What is Mr. Frog’s Long bicycle ride through the Northern California Foothills really like?
We have to be honest. It’s a challenging bicycle ride.  Give yourself 6-8 hours to finish this wild ride as you burn through eight Category 5 hill climbs, one Category 4, and one Category 2.

The Northern California foothills have some gnarly hills. Cycling out of Murphys, you’ll descend into and climb out of several steep creek canyons, then steadily ascend into Sheep Ranch. The creeks will be flowing with all of this year’s Sierra snowmelt, and the wildflowers will be in full bloom. Along the way you’ll have views north into the hills and west into the California Central Valley. Yes, the road is rough in patches and alternates with freshly paved tarmac, but there are no gravel sections, and no bicycle-swallowing potholes.  

In Sheep Ranch, a historic California gold mining town, stop at the first rest stop and take a few moments to bicycle one block into the downtown and look around. Head back towards the rest stop to find the route.

After Sheep Ranch, nearly all the road is freshly paved and smooth. But that doesn’t mean the hill climbs won’t give you a work out. You’ll cycle through deep forested valleys and wind along the recovering burn scar of the Butte Fire, then ride along a ridge line that overlooks the California Central Valley. Don’t blink as you pass the historic original Mountain Ranch and the cute little town of Calaveritas.

There’s a bit of rough road on Dogtown, but it smooths out soon, and you’ll skirt the backroads of Angels Camp to ascend Murphys Grade Road and return to Murphys.

This is rural country. Few houses and fewer businesses line the roads. But we’ll have three sag wagons in case you need assistance, and the Calaveras Amateur Radio Society will be monitoring the ride.

Mr. Frogs is a fundraiser for Feeney Park in Murphys, a community resource managed and supported solely by volunteers.

Mr. Frog’s Wild Ride and Feeney Park are hopping with gratitude to Adventist Health Sonora for their donation of $1000. $500 goes to support Mr. Frog’s bicycle ride through the Northern California foothills, and $500 is earmarked in support of maintaining and supporting Feeney Park in Murphys.

Adventist Health Sonora is working in partnership with the Blue Zones Project. Their goal is to encourage community change to promote better health through outdoor recreation. Which makes sponsorship of Mr. Frog’s bicycle event a perfect fit; you’ll find information about them at the fourth rest stop and at the Feeney Park on the day of the event.

Their contribution is so very welcome. Feeney park, a community recreation resource in Murphys, California, relies entirely on the hard work of volunteers and the generous donations from the community to cover its expenses.  “It costs more than $5000 for just seed to reseed the playing fields and keep them playable," said Susan Lyneis,  Feeney Park Foundation treasurer. Countless kids have played on the fields of Feeney Park over the years, and the grass takes a beating. Adventist Health Sonora’s contribution will literally help keep the fields green.

Feeney Park Foundation thanks Adventist Health Sonora for their contribution.

If you’d like to sponsor Mr. Frog’s Wild Ride and Feeney Park, please go to
https://www.mrfrogswildride.org/be-a-sponsor.html and download a sponsorship form.