The Way of Planet Ultra
Planet Ultra is a state of mind, a way of life, a place to seek solace and inspiration, to take refuge, to find insight and inspiration. It is both terra firma and terra incognito, myth and mystery, muscle and mind. We live with the motto "by endurance we conquer."

The Planet Ultra Event Production Team exists and operates for the sole purpose of organizing, promoting, and producing the finest long distance bicycling events and tours anywhere. The goal of these events is to foster a healthy lifestyle and sense of camaraderie and community among motivated and adventurous bicyclists. On Planet Ultra, bicycles are both a means of transportation and a tool for self-discovery while exploring the whole panorama of roads, places, sights and sounds that this great planet has to offer.

How Planet Ultra Works
Planet Ultra events are destination events, usually in fairly remote locations far from our home base in Calabasas, California. We're not a huge club with a few hundred members to draw upon for staffing the checkpoints and running registration. When the Planet Ultra Event Production Team puts on an event, we have to do all the shopping and packing in advance and then transport everything, and everyone who is helping, to the remote location where the event takes place. This is no small or simple endeavor. So please be patient and understanding with our staff and volunteers. We're really stoked when everybody has a good attitude and especially appreciate when people pitch in and help at every single event.

Volunteers
We always need help at our events! We can only host our events with the help of loyal, trustworthy, motivated individuals running the checkpoints along the way (usually 15-20 volunteers per event). To provide a little incentive, we offer a free entry into any Planet Ultra single day event for each time you volunteer. It's a simple formula: "work one, ride one free!" So please contact us to let us know when and where you'd like to help. In addition, please tell us what type of vehicle you'll be driving, and whether or not you'll need a hotel room. For more info, click here. (Please note that riders are specifically encouraged to work an event. However, we also appreciate when riders bring along family and friends who they've recruited to help out, so we're offering a one-half ride credit to the recruiter if the volunteer doesn't want the ride credit.) Ride credits must be used within a year of the date of volunteering. To see the list of the 2002 volunteers, click here. For the 2003 volunteers list, click here. For the 2004 volunteers list, click here. For the 2005 volunteer list, click here. For the 2006 volunteers, click here. For the 2007 volunteers, click here.

The Purpose of These Events
We, the people of Planet Ultra, do declare that the point in participating in an organized century, double century, tour or ultramarathon race tour is to have as much fun and adventure as possible!

With the exception of the Hoodoo 500 bicycle race, all Planet Ultra events are specifically non-competitive. They're not races - they're top-notch athletic events. The Planet Ultra team will not listen to, comment on, or record any commentary or arguments during or after any event that relates to competition, placing, or “beating” one another. That said, riders are encouraged to report any entrants violation of the motor vehicle code or event rules, use of a personal support vehicle, or the like. It’s primarily up to the participants in the events to maintain the decorum, safety, and sense of fair-play and sportsmanship that should always and in all circumstances abound on Planet Ultra.

Although we're not racing - the majority of riders want to know how they're doing compared to others, so most Planet Ultra single day events are timed and results are posted on our website within a few days. Caveat: If riders continue to do stupid things like running lights and stop signs in order to shave a minute or two off their finishing times, we'll be forced to stop timing the events.

Come Prepared - Be Fit For Your Event
Please be in shape for the event you attend.  Riding a double, or any one of the timed climbing centuries should be a big deal to you, and taken very seriously. These challenging events require determination, commitment and significant physical training. If you cannot complete a moderately hilly century within 7-8 hours, you'll struggle finishing any double century within the time limit.  An "I can do it" attitude is a wonderful plus, but only if you've trained and are already conditioned for the particular challenge.

Start Times for Double Centuries
To accommodate timing the events, Planet Ultra double century events will usually have two start times - one at first light ("civil twilight) and one pre-dawn. (The Spring Solvang Double Century is the exception. There's one start time for riders who wish to be timed, and everyone else starts within a window of time).

Riders who require more than 14 hours to complete a double century are encouraged (but not required) to start before dawn. The early start will typically be an hour before "civil twilight" (according to the U.S. Naval Observatory).  Anyone capable of finishing a double century in under 14 hours must start at first light.* Please note: If you plan to start early, remember that the checkpoint opening and closing times are generally based on the daylight starting time and are calculated using an average speed range of 11 to 20 mph. This means that if you're a faster rider, and you leave early, you will likely get to the first checkpoint before it opens. Please plan accordingly. Finally, start times mean mass start times. If you leave at any time other than a designated start time, you will not get credit for completing the event.

