# Santa Ynez Valley Ride



## SYV RIDER (Dec 23, 2005)

For anyone who is interested me and a few riding buddies are planning on a very long end of the summer ride through the Santa Ynez Valley.

Details are a bit loose but this is what we have planned so far. From Solvang ride out to Jalama Beach, back to hwy 246 and up Drum Canyon into Los Alamos, down hwy 101 (via the frontage road) up Alisos Canyon Road which connects to Foxen Canyon road and drops you into Los Olivios, from there head east out Happy Canyon and up and over the backside of Mount Figueroa, back thru Los Olivios and down the starting spot in Solvang. 

I estimate it to be around 135 miles (+/- 10 miles) and approximately 7,500 feet of total climbing. This is not a race, or an "organized" ride, the pace will be set by those who show up. With plenty of headwinds, hot weather, and long climbs the more people who show up and stick together the better. Also, there will be no sag wagons, or pre set aid stations, but there will be places to stop along the way to get food and water. 

We don't have a date set yet, but are thinking mid to late September. I'll post again as we firm things up.

So who's interested?


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## OrbeaXLR8R (Jun 2, 2003)

A reeeeal early start out of Solvang would do a lot to solve the headwind situation as I'm sure you know. I've been up the front side of Figueroa a few times, but never climbed or descended the back side. I hear it's very sketchy...coming after 100 plus miles, I guess climbing that side would be less torturous on the body than riding down it! Definitely sounds like a good ride...I'll give it some thought.


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## Niwot (Jul 16, 2004)

Sounds like fun. If you want to ride many of the same roads in an organized ride, only in October when the weather is cooler, check out the People Powered Ride put on by GVCC, start/finish at Firestone Meadow near the Firestone tasting room. Here is the website for the ride: http://www.goletabike.org/ppr-info.html

... and here's the route sheet for last year's ride (98.8 miles, 7421 ft elevation gain) if you just want to see their route: http://www.goletabike.org/images/100mile-route.pdf

Enjoy your rides, that's a fantastic area for cycling.


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