Canyon Master 2008 (Cam's 31st Birthday Challenge)

What: For my 31st Birthday Challenge this year, I am planning an epic road ride in the mountains surrounding Salt Lake City.  The ride strings together the four closest canyons for a total distance of 205 km and over 14,000 feet of elevation gain.

Why: For those of you who don't know what a birthday challenge is, it is a yearly feat of physical endurance that you perform on (or around) your birthday to demonstrate your ongoing vitality (in the face of your advancing age).  The challenge is typically chosen to have some relationship with the number of years that you have been alive.   At this point you might be asking: "Come on camshaft, how does this challenge involve the number 31?".  Fair question, the simple truth is that it doesn't.  But it will be an awesome ride, and highly suitable for a birthday challenge.

When: I am planning on doing the ride a few weeks after my birthday, since at this moment my fitness is lagging a bit behind my ambitions.  The ride is tentatively planned for Saturday, June 28, departing 1337 Harrison Avenue at 7:00am.  It is expected that the ride will take 8-10 hours, wrapping up between 3:00pm and 5:00pm.

Who: I am formally extending an invitation to anyone who is willing to come join me on this ride.  Participants who would like to do a shorter ride can choose to do just part of the route.  There will not be a "no drop" policy.  We have several extra road bikes on hand here for people who would like to fly in for the occasion (61cm Bianchi Axis, 60cm Touring Bike, 56cm Giant TCR1).  Complimentary room and board is available for participants who travel to Salt Lake City for this special occasion.

Route Details

Description: The route begins at our house (1337 Harrison Ave, Salt Lake City, 84105).  It proceeds south on 2000 E, before climbing 4500 S up to Wasatch Blvd.  It then continues south, and tackles Little Cottonwood Canyon (13.4 km, 3500 feet, 7.9% average gradient, Hors Categorie) as the first major difficulty.  After descending Little Cottonwood Canyon, the route returns north along Wasatch Blvd and heads up Big Cottonwood Canyon (23.5 km, 4600 feet, 6% average gradient, Hors Categorie).  After descending Big Cottonwood Canyon, the route continues north along Wasatch Blvd and then climbs Millcreek Canyon (14.7 km, 2750 feet, 5.6% average gradient, Category 1).  After descending Millcreek Canyon, the route continues north and climbs Emigration Canyon (12.5 km, 1500 feet, 3.6% average gradient, Category 2).  After a short drop off of Emigration Canyon, the climb continues up Big Mountain (9 km, 1400 feet, 4.5% average gradient, Category 2).  Finally, the route descends Big Mountain and Emigration Canyon and finishes at 1337 Harrison Ave.  Scooter transportation will then be provided to the nearest Dairy Queen for celebratory blizzards.