Author Archives: megknobel

The 2025 Sideshow and Grand Depart were wonderfully successful. Both group starts had an eclectic mix of riders who indulged in their self-supported journey to the fullest.

The Grand Depart route returned to a 400 mile epic, with an additional twist to the route for some new scenery and a bit of added mileage and elevation. The riders started as usual out of Idyllwild, but veered over to Julian and down through the Cuyamaca mountains before reaching San Diego in a nod to the original clockwise version of the route. 

As they followed the coast northbound and turn east, the route took a less traveled cut through past Eagle Peak to return through the mountains, and then dropped into the desert on the ever recognizable path, passing through the usual haunts in the Anza Borrego Desert. 

The riders enjoyed beautiful singletrack in and out of Idyllwild that has been reopened after a decade of closure due to fire. For the first time in years, we had incredible weather, and the conditions were typical for a year with less rainfall in Southern California.

The first rider to reach Idyllwild was Zachary Morvant, but sleep deprivation, dehydration, and everything else that comes along with that got the best of him toward the end, and he ended up on a different climb off route. These things happen! He messaged me to let me know- so his finish is recorded with an * next to it.

This means the title of the first finisher of the entire route is Jocelyn De la Rosa, who came in shortly after!

Emma Missale was the next rider in, and the first woman to finish. She was stoked on the desert.

Frances Hacker was the first non-binary rider in, enjoying all the birds on the route.

Al Parks was the first singlespeeder to finish, and they loved the tailwinds dropping into the desert!

Gregory Ruben is our lantern rouge, holding it down as one of the most regular riders to complete the grand depart each year.

Thank you to everyone who came out. Look forward to a thoughtful reflection from Brendan, with some photos that he shot along the way.

Top Finishers (inc. Men):

*Zachary Morvant (first in but with deviation, got lost and took wrong dirt climb) 46:28
Jocelyn De la Rosa 46:57 (first finisher to complete entire route)
Emma Missale 49:51
Alex Shultz 52:05

Women:
Emma Missale 49:51
Sarah Didier 53:45
Hannah Simon 59:29

Non-Binary:
Frances Hacker 54:54
Al Parks 58:02

Singlespeed:
Al Parks 58:02
Eric House 59:24
Drew Raney 82:40

Proud of everyone!

Goodmorning, and happy new year!

Registration for the grand depart is live. Click here for the link and info on the Sideshow, ITTs, and the waitlist form.

Hi everyone, the 2024 Grand Depart registration link is now posted here. We have a cap as we do every year, and after that a waitlist. *waitlist is full as of 1/21*

If you’re interested in an ITT with Trackleaders on a different date not overlapping the Grand Depart, send an email to stagecoach400@gmail.com anytime.

Meg

Hey all! 2024 grand depart date is March 29th in Idyllwild. 

Registration for the grand depart will be posted in January. 

There will be a Stagecoach Sideshow going the other direction, clockwise, a week before (so on March 22) that will be *self-organized* but with the same camaraderie and shenanigans as usual, but without registration.

We have a cap as we do every year, and after that there will be a waitlist. Registration will include a donation to a good cause (will be options). 

If you’re interested in registering for an ITT on a date that doesn’t overlap with the grand depart, feel free to reach out: stagecoach400@gmail.com

This late winter storm that just passed through California left over 50″ of snow in Idyllwild, with huge amounts of snow and rain in the region. Any touring riders this month should definitely keep an eye on the weather, and check in about any reroutes or closures.

stagecoach400@gmail.com

Brendan shared these photos from Idyllwild yesterday.

And yet, the projected forecast in the desert end of next week? Almost 90 degrees!

Goodmorning all, and happy new year! If you’re interested in registering for the 2023 Grand Depart or the Stagecoach Sideshow with Brendan, the registration link is now posted here. We have a cap as we do every year, and after that a waitlist.

If you’re interested in an ITT with Trackleaders on a different date not overlapping the Grand Depart, send an email to stagecoach400@gmail.com anytime.

Meg

Hey all! 2023 grand depart date is March 24th in Idyllwild. Registration will be posted sometime the first week of January- highly recommend keeping an eye out each day for the link. We have a cap as we do every year, and after that there will be a waitlist. Registration will include a donation to a good cause (will be options). 

