I drove down to Idyllwild with my cousin, Dom, to ride the Stagecoach 400 together for my 30th birthday. We were lucky enough to run into Brendan Collier, the original route creator, right as we were about to head out on our bikes. He gave us an updated GPX files and wished us good luck. We did the route over the course of a week, camping and lodging along the way (March 21-28, 2020). Being that this ended up on the cusp of the pandemic, we’re glad we still made it happen.
BIKEPACKING.com describes the Stagecoach 400 as “a masterpiece of stitchworked dirt doubletrack, sandy desert roads, technical singletrack, urban bike paths, and rolling tarmac. The purpose-built bikepacking route begins and ends in Idyllwild California. Albeit an endurance race loop (The Stagecoach 400 Race debuted in March, 2012), the route was created to be an epic multi-day adventure route encompassing the three distinct biomes of southern California: craggy forested mountains, spectacular and desolate desert, and the ocean, with its rich coastal canyons and urban center of San Diego.”
*Shot on GoPro Hero8 Black & GoPro MAX*
See the extended version here: https://youtu.be/4qecoZJiR24
BIKES:
Specialized Fuse 6Fattie (Carbon Frame, 27.5×3″ Tires)
Marin Pine Mountain (Steel Frame, 27.5×2.8″ Specialized Fast Traks)
LINKS:
Stagecoach 400 Route
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/32271017
MUSIC:
Stick Figure – Smiles on Faces (feat. KBong)
https://stickfigure.bandcamp.com/
Dispatch – Flying Horses
https://dispatchmusic.bandcamp.com/
CHAPTERS:
0:00 Intro
0:17 Day One
0:36 Day Two
1:45 Day Three
2:52 Day Four
4:45 Day Five
5:53 Day Six
8:09 Day Seven
9:05 Outro
#adventurecycling #bikepacking #mountainbike #mtb #mountainbiking #sandiego
11 Comments
Good times!!!!! Take me back!!!!
This is awesome! Love the footage, the music, the nostalgic feel. Thanks for sharing. I want to do this ride soon.
great video and amazing scenery and editing. Really appreciate you posting it. Hope to get me some of that route in the future.
looks like it was really nice course conditions. It hasn't been that nice when i have done the route. Going to ride this April if everything goes good. Some of the places on your video I have only road when its dark. As I watching I thought you guys were going super fast. since it was nice and sunny. until I saw your map showing days per section. Nice video.
Wow! Thats so Amazing!!! So inspiring. Thank you!!!
Hate to be that guy, but do you think this could be done on a gravel bike? Dirt LOOKS pretty compact for the most part and from some of the details i saw about the route, a nice chunk is on paved areas too. I have a hardtail if it really needs it but would be cool to get it done a little quicker since I don’t think I’d have time
wonderful trip! where is that big stone canyon near Ocotillo? love it! but can0t find it on maps, thank you
Pretty cool trip & video, one I wanna try this route but starting in San Diego instead and complete the trip back to San Diego. You should have stopped at the Rock House on Rock House Trail just above Upper Otay Lakes in Chula Vista right under Mt. Miguel. You'll get an awesome view of all of San Diego.
One thumb doesn't seem adequate…. WOW. Thanks guys.
Question: I live in San Diego. Would it make sense to start and end in there just to end with a net drop in elevation?
Missing these moments! We literally saw every biome on this ride.