Ride b/w Santa Barbara - San Luis Obispo PCH



C

Cl6120

Guest
I may be in California mid March and if I do go, I am thinking about spending a few days riding
Pacific Coast Highway.

I read somewhere there is a Century b/w SB and SLO where the group takes Amtrak from one place to
the other (forget which direction) in the morning and ride back to the original point.

I am interested in doing something like that, comeback in one day or ride one way one day and ride
back the next day.

Can anyone share what the road.traffic condition is like on the Pacific Coast Highway b/w the two
place. Any ride experience/advise/general impressions, etc. etc would be appreciated.

Also what would be the mileage b/w the two? The mapping sites like Yahoo, keeps giving info for
inland road, not the coastal road.

Thank you.
 
cl6120 wrote:

> I may be in California mid March and if I do go, I am thinking about spending a few days riding
> Pacific Coast Highway.
>
> I read somewhere there is a Century b/w SB and SLO where the group takes Amtrak from one place to
> the other (forget which direction) in the morning and ride back to the original point.
>
> I am interested in doing something like that, comeback in one day or ride one way one day and ride
> back the next day.
>
> Can anyone share what the road.traffic condition is like on the Pacific Coast Highway b/w the two
> place. Any ride experience/advise/general impressions, etc. etc would be appreciated.
>
> Also what would be the mileage b/w the two? The mapping sites like Yahoo, keeps giving info for
> inland road, not the coastal road.

I rode along this stretch last spring as part of a ride from San Francisco down to Santa Barbara to
pick up my daughter from UCSB. For much of this stretch there is no public coastal road until
Gaviota. We had lunch in SLO and then continued about 12 miles along a lightly-used frontage road of
101 to Pismo Beach where we camped overnight near the beach. The next day we continued mainly on Hwy
1 to Vandenberg AFB and then on to Lompoc. Most of this stretch was through fairly flat inland
farmland with a few short hills until nearing the AFB where there were a couple sustained climbs up
to about 600'. After lunch in Lompoc we continued up a longer climb to just over 1000' before
dropping down to Hwy. 101 just north of Gaviota and rode the shoulder to the state park where we
camped. Mileage for the day was 71. The next day was on the shoulder of 101 and near the ocean until
nearing Goleta where we used some city streets until reaching the bike path through the UCSB campus
and continuing into Santa Barbara (don't miss the unmarked natural bridge at the west end of Goleta
Beach just after rolling down the hill from the campus). Riding distance from Gaviota to the pier in
SB was 38 miles - almost all flat and with a tailwind.

The winds along and near the coast are an incentive for one-way trips. Prevailing direction is from
the northwest so north to south trips are generally preferable.
 
[email protected] (cl6120) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> I may be in California mid March and if I do go, I am thinking about spending a few days riding
> Pacific Coast Highway.
>
> I read somewhere there is a Century b/w SB and SLO where the group takes Amtrak from one place to
> the other (forget which direction) in the morning and ride back to the original point.

Actually, there are at least two rides like that. One of the SB area clubs does one (may be more)
and then SLOBC does one. Both travel N->S. The SB folks ride north on the train, then cycle back to
SB. The SLO folks cycle south to SB then take the train back.

> I am interested in doing something like that, comeback in one day or ride one way one day and ride
> back the next day.

It is a healthy ride for a day. Around 100 miles, or a bit more, depending on the exact route.

> Can anyone share what the road.traffic condition is like on the Pacific Coast Highway b/w the two
> place. Any ride experience/advise/general impressions, etc. etc would be appreciated.

As others have said, there is no coastal route for most of that distance. Sand dunes, then
Vandenburg AFB. This is one of the most popular touring cyclists 'routes' but there are many
alternatives. The general route starts down 1 through Guadelupe and around til it merges with 135
near the Orcutt grade. You then have a lot of options from there; the most common is either 1 or the
Harris Grade to Lompoc, then continue on 1 until it merges with 101 just north of Gaviota pass; over
Gaviota you catch the ocean and can ride 101 and beach trails to Goleta and then surface streets
into SB. But other alternatives will keep you inland until SB, like going over San Marcos pass.

- rick
 
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