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El Paso, TX to Kalispell, MT
Arrive: El Paso, TX Saturday, June 15th
12 riding days 1,928 miles 161 miles per day
The Elite Ridge of the Rockies was conceived to achieve a new elite epic route with more climbing to really test the endurance of our athletes.
The route is similar to the Ridge of the Rockies tours we have used since 1990. Each day will offer the good cycling roads and support that has made riding PAC Tour a popular cycling challenge for over 30 years.
Daily miles range from 135 to192 miles per day. Riders completing 100% of the tour will qualify for the Race Across AMerica.
This extreme bike tour is intended for the most serious riders who are looking for a very challenging ride in America. All riders must routinely ride 200 miles in 10-12 hours in training.
This Elite ROR begins in El Paso, Texas with a long but mostly flat 192 mile day. We will ride along the old El Camino Real which was the original Spanish wagon trail from Mexico to Sante Fe in the 1700's.
The second and third days continue into the mountains of northern New Mexico with several days of 155 miles and 8,000 feet of climbing. As our route bends west, we begin the climbs from Durango, Silverton, Ouray to Grand Junction, that cross four major passes in less than 250 miles.
Our route then follows the Continental Divide to the northwest heading toward Jackson, Wyoming and West Yellowstone. Along the way we will pass by the Flaming Gorge in Utah that offers great scenery but also serious climbing through the arid landscape.
Continuing across Montana our route goes through Butte and Missoula while heading north to Kalispell. Each day will have two or three major climbs seperated by long wide open valleys.
We hope all riders come in great shape so they are prepared for the long mileage days combined with the elevation changes. This will be a challengling tour for riders who are in shape. A weekly training program of 300-400 miles per week with several days over 150 miles per day for three previous months is the minimum requirement to ride the Elite Tour.
This Elite Ridge of the Rockies bicycle tour is only for the best and strongest of riders. Even the fastest riders will be tested to their limits on most days.
More informative links below:
Depart: Friday , June 28th from Kalispell, MT
Elite Ridge of the Rockies June 2019*
(Warning: This is the toughest two week tour in the world.)
This isn't your typical lemonade and cookie tour. The Elite is the most strenuous of any PAC Tour events offered this year. Riders are expected to maintain a 14 mph minimum average or stay within a 90 minute group spread per 100 miles (which ever is slowest). Riders behind this pace will be shuttled ahead until they are back on schedule.
Expected Riding Speed
- Elite Ridge of the Rockies Tour Costs*
- We must have 12 riders registered by January 1st, 2019 to run this tour!
- 10 riders $6,100
- 11-12 = $5,900
- 13-14 = $5,300
- 15-16 = $4,900
- 17-18 = $4,500
- 19-20 = $4,300
- 20-22 = $4,100
- 23 and over $4,000
- Single supplement is additional = $900
- *Price subject to change until all the motel contracts are made.
- PAC Tour Difficulty Rating
This is a new rating system to help you compare different PAC Tour events. For example: One hundred feet of vertical climbing is equal to about one mile of riding distance. We have also considered other variable such as riding in prolonged heat over 85 degrees and other geographic challenges. This rating system is not exact because the same tour from year to year will always have variations in wind, rain and other factors. We have also included the "Weirdness Factor" which can make a tour more challenging such as riding in the high elevations of Peru or the rough roads on Route 66.
Mileage + Climbing (100'=1 pt.) + (heat, wind, other challenges)
PAC Tour Difficulty Rating: 8 out of 10
Suggested riding speed 14 -18 mph including stops
Example:
250 points = 10 ranking
- Elite Tour
200 points = 8 ranking
- Northern Transcontinental
150 points = 6 ranking
- Southern Transcontinental
100 points = 4 ranking
- Desert Camp Century Week
50 points = 2 ranking
- Historic Hotels Week
No Current Payment Incentives
Rider count is taken 60 days before the start date of the tour and then final payments can be calculated and paid. PAC Tour will notify registered riders of the final costs for each tour.
PAC Tour will ship you a gear bag and water bottles - sometime before the tour (one month before at the latest)
