Levi Leipheimer's King Ridge GranFondo facts for kids

Levi Leipheimer's King Ridge GranFondo is a big bicycle ride held every year in Sonoma County, California. It's a fun event where many people, from professional cyclists to beginners, ride together. About 7,500 riders come from all over the United States and even from other parts of the world! A former professional cyclist named Levi Leipheimer started this ride in 2009. It's a great way to enjoy cycling and the beautiful scenery of Sonoma County.

The event did not take place in 2020.

Choose Your Ride: Routes for Every Cyclist

Levi's GranFondo offers different routes. These routes have various levels of difficulty. This means there is a path for everyone, whether you are just starting or are a very experienced rider.

Easy Rides for Beginners

The shortest routes are called the Piccolino and Piccolo. The Piccolino is 22-mile (35 km) long. The Piccolo is 40-mile (64 km) long. These routes are perfect for people who ride for fun or are new to cycling.

Intermediate and Challenging Courses

The Medio course is 63 miles (101 km) long. It takes riders through beautiful vineyards. This route also includes two noticeable hills to climb. The Geysers course is 81 miles (130 km) long. It has some serious climbs. Riders on this course climb over 6,000 ft (1,800 m) in total. They also get amazing views of Sonoma County's wine area.

Longer and Toughest Challenges

In earlier years, there was a 120-mile (190 km) Gran route. This route was changed to include two long and steep climbs. These climbs are along the Stewarts Point Road. The Growler is the longest and toughest route at 139 miles (224 km). It adds more climbs through the Geysers. This brings the total climbing to almost 13,000 feet (4,000 m)! All riders, no matter their chosen path, start together. Over seven thousand cyclists begin in a large group called a peloton.

Helping Others: The GranFondo's Charity Work

Levi's GranFondo is not just about cycling. It also helps many good causes. The event gives money to groups that build stronger communities. They focus on helping young people, improving health, and supporting cycling.

Supporting Local Communities

Many different organizations have received help. These include the Sonoma County Humane Society's Forget Me Not Farm. This farm helps animals. The NorCal High School Mountain Bike League also gets support. This league helps high school students get into mountain biking. Other groups like the Livestrong Foundation and the Pablove Foundation have also benefited.

Investing in Local Needs

The GranFondo also has its own community giving program. This program donates money to local volunteer fire departments. It helps elementary schools and local parks. They even have a program to fix potholes on popular cycling roads in Sonoma County! The event also helped the City of Santa Rosa. This was to help the city host parts of the Amgen Tour of California bike race. By September 2013, the event had given over $930,000 to charities.