2021 Southern California EUC Tour
October 16th through the 23rd
Be sure to read the details for each Tour Ride that you will be participating in. The meetup location may change for each day within 24-hours of the start.
You must participate in the dedicated Telegram group otherwise you risk missing a ride and/or coming unprepared. The link to the Telegram group is provided when you register for the Tour.
The dates are set and the locations are waiting for us. I hope you can join the 3rd annual Southern California EUC Tour. Last year we had upwards of 90 riders register for the Tour and our biggest day saw ~50 EUC riders!
What is the Tour?
If you are reading this then I assume you are a fan of the various locations that I ride around Southern California and document on my YouTube Channel. I created the first Tour as an adjunct activity to the 2019 Los Angeles EUC Games. The Tour was a great success, with over 20 riders joining me on some of my favorite rides in the region. Great riding, great camaraderie, and the making of many new friends.
The 2nd year saw a huge jump in participation. And this year, the 3rd, is likely to see even more riders as our community has grown by leaps and bounds over the past year.
Last year's Tour was of course impacted by COVID, keeping some wannabe participants from joining us. And the massive wild fires in Southern California resulted in a shuffling of the planned itinerary.
This year is seeing a return to normalcy. Mt Wilson is back and a 90-mile mountain odyssey has been added to the mix.
Who is the Tour Meant For
Are you addicted to riding the EUC? Do you have a wheel with at least 1600wh battery capacity (preferably larger)? Can you ride 50-miles before breakfast and do another ride after lunch? If your answer is yes to every question, than this Tour will be the best time you'll have in 2021. If not, mark your calendar for 2022 and work on building your stamina.
I wish I could accommodate riders of all levels but that is not the goal of the Tour. My Tour is a celebration of EUC's and the rides that I like to do. If you are not yet at the level where you feel you could participate, then consider this as something to aspire to next year. Now I certainly can't (and won't) prevent anyone from joining our rides but I can't make accommodations for beginners (instruction, periodic waiting for you to catch up, etc.). You could always begin a ride with us and then stop when you feel you've had enough.
No apologies; the Tour is for hardcore riders 😎
Tour Registration
Please register for the Tour by completing the following form. It's just me and my little webserver so you don't have to worry about information being given away. But I really do need to know who is coming and on what days so I know what to expect for lunch, charging, etc.
Check your SPAM folder for the registration e-mail otherwise you're out-of-luck.
When you submit the form you'll be added to a mailing list where I can send everyone updates as needed. You will also be given the private address to the dedicated Telegram group where the Tour activities will be coordinated. Please join that group. I will not respond to private e-mails regarding the Tour.
If you make a mistake or decide later that you'll be attending different days, just resubmit the form. I'll be updating the public display of who's coming every day or so. Your e-mail will remain private to you.
If you're unsure what days you will be able to attend, leave them blank and re-register when you know more.
Registered Attendees (October 13th)
112 Registered Riders!| Name | Wheel(s) | Days | Bonus Day | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | |||
| Huy N. | 16X | ||||||||
| Alex W. | RSt | ||||||||
| Fred G. | MSP | ||||||||
| JuicedVegan W. | Nikola AR+ | ||||||||
| Jesse G. | Sherman | ||||||||
| Louie L. | M-Pro, msp. | ||||||||
| Adam 'Flyboy EUC' C. | MSX | ||||||||
| Scot L. | Nikola+ / RS-T | ||||||||
| Andrew L. | Nikola Plus 100v | ||||||||
| Brian D. | Monster Pro, RSS | ||||||||
| Jose J. | Veteran Sherman | ||||||||