ALSO- excited to share that Brendan will be leading a Stagecoach Sideshow ride one week before the GD, rolling out on Friday March 17th! It will be social/fun-focused, but with long hard days and big miles, and some minor route changes (scenic additions) & highlights TBA from Brendan. If you are looking to make friends, have done stagecoach half a dozen times, aren’t really into the “racing” vibe, or maybe you can’t make the GD for whatever reason, you can register for the SC Sideshow so we can get more new faces in for either group start. It will also have a cap and separate waitlist. It will be self-paced, self-supported, and follow the same rules of the grand depart, so you’ll be an official finisher under those guidelines as well, if that matters to you. It will also be on Trackleaders.

We love when people register for an ITT, or a few people do and roll out together, as long as it’s not overlapping with our GD due to parking and other conflicts. Email me if you’d like to do an ITT:  stagecoach400@gmail.com

This all being said- the Stagecoach 400 is simply a mountain bike route. It’s not a race, and you can ride it almost year round any way you’d like. Please respect the organizer and riders and do not poach the event- this puts it at risk for a multitude of reasons. Thank you! 

Meg

Please congratulate Xavier Ernesto Chiriboga, who has set a new fastest known overall time for the #stagecoach400 route, taking two hours off the previous record, setting the bar at 37hr 21min. He completed his ride in Idyllwild at 9:21pm Saturday evening. 

He dedicates his ride to his inspiration, his daughter Manuela.

@chiriboga_xavier resides in Quito, Ecuador, where he is a cheese maker and farmer from el Sinche. When he isn’t working, he does various local adventure style racing and cycling, with his first bikepack event being the high elevation 2021 TransEcuador Bikepacking Race, using a shower curtain taped across his triangle as a frame bag, and a makeup kit bag on the top tube. He came in 1st by a full day, setting an FKT there as well. He has also won the @huairasinchi of the @arworldseries Adventure Race World Series, the Brevet across Ecuador, and the Petzl Trail Plus running race.

A few years back, Xavier met Stagecoacher @th3l0cust while he and friends were bikepacking in Ecuador, and he learned about the 400. He wanted to come take part, and prove himself. But, in order to do so, he needed help. His team, friends, and family back home helped him get to the US, and then had to borrow almost everything- bags, navigation, InReach… Hunt Cycles donated a wheelset and kit, so Xavier and Cale threw together a hardtail comprised of borrowed hand-me-down equipment and inexpensive knock off parts (including the no-brand Chinese carbon frame) 2 days before the grand depart, and he got a crash course in how to use all the technology while out on his own. 

It was his first time in a desert of any kind, and he said he loved all of the rocky descents. He said once he got through Coyote Canyon, he looked at the time, and knew he could do it, so he ran up the steep Turkey Trail switchbacks as he got closer to Anza. He showed up in Idyllwild empty, with no food or water left, full of joy. This guy is really something else. 

He took some footage during the ride as well, which you can check out on his page. He would love to do more events and races, but is genuinely in need of any sponsorships in order to do so. 

The previous course record was set by the legend Eddie O’Dea @eddieodea back in 2013, at 39hr 27min, which ended in a hallucination induced racing sprint up the mountain to the finish. No one has come even close to that time until this year. 

There must be an honorable mention for the second finisher this year, Abdullah Mustafa @theadroitman finished in a blazing fast 43hr 18min, which is the fastest time in the last 8 years, only behind Xavier’s. 

Congratulations to the 2022 grand depart top 3 men’s (and overall) finishers:

37:21 Xavier Ernesto Chiriboga @chiriboga_xavier 

43:18 Abdullah Mustafa @theadroitman 

48:47 Mateo Paez @whatswrongwithpaez_ 

Photos by @th3l0cust 

A huge congratulations to the ever so hard working Scotti Lechuga for marking a new women’s fastest time around the #stagecoach400 route during this year’s grand depart. She finished at 11:05am Sunday, for a total time of 51hr05min. She was 4th finisher overall.

She battled the rugged trails, intense desert heat, washboards, and regional unfamiliarity and prevailed.

For those who don’t know Scotti, she has had a successful cycling career with a forward trajectory deep into adventure and bikepack racing, both in pairs and solo categories. She recently won the overall (that is, out of everyone, men & women) at the @arhighcountryrace last fall, and came in second in the @fatpursuit 200k, pushing her limits on all fronts to grow in the sport.

The previous women’s course record held solid for a decade, set by Eszter Horiyani @ez_gone_coddiwompling in 2012, at 54hr 40min.

This year, Jaimie Lusk’s finish time was also faster than the previous fastest time, an outstandingly strong ride as well!

Congratulations to the 2022 grand depart top women’s finishers:

51:05 Scotti Lechuga @scottilechuga

51:40 Jaimie Lusk @jaimielusk

67:22 Meg Knobel @speedmeow