Challenge Rides
Grizzlies, we've created Challenge Rides, a series of fun rides you can complete over a calendar month, at your convenience, with your family or friends group or on your own. These are non-competitive with the intention to simply achieve the completion of the series on your own schedule.
Epic Climbs
We've identified 50 Epic Climbs in the Bay Area! See this spreadsheet for more details. Each month, we post a number of Epic Climbs Challenge Rides, which is a route we’ve designed that features one or two of the 50 Epic Climbs. We hope that these Epic Climbs Challenge Rides will guide Grizzlies through all 50 Epic Climbs. By the end of 2021, all 50 climbs will be covered in a Challenge Ride. Of course, Grizzlies can do these 50 Epic Climbs in any order or through any route that they want.
Landmarks
Sometimes, we offer Challenge Rides that aren't about climbing but instead focus on landmarks. These Challenge Rides are not posted every month, so keep an eye out. In the past, we have ridden the six bike-accessible Bay Area bridges, scoped out historical plaques in East Bay Regional Parks, visited various points along the Bay Trail, and explored Alameda County landmarks.
Do you have suggestions for Scavenger Hunt or Landmarks-type ride? Send them to our Challenge Rides team.
Prizes
As an added incentive, we are offering a new GPC Climbers Jersey. The design of the new jersey is in progress but will be based upon the Matt McHugh jersey design. Grizzlies who complete 30 of the 50 Epic Climbs by the end of 2021 will earn the right to purchase this beautiful and unique jersey.
Grizzlies completing 30, 40, and 50 Epic Climbs will earn custom patches (design also TBD).
Epic Climbs completed in November 2020, our pilot month, count toward the Epic Climbs goal.
Each month, there’s a raffle prize for Grizzlies who complete the minimum number of that month’s Epic Climbs Challenge Ride. In months when there is a Landmarks Challenge Ride, there is a separate raffle prize for Grizzlies who complete that. Check the Ride Schedule for details on the current month's Challenge Rides.
How It Works
This is exclusively for GPC members (for insurance and any raffle prizes).
- Pre-register for the ride on the Ride Schedule and accept the electronic waiver if you are doing a Challenge Ride. If you are doing an Epic Climb unrelated to the current month’s Challenge Rides, there is no need to pre-register.
- Record your ride for verification of achievement. If you are doing a Challenge Ride, recording the ride will ensure you are covered by our club insurance.* Free apps you can use to record your ride include RideWithGPS and Strava.
- Share your ride on the GPC Strava club or by emailing a link to the activity to our Challenge Rides team.
*Please note GPC can provide the same medical coverage for the Challenge Rides as if you were on a standard club group ride. Recording of the ride assures verification of riding the mapped route. When riding off the predetermined route, coverage is not included just like a club ride (e.g., like riding from home to the meeting location).