Quiz

[Richard Stum]

Anyone guess what the toughest sub-200km brevet or populaire in Utah is? (One with the most climbing)

RR

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[Ken Moss]

I would guess it's that one near you that climbs up and over the Wasatch Plateau and back.

[Richard Stum]

Yup...https://ridewithgps.com/routes/499570

If anyone wants to join Byron and I on this one...let me know. Though I typically do it on a weekday so there is less traffic (but even on a weekend it is MUCH quieter than the Cottonwoods). 

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[Brady Smith]

Skyline Drive Hill Climb?

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[Nick]

Hi Utah Randos,

First time caller,  long time listener.

I saw you asked what the most difficult sub 200km brevet or populaire is and I have one to submit. While it is not an official populaire, I rode it a couple of weeks ago and I still have yet to wipe the grin off my face. 

Here is the ride with GPS, it's not perfect but it's mostly precise: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/51811300

And my Ride with GPS record of the activity: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/310207538

Best,

Nick

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[Ken Moss]

Hi Nick, I've been working on designing a 100k Perm that visits Bountiful Peak and Francis Peak, but I'm not quite happy with my route yet. So stay tuned :D

[Richard Stum]

Yup. And 100% paved.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/utah-randos/CAJNxoc4vYhihOQJOkNCn%2BG3tLk5V%2BboJqtu5uf0Bk%3DaXDnwuKg%40mail.gmail.com.

[Richard Stum]

Nick,

Is that a gravel or MTB route?

~ Rando Richard

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[Richard Stum]

I just submitted this route for approval. It has slightly less climbing than the Skyline route, but less distance too (101km). It stays at elevation longer so better for hot days in the valley. It is part of the SR-600 which Ken designed "back in the day."

It is called the Scofield Sufferfest.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/52092387

[Nick]

Hi Richard,

I rode the route on my gravel bike. It is a Black Mountain Cycles
Modzero, built as a randonneur and touring bike. I generally see a
couple of people riding up Farmington Canyon and Francis Peak on
mountain bikes though. The descent is long and will rattle bike and
rider at higher speeds, so the extra give of some suspension would
certainly help keep things more under control, and mountain brakes
would help lock it down quicker too.

Honestly, I find the firebreak road BST from Bountiful to Farmington
to be the most frustrating because it is vaguely hilly, and a few
sections where the road crosses a gully that I have to push my bike.
Maybe a mountain bike would not require pushing, but it would really
depend more on the rider. Overall, it is safe to say it is 95% +
rideable. The only other section that pushes it more to a mountain
bike is coming down from North Salt Lake Ensign Peak to the Bountiful
Mueller Park BST connector, which is quite steep for a few hundred
feet. Here, drop bars and the body positioning of a gravel bike are
not ideal for the descent, but it is short.

Another challenging gravel ride that could be adapted to a century
fairly easily is Khyv Peak road between Provo River Canyon and Spanish
Fork Canyon.

Best,
Nick

> To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/utah-randos/CADS3OM99g7bSRgyLwB7WFq%3DPWhJjmU1-RiQ3MRDxXPETu6Si5A%40mail.gmail.com.

[Richard Stum]

Nick and others,

It sounds like mostly a "rough and tough" MTB route. The problem with randonneuring is that there are time restraints, otherwise one will DNF. Gravel or dirt routes are only allowed an extra 20% (I believe) which is way less than I would have expected. 

As Ken can attest, we designed some gravel routes near Heber Valley and also up near Monte Cristo. Some of them were simply "over the top" for a gravel bike with a mid-width wheel. But from what I have heard, some of the pros are now just taking hard-tail MTBs and attaching drop bars on them for fast races. 

~ RR

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[Richard Stum]

So today, Byron Welch and I rode a brand new 100km perm called Scofield Sufferfest (6,530' in 100km). RWGPS shows the average uphill grade as 15.6%. Seems high, but for comparative purposes, the Skyline Drive 153km perm has 8,300'. RWGPS shows the average uphill grade as "only" 9.1%. So the Scofield perm might be considered as the toughest 100km perm or brevet in Utah due the grade as the route has very little flat sections. The problem is that due to my age (71) and body weight (aka climbing speed), we almost timed out, with only 15 minutes to spare. Byron is a lot faster than I, but patiently stayed back at my climbing pace. In other words, I am aging out of this sport, as who wants to ride and not get credit!