| Gary L. | EXN and 16X | ||||||||
| Kato L. | Sherman | ||||||||
| James C. | Sherman, MCM5 | ||||||||
| Guenson L. | Inmotion V11 | ||||||||
| James V. | EX | ||||||||
| Shane E. | Sherman and MSp | ||||||||
| Jason C. | RS-S | ||||||||
| Shawn J. | MSP | ||||||||
| James A. | KSS18 | ||||||||
| Tim R. | Monster Pro/RST | ||||||||
| Jeff S. | 16X | ||||||||
| Mathew R. | Ex.N | ||||||||
| Frank F. | Monster Pro / RST | ||||||||
| Samuel C. | MSX, S19, V12 | ||||||||
| Ferny C. | S18, Veteran Sherman | ||||||||
| Kevin P. | Nikola AR+ 2700Wh | ||||||||
| Chris B. | Sherman | ||||||||
| LIsa M. | Kingsong 16x | ||||||||
| Jim G. | MP | ||||||||
| NYTARZAN .. | MSX 2200WH AKA firewheel AKA overheat whe | ||||||||
| Marty B. | Sherman, Monster Pro, EX-N, KS-S18 | ||||||||
| Mike M. | Vet Sherman | ||||||||
| KieRan T. | RST | ||||||||
| Chris C. | MP24, Sherman, RS-T | ||||||||
| Dave U. | RST & MPro | ||||||||
| Ray R. | monster pro, ex, rst | ||||||||
| Loyd D. | Got way Nikkola | ||||||||
| eric j. | Gotway NiKola | ||||||||
| Modi C. | Veteran Sherman ;) | ||||||||
| william j. | Monster Pro, Veteran Sherman | ||||||||
| Theo P. | Sherman, Monster Pro | ||||||||
| Jason N. | Veteran Sherman | ||||||||
| Yoshi S. | Mten3 | ||||||||
| Wesley S. | MSYBER, CYBERWHEEL V2 (Nomad) | ||||||||
| Chris C. | Rs, Mpro, | ||||||||
| Dalton B. | S18 w/KS-Power Bank | ||||||||
| Cameron F. | Sherman | ||||||||
| AJ G. | Sherman | ||||||||
| Dave C. | EXN / Nikola+ | ||||||||
| Mask A. | The Big Sherm | ||||||||
| Rob L. | EX.N | ||||||||
| Herman C. | Sherman | ||||||||
| Dan G. | Sherman | ||||||||
| Daniel V. | MSP HS | ||||||||
| Melody K. | RS, EX.N, V12 | ||||||||
| John D. | Veteran Sherman | ||||||||
| Jeff K. | To be determined | ||||||||
| Ash G. | EXN | ||||||||
| Freddie N. | Veteran Sherman | ||||||||
| Josh M. | Rs ht or sherman if possible. I'll likely | ||||||||
| Don M. | EX.N /. KS S18 | ||||||||
| Tony L. | Sherman, MSP | ||||||||
| Shenheng G. | MSX | ||||||||
| Raza G. | Exn | ||||||||
| Mitchell H. | Sherman | ||||||||
| Sam B. | Sherman, mp24, rs19 ht. | ||||||||
| Roman d. | mten | ||||||||
| Dave F. | Marty's old MSX | ||||||||
| Rune R. | Sherman | ||||||||
| Dan T. | Veteran Sherman | ||||||||
| Larry Z. | Sherman | ||||||||
| Ali A. | 16x + tbd (sherman and v12 on order) | ||||||||
| Josh M. | RS19, Monster Pro | ||||||||
| Laphyeal P. | V10 | ||||||||
| stephen h. | Nikola | ||||||||
| Codi J. | Sherman & 16x | ||||||||
| Marcus S. | Sherman, KS16X | ||||||||
| Aseer S. | Inmotion v11 | ||||||||
| Gregory M. | Kingsong 16x | ||||||||
| Chris H. | KingSong 16x | ||||||||
| LAST D. | MONSTER PRO EXN MSX | ||||||||
| Rex S. | Sherman and MSP HT | ||||||||
| Jason D. | Inmotion V11 | ||||||||
| Joseph D. | Kingsong 18 XL | ||||||||
| Vincent T. | Mpro 24, sherman | ||||||||
| Brian U. | RST | ||||||||
| Seth J. | RS19 / Monster Pro | ||||||||
| Roger H. | Sherman & RS-T | ||||||||
| Glendon C. | EX | ||||||||
| Duke D. | S18 | ||||||||
| Don B. | VS, S18 | ||||||||
| Thien P. | NIKOLA + | ||||||||
| Jason M. | Veteran Sherbet | ||||||||
| Albert D. | V11 | ||||||||
| Lynn A. | Veteran Sherman, Nikola 84v | ||||||||
| MARWIN V. | Nikola Plus/KS S18 | ||||||||
| Tom N. | 2660WH Gotway Nikola | ||||||||
| Ron L. | Monster Pro, Sherman, maybe EX | ||||||||
| Elmer B. | Veteran Sherman | ||||||||
| Brandon c. | sherman | ||||||||
| Theo P. | Sherman, Monster Pro | ||||||||
| Andrew Y. | MSX | ||||||||
| James L. | Sherman | ||||||||
| Bill S. | Sherman | ||||||||
| julian b. | Sherman | ||||||||
| JUSTIN E. | RS high torque | ||||||||
| LEM U. | Sherman, MP, V11, RST | ||||||||
| Ryan L. | KS 18L | ||||||||
| Mike G. | Sherman | ||||||||
| Jennifer C. | 16X V12 (on first batch of 30 from ewheel | ||||||||
| Herman C. | Sherman | ||||||||
The Raffle
Last year a lucky winner walked away with a brand new Sherman. Other wheels and goodies were also raffled away. All the proceeds from the raffle, over $2300, was donated to PEVRA - Personal Electric Vehicle Riders Association.