At rider check-in, riders must request their start time based on their projected finishing time. In the morning we'll do a roll at each start and/or mark rider numbers to indicate the time. If you're not present for roll call, or if your number doesn't get marked, we'll assume you're not riding, and you'll be listed as DNS, meaning "did not start."

*Please folks, if you plan to finish in 14 hours or less, we expect you to start in the light. If you don't, you may wind up riding without support until the second or third checkpoint. The early start is for riders who need it - and not for those who want to rush home for dinner. At our century events, riders will always start after the sun comes up. Check the event web pages to see the particular start times for the event.

Time Limits
All events will have a fixed time limit for receiving support along the route. All riders must complete the course within the time limit to be listed as an Official Finisher and to receive Planet Ultra Grand Slam Credit and/or California Triple Crown credit. This time limit will be based on distance and difficulty, and will be calculated based on the earliest starting time.

Our "entry level" doubles, Solvang and Butterfield (under 9k climbing) have a 17 hour limit; Eastern Sierra and Solvang Autumn (10k to 11k climbing) 18 hours, and Mulholland, Heartbreak and ToTF (12k+ climbing) 19 hours. Generally speaking, the time limit for centuries is 10-12 hours. Those completing the entire course after the time limit, but who sign in at the finish line, will be listed as an unofficial finisher in the results. Anyone who fails to check in at the finish line, or does not ride every mile of the designated course, will be listed as DNF. Full results will be posted on the website shortly after each event.

Please remember: These rides are athletic events; and athletic events have standards. If there's no standard, where's the accomplishment? Where's the meaning in being an "official finisher?" What does that Planet Ultra Grand Slam, King of the Mountains or California Triple Crown jersey stand for? These things have to be earned!!! That said, at all sporting events, some folks win and some folks lose. When people fail, it gives credence to the accomplishment of those who succeed. Giving finisher credit to riders who fail to make the cut-off diminishes and demeans the accomplishment of those who do. **If you desire additional information regarding our policy on time limits, click here.**

Riding at Night
As required by law (California Vehicle Code Section 21201), all riders riding in hours of darkness must have a legal front and rear lighting system and have reflective gear on their body and/or bicycle facing in all four directions. This means a white headlight that can be seen from 300 feet and a red taillight (non-blinking) secured to the bicycle and visible from 500 feet; and riders must wear both a left and right reflective ankle band. The more reflective gear and additional lights, the better! Be visible! This is mandatory - and NOT NEGOTIABLE. We're very, very serious about safety - so please note: Riders who fail to comply with this policy will be listed as DQ in the ride results. If you think we're strict, check out the RUSA rules for riding at night  (which, by the way, we highly recommend you follow anyway).

If you forget your ankle bands, we'll likely have them for sale at rider check-in for $5 a pair. Better yet, buy them in advance here!

Riders who plan to start at in daylight, but expect to finish in the dark, may have their lights and other reflective gear delivered up the course from the start line. Please bring your lights and reflective gear to rider check in, or to the start, in a bag marked with your name. These bags will be transported to a pre-determined rest stop up the course. Riders must collect their lights when they arrive at this checkpoint, even if they won't need them. If you don't pick up your gear, it may be available at the finish line towards the end of the night. If your stuff winds up back at Planet Ultra Headquarters, we're happy to ship it back to you - after you send us a check for $20 to pay for shipping and our time. Generally speaking, we're not responsible for things left at checkpoints.

Riders who start before daylight will carry their lights throughout the ride. Please note: The extra weight of the lights on your bike makes absolutely no difference in your performance on this type of event. Really.

And speaking of carrying things, please don't ask our SAG drivers or checkpoint volunteers to carry your jackets, arm and leg warmers or other personal things back to the finish line for you. Get yourself a nice roomy bag for your bike. Click here to check out some awesome bags from our friends at Detours.

Support Provided
Checkpoints are located along the route (about 30-40 miles apart, depending on terrain) and clearly marked on the route sheet. Checkpoints opening and closing times are also noted on the route sheet. At checkpoints, riders can expect to find a variety of nutritious and caloric foods and beverages. Our typical fare includes bananas, PB&J sandwiches, Clif Bar and/or PureFit energy bars (or something similar), granola bars, fruit bars, pretzels, Sustained Energy, Hammer Gel, HEED, and various other treats.**  Plus, at one designated double century "lunch stop," we'll usually have Subway sandwiches or similar, chips, cookies and soda. No one will go hungry on Planet Ultra; but we cannot guarantee that every single person will get exactly what they want.

