrito. It will be a fantastic, fun evening of story-swapping and camaraderie. Sunday morning, Rally participants are encouraged to ride Railroad Grade to the summit of Mt. Tam, then return to Mill Valley for a social hour or two at The Depot Café, before departing town.

The Rough Riders Rally will be based in Mill Valley, CA in Marin County, the birthplace of mountain biking. Marin County offers truly superb cycling, with fantastic views of the San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz, the Marin Headlands, Mt. Tamalpais ("Mt. Tam"), Tiburon, Mill Valley, the Bay Bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge, and dramatic, rugged Northern California coastline. Marin County is cycling paradise, a region unparalleled for its beauty, diversity of scenery and riding surfaces, and its cycling-friendly trail signage and local population! It promises to be a very fun weekend in an absolutely spectacular cycling paradise.

The host hotel for the Rough Riders Rally is Acqua Hotel of Mill Valley. The official bicycle shop, and venue for the pizza party, is Tam Bikes of Mill Valley. The official nutrition sponsor is Hammer Nutrition of White Fish, Montana. The Rough Riders Annual Shindig will take place at Tam Valley Community Center. Additional sponsors are being sought, including a Marin-based brewery.

A “live” webcast of the Rough Riders Rally will be produced by AdventureCORPS throughout July 23-25. Additionally, all participants, and all participants' bikes, will be photographed for the webcast and permanently archived online.

Mark your calendar to join us in Mill Valley, CA for the Rough Riders Rally on July 23-25, 2010! Registration is limited to 100 and we anticipate it selling out quickly.

Click here for all the Rough Riders Rally information.

Click here for a preview slideshow of most of Saturday's route and the general setting of the Rough Riders Rally.

Click here for additional posts about the Rough Riders Rally here on this blog.

RALLY PARTICIPANT ROSTER:
Want to know who is attending? Click here for the Rough Riders Rally roster.

SPECIAL GUEST:
Charlie Kelley, co-creator of the sport of mountain biking, will be attending! Charlie was partners with Gary Fisher in the the first "Mountain Bikes" company (with the frames made by Tom Ritchey). Charlie was also first mountain bike race promoter (creator of the infamous Repack Downhill). He was also the first mountain bike magazine publisher (Fat Tyre Flyer). Charlie and Chris Kostman first met at the Iditabike in Alaska in 1988. Check out Charlie's Mountain Bike History "Hubsite" - Click here!

ROUGH RIDERS RALLY HIGHLIGHTS:
• July 23-25, 2010
• Held in Marin County, the birthplace of mountain biking AND one of the world's greatest road cycling meccas.
• Three Days of Cycling the BEST trails and roads of the Marin Headlands!
• Friday evening pizza party.
• Saturday evening Bike Show and Dinner at the Rough Riders Annual Shindig.
• All bikes & riders photographed for live webcast!

ORIGINS OF ROUGH RIDING:
Since shortly after publishing the controversial - and still oft-discussed - article "Mountain Bikes: Who Needs Them?" in the February, 1993 issue of Bicycle Guide - when the "love letters" starting pouring in - AdventureCORPS' Chris Kostman has dreamed of hosting a rally to celebrate the "Any Bike, Anywhere" ethos and lifestyle. Chris believes in riding any distance, in any conditions, over any terrain, at any time of day or night. That sounds really hard-core, perhaps, but mainly he and his fellow Rough Riders enjoy getting "out there" by riding roads, dirt roads, trails, and paths on whatever bike they happen to be on or have handy. Rough Riding is nothing new, however: Before "mountain bikes," cyclists routinely rode all manner of bicycles on all manner of riding surfaces. The oldest known mixed-surface cycling club is the Rough Stuff Fellowship, formed in the United Kingdom in 1955. Chris, AdventureCORPS, and the Rough Riders hope that representatives of the Rough Stuff Fellowship will attend the Rough Riders Rally.

ABOUT ADVENTURECORPS:
AdventureCORPS, Inc. is an athlete-run firm producing and promoting ultra-endurance and extreme sports events, lifestyle, and media. Adventure is our way of life. AdventureCORPS’ world-class events for athlete-adventurers include epic races such as the Badwater Ultramarathon and Furnace Creek 508, muiti-day cycling lifestyle adventures known as CORPScamps, plus several 100- and 200-mile cycling events in Death Valley, on and around San Diego County's Mt. Laguna, and beyond. We also host and develop our adventure-related websites and blogs and provide a variety of adventure-related services. Founded in 1984 by Chris Kostman, this group effort is dedicated to exploring the inner and outer universes, seeking adventure, energy, and insight both in daily life and "out there."

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Chris Kostman
Chief Adventure Officer and Race Director
AdventureCORPS, Inc.
638 Lindero Canyon Rd #311
Oak Park, CA 91377 USA
http://www.adventurecorps.com
http://www.badwater.com
http://www.the508.com
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Carpooling and Ride-Sharing to and from the Rough Riders Rally; Hotel Room Sharing, too!

We encourage carpooling to and from all our events. With Rough Rders coming to Marin County for the July 23-25 Rough Riders Rally from across California and beyond, there must be somebody who lives near you, or along the route you'll be driving, or perhaps someone who just needs a ride to and from the airport in San Francisco or Oakland if they are flying to the event. Share the ride! Save gas! Save money! Save the earth!

Please use this section of the blog to connect with other riders - you can save money, save gas, help to protect the environment, and - hopefully - meet some cool people, too!

(Note: We are provide a service here, allowing people to meet and share rides. We can't and don't guarantee anything about the people you'll meet, so be careful and use your best judgement. Review the Personal Safety Tips that Craigslist uses on their Rideshare page here.)

Click the "Comments" button below and leave your request for a ride, or offer to share your trip!