Registration

• What are the fees for the 2012 tours and what do I get?
  • For Sierra to the Sea, the tour fee is $695 which includes, most meals (see Food below), SAG support and route information, camping sites, a water bottle, and a cycling jersey.  Depending on the selections made during registration, there are additional fees that may apply. There is a bus transportation fee of $35 from the hotel in San Jose to the ride start at Bear Valley and $20 fee for bus transportation from the ride end in San Francisco back to the hotel in San Jose. Advanced bus reservations are required. If you transport your bicycle in a Bike Case (either hard or soft), there is also a $25 fee for storage and handling.
  • For those selecting to include the Lake Tahoe Prologue, the tour fee for the 10 day tour will be $1030 which includes most meals, SAG support and route information, camping sites. There is a bus transportation fee of $50 from the hotel in San Jose to the ride start in Lake Tahoe. There is a $20 fee for bus transportation from the ride end (either from Bear Valley or San Francisco) back to the hotel in San Jose. Advanced bus reservations are required. If you transport your bicycle in a Bike Case (either hard or soft), there is also a $25 fee for storage and handling.
• When does registration open?
  • Registration will open January 17, 2012 at 6:00 pm PST. Note that this tour usually fills very fast.
• How do I register?
  • Registration will be conducted online at this website starting January 17, 2012 at 6:00 pm PST. Once the tour is full those who register will be placed on our standby list
• Can I register more than one person at a time?
  • No, you can only register one person at at time using our online registration form. We recognize that some small groups of individuals will want to go on the tour if they go together. In the Comments and Special Request section at the bottom of the registration form, please make a note of the names of the others in your group. If one person in the group registers before the tour is full, we will make every effort to get the others, so identified, into the tour, provided they also register within a few hours.
• When are the fees due?
  • When you register you can pay online using a credit card using our secure service. Payment can also be sent by check. If payment is not received within 7 days of submitting your registration, you may lose your place.
• What is your cancellation policy?
• In the event that circumstances require that you cancel your participation in this year’s Tour, please notify the Registration Coordinator as soon as possible.  Please review our 2012 Cancellation Policy.
• How many riders?
  • Sierra to the Sea is limited to approximately 140 riders, which with the addition of our volunteer Staff totals to some 170 bicycling enthusiasts. We all wear names tags, so by the end of the week you will have swapped cycling adventures with many new friends.
  • Lake Tahoe Prologue is limited to approximately 30 riders. A minimum of 20 guests is required for this option to take place.
• Where and when does the tour start?
  • The Tour starts June 16, 2012 at:

    San Jose Airport Garden Hotel
    1740 North First Street
    San Jose, CA 95112
    408-793-3300

    The hotel offers a special rate for guests of Sierra to the Sea bicycle tour who book by June 3rd, so be sure to ask for that. For those that reserve a place on the chartered buses, it leaves at 8:30 AM for the trip to the ride start and the Tour's first overnight campsite. There is a bus fee for transportation from and back to this hotel (see above). Note that there is no refund for these bus fees if you cancel your reservation.

• What if I don't want to take the bus from San Jose to Bear Valley or from San Francisco back to San Jose?
  • Guests are welcome to get to the ride start on their own, whether driving or cycling and/or do the same after the ride end. 
• When do we sign-in for Tour?
  • For Sierra to the Sea, information on check in will be provide later.
  • For the Lake Tahoe Prologue, information on check in will be provided later.
• If I am on the Standby List, what are the chances I will get into the tour?
  • It depends on how close to the top of the standby list you are (based on time of registration). If those who register do not send in their money within the allotted time, we start to add people from the standy list. If any guests cancel we also add people from the standby list. It is not possible for us to know how often these things happen.
  • If the standby list is not too large, and if the individual is patient enough they usually can get into the tour, but that might not happen until close to the tour date.

