Changing the Ramble Ride flavor a bit is our first Road Ramble ride from Santa Cruz, California, along the Pacific Coast Highway to Santa Barbara. 

In many ways, the genesis of the Ramble Ride is here. Growing up in Santa Cruz, the ride to Santa Barbara was my first multi-day ride and was used as a season primer and training ride. These are the roads I grew up on and look forward to sharing this experience with you. This is one of the only Rambles that I get to ride with everyone and look forward to being your guide on this adventure. Last year I rode this route in preparation for a group Ramble. Read about it here. 

 

September 25-29, 2023

 

What?

Course: Not including a shakeout ride in Santa Cruz, the Coast ride is 319 miles with 19.5K of climbing. It’s a big week, and you’ll ride roughly 350 miles for the week. This ride has roofed accommodations; we’ll be staying in a mix of rentals and hotels. Basic breakfast and lunch are provided. Dinners are not. Alcohol is not included.

Accommodations are available Sunday night through the following Friday. 

The group size is limited to 8 and will be double occupancy. It will be a no-drop ride. However, this ride is not a beginner ride, and riders must be comfortable riding in a group and on public, paved roads at speeds between 16-20 mph. Traffic along Highway One is considerate, but it is a highway with a good shoulder. 

There will be a support vehicle that will leapfrog to designated stop points but generally will not follow the group. 

Schedule.

  • Sunday: Arrivals. Please plan to be in Santa Cruz by mid to late afternoon so we can get your bike built and settled. If we have time, we’ll do a short spin. We provide no food this evening. We’ll go to dinner as a group, but feel free to explore on your own.
  • Monday: We’ll have a shakeout ride in Santa Cruz to get to know each other and get oriented. We’ll visit Ibis and other bike makers in the area. Let me share with you what makes this area so good for riding. We’ll go to dinner as a group, but feel free to explore on your own.
  • Tuesday: Santa Cruz to Big Sur. 90 miles. We’ll ride through some of the best of the Central Coast, through farmlands and Coastal towns, including Monterey. 
  • Wednesday: Big Sur to Morro Bay. 85 miles. This section is the heart of the PCH, with sweeping coastal views. The climbing lets up a bit, but wind can be a factor in the afternoons. 
  • Thursday: Morro Bay to Solvang. 90 miles. We’ll head away from the coast today, riding into the heart of the Central Coast wine area. 
  • Friday: Solvang to Santa Barbara. 45 miles. A shorter day your legs will welcome. We’ll finish at the hotel. 
  • Saturday: Depart for San Jose in the AM. Roughly 3 hours travel. Departing flights should be booked no earlier than 4 pm. We can help you with accommodations Saturday night, or feel free to depart from Santa Barbara if you’re flying or extending your trip in the area. After San Jose, we will depart for Santa Cruz if required. 

Getting there. 

If you’re driving, we will have secure parking available. If you’re flying, San Jose (SJC) is the best airport. There are shuttles available at this writing for $40 to Santa Cruz. If you’d like to leave from Santa Barbara (SBA), we can work with you to get to the airport Saturday morning before our departure. 

This ride is a bucket list ride, and I’d love to share this area with you and be your guide. It’s where I grew up and where I started riding. Due to the nature of the ride, I’d like to chat with you first about your riding background and abilities. This effort ensures a group that can stay together with folks comfortable riding on the road. 

Pricing for this six-day, six-night ride is $3800 for double occupancy. 

Let’s chat. contact.

An early coast ride. Circa 1990.