The Raffle this year is even bigger, with over $5000 in prizes being donated by the following sponsors.
- Clark Pads is donating a brand new Gotway RS fitted with Clark Pads, Clark Bumpers, Clark Pedals, and a Clark Stand. This is a $2800 retail value
- EUCO is donating a $1000 gift certificate
- EWheels is donating a $500 gift certificate, Powerpads, an a set of Gotway CNC pedals
- Alien Rides is donating a set of Gotway CNC pedals
- Chris Chaput is donating a set of spiked pedals inserts for any wheel you choose.
The Tour
The locations and times for each day of the ride are set. However there is always the wildcard of wildfires and COVID. If one or more ride locations are affected there will be alternative rides planned for those days.
A few of the rides will require charging at lunch if you don't have a Monster (Pro) or Sherman class wheel. For those rides (identified below) you must be prepared to potentially use a ride share service near the end to get back to the starting location. It'll really depend on how successful we are at finding recharge locations during lunch. Based on the previous Tours everyone seems to make it through the day.
It's best to maintain an attitude of adventure and to go with the flow of the events as they unfold during the day 😎
For each day of the ride, be aware of the weather forecast and dress accordingly. It's highly unlikely that there will be any rain or cold weather. But you know what they say about weather. Also, bring energy food (just in case), always plenty of water, and probably sunscreen. It goes without saying (but I'm saying it anyway), be prepared for the potential of flat tires or other mechanical problems. I.e., Slime your wheels and carry tools, tire pump, etc.
What to do between rides? Fear not being bored or worried about doing touristy things. Based on previous years experience, you will struggle to find time to eat and sleep.
With that said, the following is the itinerary for each day of the Tour.
Here is a map showing the meetup location for all the rides. This is dynamic and may change up to 24-hours before the ride.
Here is a Google Map that shows the route for each day of the tour. The routes are mostly accurate but there will be some changes prior to the start of the tour. Consider this a guide.
Tour Guidelines
Due to the size of our rides we will not be able to stop and wait for stragglers. I will be stopping at strategic spots to let everyone regroup. This would include whenever there may be a question as to which way we went.
Ride Etiquette
We are all adults here. I can't and won't police how anyone rides. I would hope that you be considerate of other riders and in particular pedestrians.
The Beach
Saturday, October 16th
Well, I can't guarantee bikinis, but water and sand I can do 😊 We begin at the Pacific Palisades and travel south through Santa Monica, Venice Beach, Marina del Ray, Dockweiler beach, Hermosa Beach and arrive at Redondo Beach to enjoy lunch and some recharge. Then we continue to Palos Verdes Peninsula for some trail riding and beautiful ocean vistas. Finally we rewind the journey and travel back to Pacific Palisades.
We'll stop at all the piers (if open) and take in some picture worthy scenic outlooks over the Pacific Ocean and beaches.
This day will be a nice way to ease into the long rides during the upcoming week.
Meetup Location: Google Pin Be sure to meet at the pin (this is a very long parking lot - we are meeting at the end)
Parking: Same as the meetup location. Parking on Saturday is $9. You can probably find free parking in the adjacent neighborhoods and wheel to the meetup location.
Meetup Time: 8:00am. Plan to be rolling by ~9am
Ride Distance: 60 miles. This will be a long day (10-hours), returning to our cars in the dark.
Recharge Required: Due to the size of this ride there will be no opportunities to recharge. Bring the longest range wheel that you have. At my riding weight of ~175-pounds I can (just) complete this ride with my 1800wh MSP. Last year quite a few people scrambled during our long lunch stop to find places to get a bit of a charge. So although there will be no coordinated charging it may be possible.
Lunch: We arrive at the pier where we can park our wheels and choose from many takeout establishments in the area.
Special Considerations: Bring a flashlight for the return since it may be dark by the time we return to the parking lot.