What to Bring

• How much baggage can I bring on the tour?
  • Two duffle bags limited to 40 pounds each. No hard suitcase or backpack frames. Tour baggage is subject to being pushed, pulled and pilled in its weeklong truck ride, so a sturdy duffle bag is a must. In the unlikely event of rain, all campsite gear will be covered; but unless your duffle bag is waterproof, you may want to put your gear in plastic sacks inside your duffle bag.
• Are tents and sleeping bags provided?
  • No, each rider who chooses to use a tent and sleeping bag must provide their own.  Late in the week we spend two nights near the ocean, where overnight dew makes a tent welcome.
• What kind of bike will I need?
  • We recommend a well-maintained multi-speed road bicycle with triple chainrings. Some riders ask if they can get by with a double chainring. A strong, skilled rider could do the entire route with a double ring and many do. However there are a lot of variables in that equation. The weight, fitness and age of the rider, quality of the bike, the size of the rear cluster, any added loads on the bike, miles that day etc. Each rider will need to make their own judgment taking into consideration these factors. See the tab above on preparing your bike before the tour.
• What else about the bike?
  • We strongly recommend two water bottles or hydration pack. You may want to consider a handlebar bag or other carrier for jacket, sunscreen, camera, route/cue sheets, etc. See the tab above on preparing your bike for detailed information.
• Are there items that should NOT be brought on the tour?
  • Items NOT to bring at all include: Ice chest, coolers, lawn chairs, camp stoves, boom box radios and anything in a glass container.  Please avoid bringing fragile or breakable items, including electronic gear, as we load and unload about 200 bags every day.
• Do you have a checklist of other items to bring?
• We will provide that in the tour package that will be emailed to registered guests before the tour.

Transportation

• If I am only doing the Sierra to the Sea tour, how do I get to the ride start in Bear Valley?
  • At the time of registration you can purchase a transportation ticket from the hotel in San Jose. You, your luggage and bicycle will be transported. Bicycles must be boxed prior to transport in either a cardboard bike box or a bicycle hard case (extra fee for using a hard case).
  • You may also arrange your own transportation to the ride start and check in for the tour there on the Saturday evening.
• If I am doing the Lake Tahoe Prologue Tour, how do I get to the ride start in Lake Tahoe?
  • At the time of registration you can purchase a transportation ticket from the hotel in San Jose. You, your luggage and bicycle will be transported. Bicycles must be boxed prior to transport in either a cardboard bike box or a bicycle hard case (extra fee for using a hard case).
• How do I get back from the ride end?
  • At the time of registration you can purchase a transportation ticket back to the hotel in San Jose. You, your luggage and bicycle will be transported. Bicycles must be boxed at the ride end using the same bike box you used to transport your bike to the ride start. These bike boxes are transported along the tour route so they will be available at the tour end.
  • You should complete your ride on the last day to arrive at Golden Gate park for lunch between 12:00 - 2:00 pm. All bikes need to be packed and loaded on our truck by 2:30 pm. Buses leave at 2:30 pm, arriving in San Jose around 4:00-4:30 pm, depending on the traffic.
  • You may also arrange your own transportation from the ride end if you wish.
• Can I park my car at the hotel in San Jose while on the tour?
  • Free parking is allowed for the duration of the tour at the hotel in San Jose for those guests who are staying there prior to the bicycle tour. There is no other parking provided.
• Can I ship my bike to San Jose from my home?
  • We do not have any provisions to accept shipment of bikes. If you want to ship your bike you may want to contact the hotel in San Jose and see if they will accept shipment before you arrive. Click on the "Motels" tab above to see the hotel contact information.

Camping

• Is camping included in the tour?
  • Camping is provided every night. You need to supply your own sleeping bag and tent.
• Are there showers at the campsites?
  • All camping areas have showers with hot water but you need to bring your own towel, soap, shampoo and other toiletries.
• Are there places to wash clothes in the camping area?
  • Some, but not all, of the camping areas have a basin to hand wash clothes. Some riders wash their clothes while taking a shower. Most guests catch up on laundry at Calistoga where there is a public laundromat.
• Can I charge my cell phone and GPS devices at the camping area?
  • Electric outlets are scarce but we will setup a charging station wherever we can get power but guests are responsible for leaving any devices unattended.
• Where are the bikes kept at night?
  • We do setup some racks to place your bikes or campers may put their bike near their tents. Do not leave bikes on the ground where other campers might trip over them. It is best to bring a lock for your bike. Since your bikes are outside, you may want to cover your saddle to protect from the dew.
• Is the camping area lighted?
  • No, only in the restoom areas. Bring a flashlight or a headlamp for when it gets dark.
• Is all my gear transported to the next campsite each day?
  • Yes, we transport your two bags between each campsite. 
• Is there a motel option?
  • Yes, click the tab above on Motels for more information.

Please check back for 2012 information once we obtain that from the various hotels. Below is the information from last year's tour.

