Davis Bike Club's: GOLD RUSH RANDONNEE September 3 - 6, 2025
Q: How can I contact the ride organizer?
A: If you have questions that are not answered here or elsewhere on the website, please email your inquiries to: rba@davisbikeclub.org.
Q: I plan to ride just during the day. Do I still need lights?
A: Front and rear lights must be mounted permanently on the bike at all times. Please read the section below on Required Equipment.
Q: Will there be a bike check before the ride?
A: Yes. Your bike and safety equipment will be inspected concurrent with registration, on September 2, 2025, between noon & 4 p.m., followed by a mandatory riders meeting from 4pm to 5pm at the Days Inn, Davis. Riders will be allowed to start only if their brevet cards are stamped indicating they met the equipment requirements and attended the riders meeting. See the section on Bike Check.
Q: I want to attempt a personal best time. Can I ride straight through?
A: Yes, but the Gold Rush is a ride that emphasizes group riding, especially given that it is so remote. Our volunteer support is limited and we cannot always provide support for all riders that are ahead of the masses, but we will do our best. Keep in mind that there will be minimal services for very long distances, especially in the middle of the night. A lot of the towns we ride through close early, and you may have a hard time finding food, water, or even shelter if the weather turns bleak.
Q: I plan on riding straight through and will not be using the support as the rest of the riders. Why don’t I get a discount?
A: All brevets and especially 1200km rides, are very changeable, dynamic events, and the best developed plans often change due to circumstances beyond expectations. We want all riders to be successful, and that means that we provide the best support that we can. We will do our best, but unfortunately we don’t have enough volunteers to support each and every rider with custom support.
Q: What happens if I abandon?
A: Because GRR goes through large unpopulated areas with poor cellular coverage, we will have on course rider monitoring. If you decide to abandon, you should first get in touch with the RBA, and then get yourself to an overnight control or some place safe. If you are unable to make it to an overnight control, you should make every effort to get to the next established control where you can get in touch with the RBA. If you have cell phone coverage, you should call in to Event HQ to alert us of your status, so that we can work to get you picked up. You will be asked to surrender your brevet card.
There *may* be volunteers at overnight controls heading back to Davis that *may* be able to provide some limited transportation to riders who abandon back to Davis, but riders should not rely on that. We are not responsible to get you back to Davis - we will make every effort to assist you in reaching Quincy, and from there, help you work out a plan.
Q: How many drop bags can I have?
A: You will be allowed ONE drop bag for the event. See the section on Drop Bags.
Q: What do I do with my Bike Box & luggage while I'm riding?
A: Right now, we're working with the Host Hotel to secure a room for your luggage and bike boxes. Stay tuned.
Q: Will there be a Finisher's Medal?
YES! Stay tuned as we're working on those details. We'll have some jerseys for sale at the start.
A photo gallery and some writing about the past Gold Rush events can be found here. Thank you Deb Ford for the snaps!