For those of you who cannot achieve 60-miles on one charge, you have two options:
- Join us at the meetup spot but be prepared to Uber/Lift back to the parking lot towards the end of the day
- Meet us at the Venice Beach Pier (Google Pin). This eliminates 12-miles from the ride. We will be arriving at this location between 9:30 and 10:00. As with all the rides, my location will be updated live via our Telegram group, so you'll know exactly when we'll be showing up.
Mt Wilson
Sunday, October 17th
Meetup Location: Google Pin
Parking: Meetup location and parking are one and the same - residential street parking.
Meetup Time: 8:00am. Plan to be rolling by ~9am
Ride Distance: ~26 miles. Any 1600wh wheel can easily do this ride. I'll probably ride my S18 (1100wh battery) but I'm not a heavy guy.
Recharge: No
Special Considerations: Bring plenty of water as this trail can get very hot if there is no cloud cover. Also potentially dress in layers since the temperature can be 20-degrees or more cooler at the top. There is no cell phone coverage during the ride but there is Wi-Fi at the Cafe so you can connect to the world for a bit during lunch.
The Rivers
Monday, October 18th
Fullerton Loop & Griffith Park
The Double-Ride Day
Tuesday, October 19th
Tuesday, October 19th
This day will consist of two shorter rides. We start in the morning by riding the Fullerton Loop, a well known bicyclist route that loops through and around the city of Fullerton. It's a mix of paved and dirt trails, much of which is very picturesque. Although less than 15-miles, this can be a 3 hour ride.
Meetup Location: Google PinParking: Meetup locationMeetup Time: 8:00am. Plan to be rolling by ~9amRide Distance: 13 milesRecharge: NoLunch: Nothing planned. You'll have to grab some fast food in order to make it to Griffith Park for the 3:00pm rollout.Special Considerations: None
Then we regroup in the afternoon at Griffith Park for a ~25+ mile ride among the hills overlooking Los Angeles. We will visit the Griffith Observatory, Bronson Caves, and the Hollywood Sign (at Sunset). The trail riding here is spectacular and will offer you views of Los Angeles impossible to find anywhere else.
Meetup Location: Google PinParking: Meetup locationMeetup Time: 2:00pm. Plan to be riding at ~3pmRide Distance: ~35 milesRecharge: NoSpecial Considerations: Since we will be riding after Sunset, dress in layers for potentially chilly evening temperatures. Also bring some additional lighting - the ride back from the Hollywood Sign will be very dark, in the mountains. There is no cell phone coverage during much of this ride.
90-Mile Mountain Excursion
Wednesday, October 20th
With the advent of so many Sherman (and Monster Pro) owners I think it's time to add this ride to the mix. For those of you without the range I will have a couple of alternative routes that will allow you to join us for the first ~30-miles and you'll still have a guaranteed wonderful time in the mountains with a 30 to 60 mile ride depending on your choices.
The most epic mountain road trip available in Southern California, we ascend Hwy 39 where it meets up with Hwy 2. There we take the first long break to rest after the 30-mile journey. Then Hwy 2 is followed for 30-miles to the next long break. In between you'll enjoy amazing mountain and desert vistas on pavement to die for. Then a 10-mile ride takes us out of the mountains and back to civilization where a 20-mile suburban trek brings us back to the meetup spot.
Alternate Primary Route: Based on the consensus of the riders of the day we could convert the last 30-miles into a ride to the top of Mt Wilson for a trail ride to the bottom. This has the advantage of turning the 90-mile ride into a 80-mile ride with A LOT of regen (2-volts worth on a Sherman). About 25 of the resulting 80-mile ride will literally be battery free. I probably favor this approach as it opens the ride to the most people.
Whether or not the alternate is followed, there will be EV stations close by when we return to civilization. I think we can have a solution for all Sherman riders.
Mission Viejo
Orange County Odyssey
Thursday, October 21st
On this ride we experience some of the best paved trails in Orange County as we travel from the Saddleback Foothills to the Pacific ocean. Here we stop for some food at Dana Point and a bit of recharge and return by a circuitous route that includes spectacular dirt trails, climbs to vistas overlooking all of Orange County and descents into beautiful ravines. An odyssey best describes this journey.
Mt Baldy
The Defining Mountain Road Trip and Trail Ride
Friday, October 22nd
Bonus Day
Overheat Hill
Saturday, October 23rd
Enjoy half a day of trail riding all around the hills surrounding Overheat Hill. Yes, we will visit Overheat Hill and optionally ride up it. If ridden in stages there is actually no danger to your wheel. But beyond OHH there are many many miles of very fun riding here.
Afterwards we will enjoy some lunch in downtown Whittier.
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