Strongleg's Shandon Butterfly Binge

The route resembles the outline of a butterfly, and the riders will binge on lonely, sequestered land. Take a look at a county map. The route begins in Shandon and traverses Gillis Canyon, Bitterwater Road, Davis Canyon, Cholame Valley Road, and McMillan Canyon before returning to Shandon. This is a marvelously quiet route. The terrain is 99% treeless. In this delitescent land there are possibly three or four dwellings along the rustic path. Many grand panoramas. Ideal land for hermits, recluses and rusticators. Many far blue mountains off and away. Copius amounts of liquids and food are needed for this gambit. Layer your clothing.

Larry wants to make something very clear. This is a challenging ride and (for slower riders) could be a ten hour day on the saddle. An example is appropriate here from a recent ride at Soda Lake. During that ride (which was rated as A-2) there was a lot of waiting and re-grouping, so the ride took four hours, which is 6 mph.  The Soda Lake Loop has only 500 feet of elevation gain over twenty-three miles, no climbing.  This ride is 44 miles. 44 divided by 6 is 7 hours plus. Throw in three long climbs and it will be about a nine or ten hour ride. The ride is probably more appropriate for riders able to maintain a better pace. The B-3 rating suggests riding 12 to 15 miles per hour for a four or five hour ride