Salton Sea Century

Date:             Replaced by Festa Metric Century
Distances:    100/82/72/55/45/28/17 mi. options
Location:      600 Christmas Circle, Borrego
                       Springs, CA 92004
Field Limit:   3,000  

Start Times:
    Team Time Trial:     7:00 A.M. - 8:00 A.M.
    Individual Riders:   7:15 A.M. - 9:00 A.M.

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Lodging Options:

Alliances: Click here for links to informal lodging alliances. Some have century promotional rates.

Complete List of hotels and camping: Click here for lodging information from the Borrego Springs Chamber of Commerce. Borrego Springs has about 350 rooms at all price points and sizes. Each room sleeps at least 2 and the total hotel capacity is about 1,000. Booking early is recommended for rooms, camp sites, and RV spaces.  Mention the Salton Sea Century when you book reservations for possible discounts.

All riders receive with paid entry:

     •  Ride registration
     •  3 Laps allow riders to select distances
           of 17, 28, 45, 55, 72, 82, or 100 miles
     •  Ultimate 100 mile 4 person Team Time
           Trial Challenge (optional)
     •   Cue sheets for all distances     
     •   Six fully stocked rest stations, and
            lunch/rest stop items at Christmas Circle
     •   Brightroom photography services        
     •   Dedicated Law Enforcement
     •   Tom Cody's Bike Mobile roving support van
     •   Lunch at Christmas Circle or Rest Stop 4
     •   Post ride music, DJ, and festivities at
            Christmas Circle in Borrego Springs
     •   Free Parking
     •   Rider goodie bag
     •   Full Century Finishers names posted online
     •   New!   Tandem Team Time Trial (optional)
     •   New !  Yaqui Pass climb moved to 1st lap
     •   New !  New course total climbing 3,874 ft
  

      



             The Springs at Borrego RV Resort
             Photo credit: Stephanie Gonser               

2nd Annual Salton Sea Century

Heather from Marina Del Rey, CA and Desi from Lakeside, CA climbing Yaqui Pass
Photo Courtesy Brightroom.com


2008 Team Eclectic Black Death from Irvine, CA
relax & share war stories in the shade after finish 


2008 Two very COOL volunteers!
Melissa, Salton City and Doug, Borrego Springs


2007 Barbara, Preston, and Angelica (L) from San Diego, CA enjoy post-ride fun with friends.
Photo courtesy Brightroom.com


2007 Cheryl from Palm Springs, CA out on the course.  Photo courtesy Brightroom.com

Ride Description:

The Salton Sea Century is a recreational road bicycle event in the low to middle desert elevations in and around Borrego Springs, California, USA. In addition to individuals riding various distances, the century will feature a unique four person "Ultimate 100 Mile Team Time Trial." The low traffic roads and pristine desert scenery flanked by soaring mountains make this ride another marquee “safe, scenic and sensational century ride on roads less traveled” Shadow Tour century experience. The ride starts and finishes at the grassy community park in the heart of Borrego Springs, known as Christmas Circle, at an elevation of 600 feet above sea level. Based on rider feedback from the 2007 event, the course has been modified, moving the climb up Yaqui Pass to the first lap.  Next comes a scenic 17 mile tour around Borrego Springs before turning east toward the Salton Sea on S22, over a 975 foot elevation desert pass, creating pano-views of the Salton Sea, mountains and desert, before descending to Salton City at about -75 feet below sea level.

The Salton Sea is the largest lake in California and one of the largest saltwater lakes in the world. It was formed from 1905 to 1907 when a poorly constructed temporary dam on the Colorado River collapsed. The Salton Sea is a breathtaking sight from a distance and is home to hundreds of species of birds; however the lake is not recommended for water activities due to high saline content and poor overall water quality. Several local and federal projects are underway to improve the fragile ecosystem of the lake.  Learn more about the Salton Sea on the SDSU Salton Sea website ( click here ).

The new route for 2008 sends riders southeast on Borrego Springs Road toward SR 78 and return to the La Casa Del Zorro intersection "Hot Corner", where the course turns south on S3 and climbs up a 5 mile ascent from 508 ft el. to the Yaqui Pass Summit at 1,750 ft el. The route returns down the well-earned 5 mile downhill stretch, across the flat, usually breezy, five mile desert floor to the Christmas Circle/Rest Stop 1.  This completes Lap 1 and the 27 mile course.  On Lap 2, riders proceed north on Borrego Springs Rd for a 17 mile mid-morning grand circular tour of the City of Borrego Springs, returning to Christmas Circle at approximately mile 44.  This is the Lunch Stop for riders selecting Christmas Circle as their lunch location.  Lap 3 takes riders east on S22 to Rest Stop 4 at mile 62.  This is the Lunch Stop for riders selecting Rest Stop 4 as their preferred lunch location.  Riders may turn-around and return to Christmas Circle for a 78 mile ride.   Full century riders continue east over the 975 ft el. desert pass, to the turn-around point in Salton City at mile 72.  As the course desends below sea level, the road surface becomes rougher from mile 68 to 71.  Riders should slow down and use extra caution on this section.  The route returns west bound on S22 to Rest Stop 4, and on to the full century finish at Christmas Circle.  The last section, out to the Salton Sea, will almost certainly be more challenging as desert heat, afternoon winds, and gradual elevation gains add up during the ride.  Expect tailwinds on the way out to Salton City and strong head winds on the way back.  Roughly 2,400 feet of climbing occur in the first 44 miles. The remaining 2,000 feet is strategically reserved for full century riders in the last 56 miles.