Motels

• Will you shuttle me to motels?
  • Transportation of an overnight bag will be provided to and from any of the recommended hotels in Calistoga on Wednesday only. Saturday in Bear Valley and Monday in Ryde, we camp right by a hotel.  For all other days, each rider is responsible for his/her own transportation between campsite and hotels, including bicycles and overnight supplies. We recommend bringing a daypack into which you can stow these supplies at the campground so you can bicycle to your hotel on these nights and return them to the campsite in the morning.
• Can you tell me more about baggage handling in Calistota?
• For Calistoga bags will be dropped at only the three hotels listed on Wednesday afternoon and will be picked up on Thursday morning (they must be ready by 8:30 am). 
• Do you make motel reservations for me?
  • You are responsible for your own hotel reservations and payment.
• Do you have a list of local motels?
• Below is a list of local hotels near each camping site. Other hotel accommodations are not recommended as they may be located far from camping and dinner. Rates do not include local taxes.

Sierra to the Sea Routes

• How many rest stops each day?
  • Typically two. For day 6 route, we have only one stop. For the last day into San Francisco, with only 40 miles and towns along the route, there is no rest stop. Weather conditions might necessitate some changes to the daily rest stop plan.
• How many SAG vehicles?
  • This year there will be three SAG vans. One will be on constant patrol and the other two will typically set up and staff the rest stops then sweep the course.
• How is cell phone coverage on the route?
• Do not expect to be able to get cell phone coverge on much of the route, although you can usually get coverage in most, but not all, of the camping areas.
• How do I contact the SAG vehicle while on route?
  • There are two SAG phone numbers on your route sheets and the back of your bike plate. If you are not in cell phone coverage, or the SAG vehicles are not in cell phone coverage, you will want to be in a visible spot so the SAG vehicles can see you as they come by.
• What is the daily mileage and feet climbed?
  
  

• The 2012 route for each day will be as follows
  Day	Mileage	Climbing	Descend		Day	Mileage	Climbing
  Saturday	None	None			Thursday	58 mi	2,200 ft
  Sunday	72 mi	5,500 ft	10,500 ft		Friday	56 mi	3,200 ft
  Monday	73 mi	2,400 ft			Saturday	40 mi	3,300 ft
  Tuesday	61 mi	1,200 ft			Total	417 mi	21,800 ft
  Wednesday	57 mi	4,000 ft			Daily average	60 mi	3,100 ft

  
  
• How will I get maps or route sheets for each day?
  • Your rider packet, provided to you during registration, will have a daily map and a route "cue sheet" with turn by turn directions.  We also will have a "big map" in camp that covers our entire central California route in great detail as well as the surrounding roads and towns!
• Are GPS routes available for the tour?
  • Yes. Go to the "Where We Go section" and for each day you can click on each map to view Full Size. That will take you to a website where you can download a file for your GPS.
• How about the Lake Tahoe Prologue?
  • Check out the LTP Tour overview for information.

Weather

• What will the weather be like?
  • The weather for the most part is clear in June, although showers are possible. Temperatures during the tour, however, can range from near 100 degrees in the Sacramento Valley to 35 - 60 degrees in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and along the coast. Bring appropriate cycling clothes to accommodate these temperature extremes.  Early in the week, most wear shorts, t-shirts, and sandals.  In Duncans Mills and Olema, evening and morning fog prompts many people to layer, wearing wool caps and gloves (One guest: "My only footwear are cycling shoes and river sandals; sandals are great in the heat, convenient in the showers, and with wool socks they are warm when it's cool out."). For current weather conditions click the link below.

For those doing the Lake Tahoe Prologue

General

• Is there a masseuse available on the tour?
  • For the Sierra to the Sea tour we usually have massage therapists on tour, who will provide afternoon and evening massages.  Check with them on tour for availability and to sign up for a time. There is no masseuse for the Lake Tahoe Prologue tour. At this time for the 2011 Sierra to the Sea tour there may not be any masseuse some of the evenings..
• What if I have a mechanical problem with my bike?
  • For the Sierra to the Sea tour we have a superb mechanic along on tour.  He rides each day, but is available in the evening to help with many repairs.  Major repairs or replacement of specialized parts may require going to a bicycle shop.  Please have your bicycle in good condition before embarking on the tour. There is no bicycle mechanic on the Lake Tahoe Prologue tour. See the above tab on preapring your bike in advance to minimize issues you will face while on the tour.
• Can I buy an extra jersey, beyond the one I get for doing the tour?
  • In Olema, jerseys will be available for purchase but we may not have all sizes and styles (M/F) available.
• Are there any videos of past tours.?
  • Bob Duncan provided this great photo show of the 2008 tour.
  • Watch short video clips from the tour: Pacific Coast Highway & Tomales Bay & Go For 50. (These files play in Microsoft's Media Player or Apple's Quicktime Player).
  • Bob Thompson, an ACTC club member, also produced this 30 minute video of the 2006 tour.
• What if my question is not answered here?
  • Please click the Contact Us tab in the top level menu above to send us your questions.