Trying to plan a trip down CA...tips?

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So Basically I bought a ticket at the top of the coast, and I'd love to bike my way from San Fransisco down to Santa Barbara. However, I'm mainly a city biker and have never done a trek longer than 3 1/2 hours.
I'm wondering, coudl someone tell me what the average time is to get from San Fransisco to Santa Barbara...and the cost?
Also, is it a very bad idea to go alone if I had to?