The finish line festival will feature live music, DJ Mark, food and beverage by Kendall's Cafe, other local vendors and sponsor booths along with other cool activities.

There are also shade trees, picnic tables, restrooms, and plenty of grass to spread out a blanket and hang out with friends and family after the ride.




           Photo Courtesy Jean Anderson

The 100 mile course has about 4,400 feet of gentle climbing and we rate it as average difficulty overall. For a beginner century rider, the first 27 miles of the route involve riding longer and steeper desert climbs and descents on secondary desert roads.  The second half of the course is non-technical and has very gentle grades with long sight lines and low vehicle traffic.  Expect predictable rising afternoon winds and temps in the high 80s to low 90s, which combine to increase the difficulty. For more experienced riders, there is plenty of challenge if you want to ride a more spirited pace, or even form a team for the Ultimate 100 mile Team Time Trial. The Yaqui Pass leg is the steepest climb on the route, rising 1,242 feet in 5 miles. The Yaqui Pass summit at 1,750 feet elevation is the highest point on the course and is followed immediately by a fast 5 mile descent. Overall, the ride is not a technical challenge, but variable afternoon winds and potentially hot conditions in the desert in October must be respected when selecting your distance. We have purposely designed the course to be flexible, with three distinct laps  allowing riders several decision-points to modify actual riding distances based on the weather conditions and how riders feel out on the course on the day of the ride.
  

         
              Team "Salton See Ya When We Get There"  at Yaqui Pass Summit, photo by Larry Gitman 

                                         
                                               2008 Tony Darr, Imperial, CA completes his
                                                  solo century in 5:09 including rest stops!

 
2008 Salton Sea Century Front                               2008 Salton Sea Century Back

See sizing chart below, or visit www.voler.com for more details

Salton Sea Century Voler Jersey
Orders by Aug 18, '08 receive jersey at event, after Aug 18, jerseys mailed in Dec 08.

Ride Sponsors, Affiliates, and Volunteers:

	Kendall's Cafe at The Mall 587 Palm Canyan Dr 760-767-3491 Ride Lunches Post-ride BBQ Meals
Shadow Tour    Logo Designer	Official Lunch  and post-ride BBQ	Nutritional Supplements	Current Weather    Borrego Springs	Official       Photographer
			DJ Mark
Fluid Replacement	Chamber of        Commerce	Official Energy Bar	Entertainment	Cyclists Attorney
			Borrego Vista Realty  Jean Anderson Borrego Springs CA  92004 (877) 500-7534
The Springs at Borrego RV Resort & Golf Course	Gene24.com	Worldcycles.com	Jean Anderson          Lunch       Volunteer	Leucadia Cyclery
Borrego Valley Inn	La Casa Del Zorro	Tom & Dawn Cody     Roving Mechanics	Borrego Springs         Resort	Tony DiLorenzo     Timing Marshal
Borrego Springs     Soroptimists
Lunch Volunteers		Official Embroidery	Bikewearworld.com

Course Maps and Elevation Profiles (Updated with 2008 Course Modifications):

    Regional View of Borrego Springs, Salton Sea, Salton City, and Salton Sea Century Course:

        

    Century Maps and Profiles:

                Century Map (Click on "100 Mile" button for jpeg image, click on jpeg to enlarge.)

                Century Profile

                Century 3D Profile

    Lap 1 Map and Profile:                      Distance                    Elevation  

                      28 Miles                1,734 Feet
                                                    
    Lap 2 Map and Profile:

                      17 Miles                379 Feet  

    Lap 3 Map and Profile:

                     55 Miles                2,708 Feet

     Display of all Salton Sea Century Maps:  Click here

Registration:

Registration now open!

We encourage all riders to register early and SAVE BIG!

• Concerned about committing early? Please visit our Refund, Rollover and Transfer Policy

Payment by Credit card entries: processed online through Active.com. Riders receive a confirmation email from Active.com when their entry has processed successfully. For riders without computers, call Active.com Customer Service at 1-877-228-4881 to register by phone.

Payment by Check entries: download the registration form complete, sign and mail with check.

IMPORTANT EMAIL & SPAM NOTICE: All our rider correspondence is through email. Please insure we always have a valid email for you or a friend who can relay messages to you. Additionally, be sure your spam filter allows inbound email from these two sources:

support "@" active.com AND support "@" shadowtour.com

Regrettably, we cannot verify bounced emails from spam filters requiring the sender (us) to actively respond (type a response). We are not responsible for missed emails caused by rider spam filters. We understand and support controls of unwanted spam. However, with thousands of emails to our riders, it is impossible for us to individually respond to these kinds of active response spam filters.

