The Eager Bovine Shakeout Ride & Social p/b ENVE

Thursday, Oct 22, 2026
Firestone Walker Taproom
1400 Ramada Dr, Paso Robles, CA 93446‍

• ‍1:15 PM ‍- Check in and sign waivers (yes, the lawyers make us)‍
• 2:00 PM - Group rollout (we promise to keep it chill)
• 4:00 - 6:00 PM - Post-ride hangout and socializing (the real magic happens here)

IMPORTANT: You must RSVP to join this ride. No seriously, we need headcounts for snacks and safety. Don't be that person who shows up unannounced and sad.

>> Learn more & sign up here <<‍

Shakeout Ride & Festival

Friday, Oct 23, 2026
Atascadero’s Sunken Gardens (AMSTRDM Coffee at Palma/West Mall)
‍6505 El Camino Real, Atascadero, CA 93422

PRE RIDE & FESTIVAL WHATNOTS

• ‍10:00 AM - Ride check in and sign waivers (getting the paperwork out of the way)‍
• 11:00 AM - Group rollout (low miles, easy pace)
• 1:00 PM - Registration opens
• 3:30 PM - Meet Lance Haidet at the SRAM/Zipp Booth for a tech talk!
• 4:00 PM - Rider meeting at The Main Stage
• ‍4:30 PM - Meet Lance Haidet at the SRAM/Zipp Booth for a tech talk!

• 6:00 PM - Registration closes

MEET LANCE HAIDET at THE SRAM/ZIPP BOOTH

Join Lance Haidet, professional cyclist and SRAM Design Engineer, for a special "Ask Me Anything" session at the SRAM/Zipp booth on Friday at 3:30 PM, and again immediately following the 4:00 PM course talk. Fresh off his incredible FKT effort linking the legendary Badwater Ultramarathon course to the summit of Mt. Whitney, Lance will share stories from the ride, insights from life as a professional athlete, and a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to develop SRAM's next generation of drivetrain technology. Whether you're interested in ultra-endurance adventures, racing, or the design process behind your favorite components, stop by, ask questions, and talk bikes with one of the sport's most accomplished athlete-engineers.

PRE RIDE & ENVE COMPOSITES Bike Demo

This is a chill social ride around the lesser seen roads of Atascadero. It’s not on the official course and has only a bit of dirt. If you want to see the course, we suggest you head to Templeton where you can easily check out Santa Rita Rd and Moss Lane.

IMPORTANT: You must RSVP to join this ride. No seriously, we need headcounts for snacks and safety. Don't be that person who shows up unannounced and sad.

>> Learn More & Sign up here <<‍

Packet Pick-Up & Partner Expo
Atascadero’s Sunken Gardens

Sunken Gardens turns into Bovine HQ. Grab your race packet, chat with our amazing partners, and soak up those pre-race vibes. The Bay Area’s own Mike’s Bikes will be on hand with some light technical support. 

‍The Official Stuff: Every rider must check in to collect your racer packet before Saturday's start line. We've got two chances for you:

1. Friday Expo: 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM (recommended – way more chill)
2. Saturday Morning: 6:45 AM  (for thems that love to MOOsey)

BRING YOUR ID – no ID, no packet, no ride. Don't be that person standing at our table Saturday morning looking sad and ID-less.

Atascadero Parking

Whenever possible, we encourage you to carpool or ride over to Sunken Gardens. Here’s a GOOGLE MAP with parking options that are very near the venue

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Saturday is giddyup time at Bovine 5.0. This is what we've all been training for (or pretending to train for). Time to put those fancy tire choices and heifer haunches to the test.

MOOrning Schedule

• 6:45 AM - 7:45 AM - Last-chance packet pick-up and registration (for the procrastinators)
• 6:45 AM - 7:45 AM - Bag drop station opens. Stash your post-ride gear, recovery drinks, car keys, and that change of clothes you'll desperately want later. Your bag MUST have your rider number on it – unmarked bags will become festival decorations.
• 7:30 AM - Rider line-up by course (Big Bovines to the front, please)
• 7:40 AM - Briefing (the "try not to get lost" talk)
• 8:00 AM - Mass start (and the hoofbeats begin!)

Afternoon Schedule

• 12:00 PM - Festival opens (welcome back, dusty heroes!)
• 12:00 PM - Slick Chain bike wash tent opens (first-come, first-served wipe downs)
• 12:30 PM - Food service begins with La Parilla & Linn's Bakery of Cambria (your legs have earned this)
• 1:00 PM - Live music with The Soda Crackers
• 4:15 PM - Awards ceremony (time to celebrate those who suffered most beautifully)
• 5:00 PM - Hang out, chat, laugh, drink, chill.
• 6:00 PM - Party ends. As the bartender says, "You don't have to go home, but ya just can't drink here."

