Tips for Riding the Metric Century

Bicycling the Metric Century in Northern California’s Calaveras County


If you’re contemplating the 70-mile Metric Century on Northern California’s popular spring bicycle event, Ride & Walk 4 Art, here are some things you should know about riding the route in Calaveras County.


First of all, your number one priority should be to finish your bicycle ride in time to enjoy lunch. We’re planning a California barbecue with chicken-in-a-barrel, beans, salad and refreshments. We stop serving at 3 p.m.


The average bicyclist speed is about 10 miles per hour. We’re in the California Foothills, and the Metric Century features some stiff hill climbs. An early start is best; we recommend starting by 7:30 a.m. It might be a bit cold but, if all goes as hoped, weather wise, you will warm up, especially climbing Paloma and Stoney Creek Roads.


The Three Lakes and Six Hill Climbs are 70 miles of rolling California Foothills. There are two steep out-and-back hill climbs, one on Paloma Road and the other on Stoney Creek Roads. Paloma Road will take you about an hour to cycle, and Stoney Creek will take between 75 and 90 minutes.


The rest of the ride is flat or rolling with a few short hill climbs. You can fuel up at two rest stops before riding back to Valley Springs and LUNCH!


Hopefully, you won’t run into any trouble. But just in case, Ride & Walk 4 Art is monitored by an experienced road safety team, several support vehicles, radio communications on the entire route, and two Ride Ambassadors who will be riding the route. Bicycling in Northern California has never been safer!