Team Time Trial:

ST Promotions is rolling out a special challenge for Salton Sea Century riders: The four-person "Ultimate 100 mile Team Time Trial" (TTT) . In the spirit of epic events like Furnace Creek 508 , Fireweed 400 , Tour De France , and Race Across America (RAAM) , we have created our own TTT format. This is not a relay, all four members of each team ride together in a single, safe, paceline, from start to finish. The Fireweed 400 motto sums it up best: "Safety first, Fun second, Success third."

The Salton Sea Century Ultimate 100 mile TTT requires teams to strategize, work together, ride safely, and handle all Mother Nature's most wicked wildcards. For a few well-prepared teams, this promises to be a worthy platform for an exciting monster day in the saddle, that can likely rank as one of the most memorable events of a riding career. Make no mistake, despite the perceived gentleness of this low desert course, a full speed, 100 mile Team Time Trial in desert heat and wind will be beyond difficult for teams wishing to test their limits. Prepare carefully, train well in advance as a team, practice smooth team paceline rotations, work out rehydration strategies, rehearse "plan B's", and above all, ride safely!

Salton Sea Century TTT Divisions:

Club Men Four Rider (4 men, same club, active members) (average age 20+, 30+, 40+, 50+, 60+)
Club Women Four Rider (4 women, same club, active members) (average age 20+, 30+, 40+, 50+, 60+)
Open Men Four Rider (4 men or 3 men + 1 woman) (average age 20+, 30+, 40+, 50+, 60+)
Open Women Four Rider (4 women or 3 women + 1 man) (average 20+, 30+, 40+, 50+, 60+)
Open Mixed Four Rider (2 men + 2 women) (average age 20+, 30+, 40+, 50+, 60+)
Tandem Open (2 men, 2 women, or mixed) (average age 20+, 30+, 40+, 50+, 60+)

TTT Team Roster Form Click here

TTT Rules:   Click here

TTT Results and Records: Click here

Registration Categories:

2009 Registration Notes:

1. Ride takes place rain or shine, wind, heat, or cold
2. Refunds, Transfers, and Exchanges are permitted per Shadow Tour/ST Promotions Policy
3. Lunch in Borrego Springs or Rest Stop 5 is included with all ride distances
4. “Post Ride” bbq meals are $12 prior to the event, $15 day of event (limited surplus supplies, best to purchase in advance).
5. Jerseys:  Riders purchasing Jerseys by Aug 24, '09 will receive them at packet pickup. After Aug 24, '09, riders purchasing jerseys are part of the 2^nd Jersey Production Run.  Jerseys will be mailed in mid Dec.
6. T-shirts:  Riders purchasing T-shirts will receive them at packet pick up.
7. All riders register as individuals, online or by mail, this includes tandems, teams, and clubs
8. Ultimate 100 mile 4-person Team Time Trial is optional. No additional fee. Read more here .

Lodging Alliances with The Salton Sea Century

Website

        1881 Rams Hill Rd
        PO Box 2190
        Borrego Springs, CA
        92004-2190

        800-732-9200

        Claudiab@montesoro.com

Rest and relax in a 1 to 3 bedroom home of your choice. Choose from the Casitas, Santa Rosa Homes, Santa Fe Patio Homes, or the San Felipe Custom Homes. All have pool access and beautiful mountain views. After your ride, enjoy a late afternoon meal at the private club or relax in the lounge for a cool beverage and appetizer.

Contact Claudia at 760-767-5000 ext 207 to make your reservations.

        1112 Tilting T Drive
        PO Box 981
        Borrego Springs, CA
        92004

        888-826-7734

3845 Yaqui Pass Road
Borrego Springs, CA 92004

NOTE: CLOSED FOR RENOVATION
UNTIL NOV 2008

1-888-336-9336

Click Here for special Room & Casita rate sheet for Salton Sea Century riders.

For groups of four or more, LCDZ casitas are an excellent value!

San Diego's only four-diamond desert resort located in the heart of the majestic Anza Borrego Desert. Luxury accommodations, acclaimed wining & dining, full complement of recreational activities and salon services await you in this beautiful desert oasis.

• Salon with full Spa Services: massage, body wraps, manicures & pedicures, facials
• Olympic Style Archery w/instruction & equipment
• Elegant indoor & outdoor patio dining featuring our award winning 6,000 bottle wine cellar.
• Serene waterfalls, streams and Rose Garden.
• Tennis, Ping Pong, Horse shoes, Billiards, Life Size Chess, Bocce Ball, Shuffleboard, Putting Green, Mountain Bikes and Croquet Pavilion.

405 Palm Canyon Drive
Borrego Springs, CA 92004-2421

1-800-333-5810

E njoy pre-ride warm-ups or post-ride recovery in Borrego Springs' premium desert inn .

Call 1-800-333-5810 to make reservations

Special Rider Promotion:  Stay 2 nights, get a 3rd night FREE!  Book Fri + Sat and add Thu or Sun for free.  Be sure to mention Salton Sea Century.

2255 DiGiorgio Road
PO Box 70
Borrego Springs, CA 92004

1-866-330-0003

The Springs was recently awarded Woodall's highest 5W rating, placing it in the top 3% of RV parks nationwide for both facilities and recreation!

Rental RV's available!