Atascadero Parking

A-Town’s downtown district has gone through a rebirth since last year. We’ve added new parking. Whenever possible, we still encourage you to carpool or ride over to Sunken Gardens. 

Here’s a GOOGLE MAP with parking options that are very near the venue

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What's The Happs On Sunday?

We're glad you asked! Want to get a bit more dust on your hooves before heading home? Our friends from ENVE COMPOSITES & SLO GRVL are hosting the EMOOtional Hangover Ride.

>> Learn More & Sign up here <<

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The Bovine Classic uses segment-based scoring, which means your glory isn't measured by how quickly you finish, but rather how MOOnificently you suffered through specific chunks of the route. This format lets you regroup with your fellow bovines between the gnarly bits—perfect for patching up those friendships you just torched by attacking your buddy on a climb. Cowmunity over competition, remember? 

You must finish the entire course to qualify for the podium. Crush the segments but cut the course? Sorry.

The Bovine Classic utilizes RFID technology

Our scoring wizards use fancy RFID timing hardware that's pretty darn reliable. But some of y'all have a special talent for finding creative ways to break things. Here's your guide to not being that rider:

Your bib number (It’s how we know you’re you.) Slap this number on your jersey or hydration pack where everyone can see it. Those two little tabs? One gets you beer, the other gets you food. Leave them attached until you're done riding–trust us, you don't want to be the hangry heifer watching others feast while you negotiate with volunteers.

Handlebar numbers? Nah, not here! We've gone rogue and ditched the handlebar plate. One less thing to worry about, you're welcome.

Your seatpost number (Follow the directions or suffer the sadness.)

This little RFID miracle is what captures your segment heroics. It's a sensitive piece of tech that broadcasts your presence to our timing equipment, but only if you treat it with respect. Bend it, fold it, or stuff it in your jersey pocket, and you might as well be invisible to our timing system.

Follow the application instructions like your podium spot depends on it–because it might. Nobody wants to be arguing about their "actual" time at the beer tent.

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We don't have mandatory checkpoints. We do have shared roads.

Look, we'd love to shut down half of wine country for your gravel adventure, but … it’s just not in the cards. So here's the deal: we'll keep the course well-marked with frequent and consistent signage, but these roads aren't closed to traffic.

Grape Harvest Season = Extra Busy Roads October means harvest time, which means we're sharing the roads with local farmers doing actual work and wine tourists doing... well, wine tourist things. Both groups have legitimate reasons to be there, and neither group signed up to dodge cyclists flying down hills.

All Traffic Laws Apply Every stop sign, every traffic signal, every "Yield to Tractors" sign – they all apply to you. We know you're racing against the clock, but nobody's Strava segment is worth a trip to the ER (or worse).

Safety Support on Course We'll have San Luis Obispo Sheriff Search & Rescue (SLOSAR) and CHP on hand to keep you safe. When they give you direction, listen up and obey. They're the pros at this.

Highway 46: Extra Special Attention Required This is our most critical safety point. Feisty Bovine riders will cross and turn left at mile 39.3, Big Bovine at mile 52.6. We've routed you this way to access the Land Conservancy's private ranch (totally worth it, trust us). But Highway 46 is busy, fast, and unforgiving. Be cool and cautious AF when crossing.

Bottom Line: Ride smart, stay alert, and remember that getting home safely is way more important than any podium spot.

Time Cuts (When the cowbell tolls for thee)

We only have one time cut-off this year.

Big Bovine Time Cut #1 10:15 AM at mile 21
Miss this and you'll be redirected to the Feisty Bovine course. Don't worry, it's still plenty spicy.

Remember: These cutoffs aren't punishments – they're designed to keep everyone safe and ensure you make it to the post-ride festivities before the beer runs out.

Feed Zones  (Where Hungry Bovines Get Happy. )

We've strategically placed aid stations along the routes to keep you fueled and hydrated. Unlike actual cows with their four-stomach advantage, you're stuck with just one – so we'll help you keep it happy. Because bonking is neither fun nor photogenic.

AID STATIONS The good stuff: food, drinks, mechanical support, and encouragement:

Aid Station 1 - Maha Estate/Villa Creek Winery
Mile 20.1 (All routes)
Mini sandwiches, assorted fruits, chips, nuts, bars, GU products, Skratch Labs drink mix, water, light mechanical support

Aid Station 2 - Cypress Mountain
Mile 41 (Big Bovine only)
Assorted fruits, chips, nuts, bars, GU products, Skratch Labs drink mix, water

Aid Station 3 - SRAM Oasis at The Ranch
Mile 51.7 (Big Bovine) / Mile 35.8 (Feisty Bovine)
Assorted fruits, chips, nuts, bars, GU products, Skratch Labs drink mix, water

Aid Station 4 - Santa Rita Road (WATER ONLY)
Mile 63.3 (Big Bovine) / Mile 47 (Feisty Bovine) | Water only

Aid Station 7 - Templeton Library
Mile 72.2 (Big Bovine) / Mile 56.4 (Feisty Bovine) / Mile 38 (Happy Bovine)
Assorted fruits, chips, nuts, bars, GU products, Skratch Labs drink mix, water

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Pro Tip: Don't skip the early aid stations just because you feel fine. Future You will thank Present You for staying ahead of the bonk.

