Getting There
Gibson Ranch Park is located in Elverta, north of Sacramento.
Address to use for directions: 8556 Gibson Ranch Park Rd, Elverta, CA 95626

Parking
PLEASE NOTE: Parking is $5 per car. Once you pass the guard shack, follow the signs to Picnic Area #3.

What can families do?
There is a playground close to the start/finish line. The race course is next to Gibson Lake which is stocked with catfish and trout. The park is also home to ducks, horses, geese, pigs, cows, chickens and even llamas! If hiking is your thing, the Park Loop trail makes a scenic 3-mile trek around the entire perimeter of Gibson Ranch Park, or you can hike along the 2-mile Dry Creek trail.

Click here for spectator info!

What is there to eat?
Authentic Street Taco is bringing out their food truck!


Will there be beer?
Why yes... yes there will! Enjoy fresh, local, craft beer from Bike Dog while supporting the Folsom Auburn Trail Rider Action Coalition (FATRAC). Beers are $5, or $4 if you bring your own cup!


What if I don't have a CX bike?
Amaincycling.com has you covered! They are bringing a demo fleet of Specialized Crux Expert (carbon!) cyclocross bikes out to the races this year. It's $40 for a single race, or $75 for the whole day to borrow this $4,700 bike... and you won't even have to clean it when you're done! They have sizes 52, 54, 56, & 58. Call Evan at (530) 815-4311 to reserve your bike in advance.

Course preview: https://youtu.be/mCVkJ0bCku8

Course length: 1.8 miles

Elevation gain per lap: 200 feet

Course direction: Clockwise

Bibs: On the left

Chip Placement: Please wear your RFID chip on the OUTSIDE of your sock! If your sock gets too mud-soaked it won't read.

Pre-Riding: If you would like to pre-ride the course, you may do so from 8:00 am to 9:25 am on race morning. If you arrive after that time, please queue just past the finish line as a race is finishing up. The race announcer will let you know when you may get on the course to pre-ride. Please do not ever pass someone who is currently racing! If you have any questions, we are happy to answer them at the registration tent.

Course description: The Gibson Ranch course gets a fast pavement start before diving off into grassy rolling hills. Steady climbs are met with rewarding descents and fast turns before dropping down onto the old horse racing track. Once off the track we hit up the hillside for some technical work and a drop down into the creek for a natural barrier climb out.

Register Now

The series championship will use your six best races out of the eight race series.

You will be issued a reusable RFID chip for the entire season. A $20 deposit will be added to your first race, and is fully refundable when you return the chip at the end of the season.

If you pre-register online before Thursday, December 12 at 11:59 pm you will register for a "Race Credit" that is good at any race of the season - no transfer fees. The more credits you buy at one time, the more you save. When you buy "Race Credits" you do not need to tell us in advance which race(s) you will come to; just go to registration on race day and we'll use a credit when you get your race packet.

If you wait until Friday or Saturday, it increases to the late registration price, and your registration is only good for that specific race. Please note that you MUST register online before your first race of the season (even if you want to pay by cash or check). We will have computers available on-site, but we highly recommend you fill out your information online in advance and save yourself the hassle of squinting at a little computer screen in the bright sunlight!

If you lose your bib number and/or RFID chip, it is a $5 replacement fee (plus an additional $20 chip deposit). Race credits expire at the end of the season, and are not transferable to another racer. No refunds.

Do you want to watch your friends pedal in large circles over grass and gravel, through sand and mud? What if we make them run up a flight of stairs while carrying their bike? Or dismount to hop over wooden barriers or some other seemingly-unnecessary-but-intentionally-placed object? While you (encouragingly) taunt them from the sidelines, drinking a beer and incessantly ringing a cowbell?

Welcome to cyclocross.
Mountain biking meets criterium racing meets an obstacle course in this spectator-friendly form of bike racing. Racing takes place on a mostly off-road, short course featuring grass, dirt, mud, gravel, sand, and sometimes pavement with obstacles thrown into the mix that force a rider to dismount and carry their bike. Racers do multiple laps of the course for a set amount of time, usually 30-60 minutes. Cyclocross is a fall/winter sport, so expect cold, wet weather (but that’s part of the fun).

Where’s the best place to watch?
Because we change venues for each race, the courses and best spots to watch change too. Courses are usually less than 2 miles and wind around a central location, so look for a spot along the course with an interesting feature (i.e. sandpit, barriers, staircase, mud) and post up.

What should I bring/wear?
A cowbell.
Beer.
Friends.
More cowbell.
Hot chocolate.
Coffee.
Snacks for you, handups for racers (see next section).
Wear warm layers, and something waterproof if it’s raining.

Handups
Handups are a time-honored cyclocross tradition, and a fun way for spectators to be a part of the race. How it works: hold out an item (a dollar bill, small cup of beer, bacon, red vine, donut hole…you get the idea) at a random place along the course, and racers can choose to grab them as they go by.

Where should I park?
Please follow the same directions & parking instructions available for racers on our website (click here).

Can I bring my dog?
Yes! We love seeing four-legged furry friends at our races. Please be respectful of racers and other spectators by keeping your dog on a leash at all times.

What is there for families to do?
There is a playground close to the start/finish line. The race course is next to Gibson Lake which is stocked with catfish and trout. The park is also home to ducks, horses, geese, pigs, cows, chickens and even llamas! If hiking is your thing, the Park Loop trail makes a scenic 3-mile trek around the entire perimeter of Gibson Ranch Park, or you can hike along the 2-mile Dry Creek trail.