~ RR

[Jen Kelly]

Great discussion—thanks for all the route links.

Richard, aging out of “the toughest 100 km in Utah” isn’t the same as aging out of the sport. After scratching from the Montana Bike Odyssey (due to lung issues which started after the Borrego Springs 24-hour TT), I’ve been rethinking what I love about endurance cycling and how to balance big goals with health.

Randonneuring’s beauty is its flexibility—it’s only a competition if you make it one. Richard, your route expertise, local knowledge, and endurance experience are priceless, and our community would miss them if you walked away. I'm willing to bet that there are plenty of less-extreme brevets and perms that can keep you riding, connected, and sharing your wisdom with the community.

~ JK

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[Ken Moss]

AKA, the "Design a 100k Too Tough For Richard Challenge v1" has failed.

Our September 20th 100k is "Bountiful Big Mountain Bash", which only has 5200' of climbing, so I suspect that route wouldn't pass the challenge either.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/51943709

BTW, I'm planning to ride the annual BCC "Big Ride" on Saturday if anybody else wants to join (not a RUSA event).

https://bccutah.org/rides/3958

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/35983014 

-Ken

[Richard Stum]

You are too kind Jen.

Have you got asthma which is bothering your lungs? I do and medicate for it. Like you, I also have ailments from Borrego Springs....neck pain (Shermer's Neck) despite taking the winter off of cycling. Although, in reality, mine started well before that race -- earlier in the brevet season. Too much time in the aerobars, which is why I am doing climbing routes when possible, but yes, I would rather do less extreme perms, but oh, that neck! 

~ RR

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[Richard Stum]

AKA, the "Design a 100k Too Tough For Richard Challenge v1" has failed.

Our September 20th 100k is "Bountiful Big Mountain Bash", which only has 5200' of climbing, so I suspect that route wouldn't pass the challenge either.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/51943709

Nice! 12.9% RWGPS average grade.

BTW, I'm planning to ride the annual BCC "Big Ride" on Saturday if anybody else wants to join (not a RUSA event).

https://bccutah.org/rides/3958

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/35983014 

Hopefully, no thunderstorms this year. I'm off to Colo and TX for family/work stuff, but was considering that BCC event.

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[Byron Welch]

Ken,

I’ll try the Big Ride with you, if I can find a tent that will fit on my bike.

Byron 

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[Taylor Geisler]

Thanks for the heads up Ken! I was planning to ride ~150 miles on Saturday as a training ride for Lotoja, so I might join you guys. I was originally planning to do your Wasatch front 300 route, minus Antelope island.

[Brady Smith]

Richard, if I'm still riding anything with 100+ feet per mile at 71 I will consider it a major accomplishment. 

I'd love to do both the Big Ride and the Big Mountain Bash but either my wife or I are out of town each of those weekends. Alas!

BMS

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[Richard Stum]

Speaking of perms, here’s a route that was on the old program, but we could have it reactivated. Almost 6000 vert, starting in foothills of Salt Lake.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/17307190

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/utah-randos/CAJNxoc5%2BK-RVfrPqvT5MJ34_AHuzMaf9avJ%2BW3E%2BGEpwPt3OfA%40mail.gmail.com.

[Martie Sahuc Nightingale]

Wow! Nice work…I’d say you’re not close to aging out! Toughest ride & those climbs?! Awesome work! 

-Martie

Martie Nightingale, CNM, DNP, DipACLM, MSCP, PMH-C

801-971-2741 (C)

“Well-behaved women seldom make history”

Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

On Aug 14, 2025, at 11:39 AM, Ken Moss <ken8...@gmail.com> wrote:

AKA, the "Design a 100k Too Tough For Richard Challenge v1" has failed.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/utah-randos/a33fcbd1-3461-4539-87c0-c373a2693860n%40googlegroups.com.