**Our food choices are intended to be portable, so you can eat on the bike. For optimum performance, riders need a constant source of calories - not just one pig-out while standing around a checkpoint. Generally speaking, all of our food is pre-packaged for sanitary and other health reasons. We avoid serving anything that would cause the Health Department to raise an eyebrow. Speaking of being sanitary, riders are not allowed to touch the powdered products or gels; our friendly volunteers will serve it with their clean hands. And speaking of Gel, you must have a flask to partake of the Hammer Gel; we do not provide individual packets (which always seem to wind up on the ground).

We always plan to have SAG vehicles roaming the course. Usually the support vehicles will have a floor pump and basic tools. Most likely though the driver won't be an expert mechanic - so riders should do their best to bring properly tuned, fully functional bicycles, as well as their own supplies, ability, and desire to happily make any repairs they might need along the way (just like on any other training ride). Please don't bring your fancy racing wheels to Planet Ultra events. No carbon rims or tubulars. We can't fix 'em - and they're not meant for this type of riding anyway. We've had so many riders DNF because of wheel problems. We sincerely do not want you to be another statistic.

Disclaimer: SAG means "support and gear" - not taxi service. If a rider is injured, sick, or some other emergency comes up, we'll do our best to quickly transport the rider to the finish line; but we simply cannot guarantee how long it will take. However, if the rider is just tired, or came to the event unprepared, or just doesn't want to continue, the rider should plan on having to wait a long time or spend the better part of the day in a van before they make it back to the finish line. Our SAG drivers need to be on the road helping people who are riding. It's much more fun to get there under pedal power! Riders should be tired during and after a double or hard century. So tired isn't a very good excuse for SAGing in. Tired as a rider may be, he/she will feel better the next day if they don't quit.

Finally, please remember that over a 100 or 200 mile course, it's impossible for drivers to be everywhere at all times. The SAG vehicles may not be anywhere near where you are if you decide you need a lift. Best to ride to the nearest checkpoint and let someone know you're planning on SAGing (especially at night, when it's harder to see people if they're not on their bikes pedaling). Otherwise you could be sitting on the side of the road for a very long time.

Post-Ride Meal: Please note that we generally do not (can not) provide a post-ride meal at the finish line. The ride, and the support, end at the finish line. We don' t have the resources or the manpower at our destination events to prepare dinner - and, generally speaking, our host hotels don't allow it. While many doubles are put on by local clubs, in their own backyards, with tons of volunteers, Planet Ultra is always on the road, far from home. On top of the manpower issue, we also have huge expenses those other rides don't have - like hotel rooms for our staff, and travel expenses including fuel and meals for folks who come out and pitch in so that you can do a great ride in a remote location. That said, we do our best to help you during the ride by providing a very large variety of nutritious foods, bars, Hammer products, and a great lunch on the course. When the ride is over, please support the local restaurants. The small towns appreciate the business - and it gives us brownie points for the next year when we're requesting our special event permits...

Restrooms and Portapotties
Whenever possible, we make a sincere effort to locate our checkpoints at parks, hotels, restaurants, and other locations where public restrooms are available. Sometimes we can rent a portapotty for the remote checkpoints, but other times we're simply too far from anywhere to do that.

Routing and Navigation
Planet Ultra route sheets include lots of useful information to help riders navigate the course. For example, we'll let you know if a turn is at a stop sign (SS), traffic light (TL) or T-intersection (T-int). We know that riders like to have the course marked. However, Planet Ultra events are held way far away from where we live - and we travel to the destination the day before the event to make everything happen. We can't mark the course in advance. If we have the manpower to send someone out before the riders in the morning to mark the course, we'll do our best to make that happen (unless it's illegal, or in some town that would be really upset about it, or the turn is at a place that's very obvious, like a big green highway sign). Our experience is that riders get lost whether the course is marked or not - because they're not paying attention. Fewer riders get lost when they're mindful of where they are on the route sheet. Take responsibility for navigation... because sometimes we just can't mark the course. Please understand and make navigation part of your experience.

