# Solvang ride recommendations please!



## N2GLOCK (Jun 25, 2004)

The little lady would like a change of scenery and I was thinking of maybe taking her to ride in Solvang this Sunday. Basically I am looking for a nice 30-40 mile loop for us to do on our road bikes. Light traffic and light hill climbs. She's still in the beginner stages. Any recommendations would be helpful.


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## Retro Grouch (Apr 30, 2002)

*My Suggestion*

I live in Lompoc, and would recommend a loop from Solvang to Lompoc (see map). You could leave Solvang and ride on Highway 246 about three miles before reaching Buellton. At the intersection of Avenue of the Flags and Highway 246, take a left, this will take you to Santa Rosa Road. There a few short hill, but nothing too bad. Also, there is Santa Rosa Park if you need to take a nature break and rest a little. When you reach Lompoc you could head back on Highway 246 or ride into Lompoc and grab a bite. The 246 has traffic, but the shoulders are wide and CHP travels this route a lot keeping the speeders in check. I suggest this clockwise route because the on winds may pick up, but it should be at your back as you ride back to Solvang.

A more complete bike map of the county is here:
http://www.trafficsolutions.info/bikemap.htm


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## N2GLOCK (Jun 25, 2004)

Thanx for the info. Unfortunately the little lady was not feeling well and we weren't able to make it today. Maybe we'll go next weekend.


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## omniviper (Sep 18, 2004)

uhhh solvang for a beginner? man, when i went there for the cycling camp, they went climbing like crazy. tons of rollers and lots of steep hills there. that place gives me nightmares... partially because im a year noob still.... good luck! palce is beautiful tjhough


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## Tumbleweed (Jun 6, 2005)

*Lompoc Loop*

I second the loop Retro Grouch presents but would do it in reverse. 246 to Lompoc for the morning and Santa Rosa Rd. for the return in the afternoon as there are some shaded areas. If able to get an early start, stop by the La Purisima Mission in Lompoc. Truly the most complete in the chain. On the return to Solvang, if into wines, Sanford is a worthy stop on Santa Rosa. So bring a small backpack.


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## N2GLOCK (Jun 25, 2004)

Thanks for the recommendation, the area is really nice. We totally needed a change of scenery. We got a late start as we accidentally slept in a bit. I'd say that we got into Solvang at around 10:30 and by the time we decided where we were going to park, unloaded the bikes and hit the road is was probably close to like 11:00 We rode down hwy. 246 to Ave. of Flags and hung a left, then we rode down to and made a right at Santa Rosa Rd. We rode on Santa Rosa until the hill that is just before the entrance to that park. Unfortunately riding against the wind the entire time took a bit of a toll on the Little Princess and also her tire going flat kinda put a damper on things. So since we got a late start, we just decided to head back to the truck and drive the road so we'd know what to expect on our next visit. I was surprised to see that from where the point that we parked up to Hwy.1 and Hwy.246 is 22 miles.....For some reason I expected it to be somewhere around 12-15. Anyways, driving around Lompoc I noticed one thing, that there are no places to eat at that offer any kind of bicycle parking. As a matter of fact, there aren't many places to eat at all. Maybe I overlooked some, any places that you can recommend would be great. I guess maybe next time we can always get Hot Dogs from the cart at the entrance to Home Depot. We drove back to Solvang and had a late lunch there. BTW, on Labor Day Solvang is very busy, and the drive back on the 101 back into the valley is double.


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## SYV RIDER (Dec 23, 2005)

Sorry I didn't see this b4 your ride, as I could have pointed you in a better direction (literally). Theres lots of great riding around the SY Valley, but as you found out the hard way, headwinds can ruin a good ride. The winds in the spring and fall can be a significant force in the afternoons, especially riding towards Lompoc as they are significantly stronger the further west you go. Next time try riding into the "heart" of the valley out east towards Happy Canyon. There's plently of long straight county roads, some good wineries for rest & food, and the views are significantly better than Santa Rosa rd. There can be headwinds on the way back into town, but the best bet is to ride early (before noon) to avoid the strongest winds. Also, downtown Santa Ynez has a great place for lunch called the Vineyard House (who's owner, Jim, is an avid cyclist too) and has more of a local feel than Solvang. Frankly, I don't get the attraction to Solvang, unless you're into useless knick-knacks, and the stupid "Dutch-Disneyland" feel of it all. If you want a good tourist place in the Valley try stopping by Los Olivios. Its just 5 minutes north of Santa Ynez off hwy 154, and has lots of cafes and art studios. Better yet, next time stop or call the guys at Santa Barbara Wine County Cycling Tours(www.winecountrycycling.com) in downtown Santa Ynez. These guys (Corey and Tim) can setup with a full day of cycling with support and catered lunch, or sell you a map and point you in the right direction. But for first timers I reccommend the guided tours they offer, as the Valley is a great place to ride, but the heat, headwinds, and hills can destroy your weekend if you don't know when and where to ride.


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## N2GLOCK (Jun 25, 2004)

You are totally right about Solvang, I don't understand what the big deal is about that place. Seems like all the stores carry the same things over and over. It's either knick-knacks or bland Danish pastries. Anyways, I'm still grateful to RetroGrouch for the suggestions, we had a geat time. The change of scenery was a welcome change. It was great compared to the traffic filled streets of the valley and crowded bike paths at the beach. I will definitely look into riding in Santa Ynez....maybe we'll give it a try this weekend.I'll check out the wine country cycling site too.


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