Scouting the Route in California

Over the course of this summer (2020) I scouted the XP Bikepacking Route from Echo Summit (above South Lake Tahoe) to Old Town Sacramento. That's about Mile 2072 to Mile 2203. I've broken this portion of the Route into day trips and am riding them one at a time.

In addition to pre-riding the PX Bikepacking Route, I am comparing it to an alternate route, the  2017 Centennial route. In 2017, some local dirt riders recreated a 1917 ride from Sacramento to Echo Summit. I've contacted the route organizer and have been comparing notes between their planned route (linked above) and their actual route on the ride. (You can see and their Facebook page has some good pictures from the ride.) In addition, I've been in touch with the rangers of Eldorado National Park (through which the route runs in California) to ask about alternate routes and other trail information. The result is in the Routes (planned ahead of time) and Rides (recorded in real time) below.

For most of these Routes, I have been taking the 2017 Centennial Route in one direction and the Pony Express Bikepacking Route in the other. Because I live in Davis (west of Sacramento), I'm scouting the PX Route from west to east: that is, from its western terminus in Sacramento to Echo Summit by Lake Tahoe. Once I'm finished, I'll compile an over map with comments in case that's helpful to anyone else.