When you're done, visit Kevin and his team at the Slick Chain booth. He's got everything you need to give your dusty steed a waterless wipe down!

The Gear To Moove You

Let’s dispel any of that 2 AM wondering if your tire choice will make or break your Bovine experience. Let's put those anxious thoughts to rest with some real-world advice from folks who've actually ridden these routes.

Gearing: The Great Debate The SRAM mullet setup has been my trusty companion on Bovine courses, and it hasn't let me down yet. Sure, you might spin out a bit on the descents (we're talking to you, Chimney Rock Road), but when you hit Paso's punchy climbs and those deceptively brutal rollers, you'll be grateful for every easy gear you've got. The Big Bovine is 88 miles of character building – your legs will thank you later.

Tires: The Rubber Meets the Road (and Dirt) Happy Bovine riders can cruise confidently on 38c-42c tires like the Specialized Pathfinder front and rear. They'll roll fast on both our tarmac sections and dirt roads without making you work harder than necessary.

For the gnarlier stuff, I've been running a 42c Specialized Rhombus up front with a 42c Pathfinder in the rear. Those Rhombus knobs really shine on the steeper pitches you'll encounter on Cypress Mountain and inside the Land Conservancy Ranch – places where smooth tires might leave you walking instead of riding.

Bottom Line: Don't overthink it. Ride what you've got, trust your setup, and remember that the best bike is the one that gets you to the finish line with a smile.

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1. This ain't a race. It's a fun ride with timed segments. Think of it as strategic suffering with friends. Podiums are only awarded for overall SEGMENT times, not who gets to the beer tent first.
   
   
2. FULLY stop at stop signs and lights unless you're flagged through by our volunteers. Heck, obey all traffic signage like the responsible bovine you are. Rolling stops are for pastry dough, not cyclists.
   
   
3. Never cross the centerline – even if it's invisible or you think you're alone. There's always oncoming traffic: cars, feet, bikes, and the occasional confused wine tourist.
   
   
4. Keep it skinny and share the road. Let cars pass when safe. We're guests in wine country, not the main attraction.
   
   
5. Course markings are gospel. "Neutral," "Slow Down," and "Steep Descent" really do mean keep it chill. Our volunteers aren't just making suggestions – they're keeping you alive.
   
   
6. Leave no trace. Pick up your gel wrappers, energy bar debris, and anything else that falls from your jersey pockets. Fun fact: GU has an awesome gel wrapper recycling program, so save those empties!
   
   
7. Cutoff times are for everyone's safety – including getting our amazing volunteers home before dark. Nobody wants to be searching for lost bovines with flashlights.
   
   
8. Skip the headphones. We want you fully aware of cars, other riders, course directions, and wildlife warnings. Your podcast can wait.
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9. ‍Wildlife PSA: Those stags are as frisky as hormonal teens. In their quest for romantic adventures, they're known to leap in front of moving objects. Also, beware the kamikaze ground squirrels – they're complete nut jobs and have zero survival instincts.

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BE AWESOME (AND KIND) We're all in this herd together, so look out for one another. Treat fellow riders, aid station hosts, volunteers, drivers, wine tourists, locals, and staff like the good humans they are. Courtesy always wins the day. (Pro tip: Be sure to moo at any actual cows you pass – they totally dig the acknowledgment.)

BE SAFE These roads belong to everyone — visitors, locals, farmers hauling grapes, and that one tourist who's definitely lost. Follow traffic rules, make smart decisions, and remember that getting back to the corral safely beats any Strava segment. The centerline rule isn't a suggestion – it's physics and it's serious.

BE PREPARED We'll have support scattered across the course, but Murphy's Law says we won't be exactly where you need us when you need us. Pack your own nutrition, tools, tubes, course downloads, plugs, working phone, and whatever else keeps you rolling. Self-sufficiency is sexy.

BE RESPECTFUL You're riding through someone's backyard — literally. Be cool to drivers even when they're not cool to you. When riding through private vineyards, respect any pace restrictions. This access is a rare privilege that can disappear faster than free beer. Trash goes in proper bins, not in the landscape. A genuine "thank you" to our volunteers goes further than you think.

BE AWARE It's easy to get tunnel vision when you're redlining up a climb or bombing a descent. But zoning out leads to bad decisions. Stay tuned in, follow the rules, yield to faster riders and cars, and never ignore stop signs. Your Garmin data isn't worth becoming a cautionary tale.