Riding around Solvang?

I am planning a ride around the roads of Solvang, anybody familiar with
these roads:

Santa Rosa - Rode it earlier this year, was really nice & could do it
again
Foxen Canyon - Heard it was nice
Cat Canyon - I saw some pictures and heard this road is in really bad
shape full of potholes but looks scenic.
Drum Canyon - Heard it was good, but bad pavement in some sections.

Can't do them all in one day, so I need to know which ones are best.

Thanks - Joel

A very nice 60 mi. loop from Solvang is:

N on Atterdag -- becomes Chalk Hill
Right on Ballard Canyon
Cross over to Foxen Canyon in Los Olivos (good smoothie place in Los Olivos)
Follow Foxen to edge of Sisquoc. Stop for water at one of the wineries. No
water on Palmer or Cat Canyons.
Left on Palmer Canyon
Left onto Cat Canyon (quite interesting; steep near the top; bad pavement,
but you won't be going very fast; downhill pavement is good, nice descent)
Cross 101 (careful)
Left (can't remember the name of the road) into Los Alamos. Nice cafe.
Right (w) at flagpole in Los Alamos. Becomes Drum Canyon. Nice climb. Some
bad road on descent. Just watch the road.
Left on 246 back into Solvang. Before entering Solvang, you can stop to
look at the Ostrich farm.

Lots of other great roads in the area, too.




--
Remove bugs to reply
--Susan--


"Joel" wrote in message
oups.com...
I am planning a ride around the roads of Solvang, anybody familiar with
these roads:

Santa Rosa - Rode it earlier this year, was really nice & could do it
again
Foxen Canyon - Heard it was nice
Cat Canyon - I saw some pictures and heard this road is in really bad
shape full of potholes but looks scenic.
Drum Canyon - Heard it was good, but bad pavement in some sections.

Can't do them all in one day, so I need to know which ones are best.

Thanks - Joel

Susan,

Thanks for the suggestion. I was looking at the same route, but have
concerns about the road condition on Cat Canyon. I gues the only way to
find out is to go there.

Joel

Thanks for the suggestion. I was looking at the same route, but have
concerns about the road condition on Cat Canyon. I gues the only way to
find out is to go there.

My experience is Bad Pavement = Little Traffic.

A worthy tradeoff for me.


Chris Neary


"Cycle tracks will abound in Utopia" - H.G. Wells

Dear Joel:

I was there two weeks ago, and the roads really were fine -- just a bit
rough, and some storm damage from last winter. Cat Canyon is very remote
( I only saw one other cyclist on it, and he had stopped to catch his breath
near the top of the climb) The descent to the west is fine, and really a
lot of fun. I do not like to ride it in reverse because of the condition of
the east side of the canyon, but on a climb it's really OK. Drum canyon is
rough in both directions, but nothing really dangerous -- just exercise
reasonable caution.

If you want a really hard 50 mile ride, with a little bit of dirt road (not
technical) and very bad pavement in parts, make a loop up Figueroa Mt. I
really like this ride -- quite steep climbs, and really beautiful terrain.

Start up Alamo Pintado towards Los Olivos. You'll have to bear right after
about 5 miles to stay on it. Turn right on Roblar. Cross 154, continuing
on Roblar. Becomes Mora. Left on Baseline. Left on Happy Canyon (very
pretty) You'll have about a mile of gravel around mile 20. Keep climbing.
Left on Figueroa Mountain Rd. at Cachuma Saddle. A few miles later, you'll
reach the. Begin long descent. Watch for bad pavement and cattle guards.
Cross 154 and stop for lunch in Los Olivos. Return to Solvang via Alamo
Pintado or on Ballard/Chalk Hill as on the Cat Canyon ride.

There are lots of other great rides in the area -- many on poor roads, but
there is little traffic and beautiful scenery, so that makes up for it.

Try going to Jalama Beach via Santa Rosa Rd, Hwy 1, and Jalama Beach Road.
Also has a lot of climbing and a beautiful beach at the turn around point.
About 80 miles RT.

Have a great trip!

Susan
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Remove bugs to reply
--Susan--


"Joel" wrote in message
ups.com...

Susan,

Thanks for the suggestion. I was looking at the same route, but have
concerns about the road condition on Cat Canyon. I gues the only way to
find out is to go there.

Joel

If you want a really hard 50 mile ride, with a little bit of dirt road (not
technical) and very bad pavement in parts, make a loop up Figueroa Mt. I
really like this ride -- quite steep climbs, and really beautiful terrain.

Pictures of the Figueroa route at
http://www.lkjh.org/bike/california/...roa/index.html
Enjoy Kirby

I hate to be the dumb one, but what State is this in, assuming it's in the
US at all, and what city is it near?


"Joel" wrote in message
oups.com...
I am planning a ride around the roads of Solvang, anybody familiar with
these roads:

Santa Rosa - Rode it earlier this year, was really nice & could do it
again
Foxen Canyon - Heard it was nice
Cat Canyon - I saw some pictures and heard this road is in really bad
shape full of potholes but looks scenic.
Drum Canyon - Heard it was good, but bad pavement in some sections.

Can't do them all in one day, so I need to know which ones are best.

Thanks - Joel

In article ,
"Ron Wallenfang" wrote:

I hate to be the dumb one, but what State is this in, assuming it's
in the US at all, and what city is it near?

Solvang, California. If you saw the movie "Sideways" you saw Solvang.
There is a famous century ride there every year, and quite a few brevet
rides from there as well. I've never been there, the town is an old
Danish settlement.

I hate to be the dumb one, but what State is this in, assuming it's in the
US at all, and what city is it near?

Google is your friend.


Chris Neary


"The physician can bury his mistakes, but the architect can
only advise his clients to plant vines." - Frank Lloyd Wright

Tim McNamara wrote:
In article ,
"Ron Wallenfang" wrote:


I hate to be the dumb one, but what State is this in, assuming it's
in the US at all, and what city is it near?


Solvang, California. If you saw the movie "Sideways" you saw Solvang.
There is a famous century ride there every year, and quite a few brevet
rides from there as well. I've never been there, the town is an old
Danish settlement.

It's roughly near Santa Barbara.

DH