Personal SAG Vehicles
Not allowed! If you bring one, you will be disqualified from the event without a warning. The definition of a personal SAG is any non-staff motor vehicle that is providing any type of aid, assistance, or motivation to any rider, or taking photographs, or simply out cheering. If you're bringing someone with you who wants to be out on the course helping, please have them contact us and join our volunteer staff. We can always use extra help out on the course.

Planet Ultra Grand Slam: "Four Rides / 800 Miles"
On Planet Ultra we like to encourage riders to challenge themselves and test their endurance and strength on a variety of different courses. We have a wonderfully diverse offering of events - some sort of flat, some super hilly. We'll test riders' legs on climbs, their lungs at altitude and make riders dig deep on seemingly endless climbs under the blazing sun. To recognize those hardy souls who conquer four Planet Ultra ultra events in a calendar year, we created the Planet Ultra Grand Slam. After finishing four events, riders receive a finishers award, and earn the right to wear the coveted Grand Slam jersey. It's awesome! And there's a new one every year! Click here for all the Grand Slam info.

What to Bring
Riders on Planet Ultra must come prepared for any possible mechanical failure or contingency. At the very least, all riders should carry a spare tube, tire, pump, patch kit, basic tools, water bottles, money, personal and medical identification, cell phone, money, credit card, and a good attitude.

Registration
Be sure and read all the information on our Registration Page by clicking here.

Rules for Riding on Planet Ultra, in Addition to Everything Above and All Event-Specific Rules
1) All riders must be friendly and must always display a good attitude before, during, and after the event. Please, no whining!

2) All riders must pay the event entry fee, and late fee if applicable. If your application is incomplete or doesn't include the correct fees, we'll email you and let you know so you can fix the problem.

3) All riders must sign the official event waiver without any modification before beginning any event.

4) All riders must show a valid drivers license or other official identification at rider check-in to prove that they are the person whose name is on the roster.

5) All riders must carry and/or wear the official event ID provided at check-in. If we catch you without your ID on your body or bike (if placing the number on your bike is OK based on whichever event you're riding), you will be DQ'd from the ride. Riders without ID may be refused support or checkpoint supplies. "Bandit riders" will be banned from future Planet Ultra events.

6) All riders must carry proper identification and personal emergency contact phone number at all times while cycling. We recommend the fine products from www.RoadID.com.

7) All riders must wear a properly fitted and fastened helmet at all times while cycling. No exceptions!!! You will be DQ'd without warning if you're seen riding without your helmet. No matter how hot it gets on the climbs - keep that helmet on your head!

8) All riders are responsible for knowing and obeying all laws and all relevant aspects of the California Motor Vehicle Code. Riders who break laws and/or ride unsafely will be disqualified from the event and lose Grand Slam, King of the Mountains and Triple Crown credit.

9) All riders must follow the basic rules for safe cycling: Ride to the right, single file. Stop at all stop signs and red signals. Protect and warn one another about road hazards and traffic. Don't overlap wheels. Practice safe paceline and group riding etiquette.

10) Riders may not wear headphones or use ear buds covering both ears.

11) Riders shall not urinate in public view, or within 1/4 mile of any checkpoint. At checkpoint locations, riders must use the designated toilet facilities or portable toilets.

12) All riders must carry and use legal bicycle lights and wear both a left and right reflective ankle band when cycling at night. You will be DQ'd without warning if you're seen riding without your ankle bands or without lights.

13) All century and double century riders must begin riding at one of the designated start times available for the event.

14) Riders must check in at every checkpoint, unless otherwise specified. Riders withdrawing from an event must let the event staff know of the time and place of their withdrawal. We worry about you - so please don't "go missing."

15) All Planet Ultra staff have discretion to require a rider to SAG forward if the rider is significantly behind the closing time of any given checkpoint, or for any other safety reason. If a rider refuses SAG at that time, no further support will be given. We will call the rider's emergency contact person to inform them of the rider's status and let them know that the rider is now their responsibility. The rider will be listed as DNF.

16) ABSOLUTELY NO PRIVATE SAG. Period. End of discussion.

17)  Riders agree that the Planet Ultra Route Sheets are proprietary and for the personal use of the rider while participating in the event. Riders may not reproduce Planet Ultra Route Sheets for any purpose, including, but not limited to posting on the internet, or in any other public media, club newsletter, etc.

18) All riders are expected to have read and be familiar with all Planet Ultra rules, regulations, policies and procedures.

Planet Ultra reserves the right to disqualify every rider who violates any of the above rules, or for any other safety violation or other unsportsmanlike conduct, without warning.