If you've never done a double century before, this is probably one of the better ones to start with, and it qualifies for the California Triple Crown (www.caltriplecrown.com). Do this one and the local Davis and Knoxville doubles and you've made the triple crown!

The Hemet Double has less climbing than other doubles, "soft" time limits (if you're still pedaling, they'll keep the lights on for you!) and they're very supportive (unlike the doubles down there that are run by Planet Ultra!). The Hemet Double century is a giant figure eight type route composed of two 100-mile loops (centuries). The start/finish and lunch are at the center of the figure eight at MOTEL 6. The 100-mile option is available for either loop. However, the first loop is a Great Beginners Century. The first loop has 3000 feet of total accumulated elevation gain spread over the entire 105-mile loop. The second loop has about 4700 feet of total accumulated elevation gain, in which 1300 feet of climbing occurs in the first 13 miles of the 105 mile loop.

The double century has a eighteen-hour soft time limit. The double century riders can start between 4:00 AM and 6:00 AM. The double century closes at 10:00 PM. No double century rider is allowed to attempt or start the second loop after 2:30 PM.

Single Century riders can start the first loop between 4:00 AM and 7:00 AM or they can start the second loop between 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM.

The hosting hotel is the Hemet Motel 6 which offers a $55.99 + tax single rate if you reserve directly and mention that you're doing the double (Phone: [masked], Fax: [masked] ). There are nicer and not much more expensive hotels nearby. The nice thing about this double is that it returns to the hotel area at the 100-mile midpoint/lunch so that you can freshen up, die, whatever . . . in your room between the two century loops. Lunch has historically been a pretty good Bar-B-Que.

Registration is by MAIL (link to application is on web site below) and costs $60.00 if post marked by Saturday, April 3, 2010. A $10.00 late fee is added to Reg Fee after April 3, 2010 and on event day.

More info at: www.inlandempirecycling.com/HemetDC

or e-mail/call me [masked])

NOTE: Ignore last years date on the logo pictured above; this year it's back to early in the year on April 17, 2010.