Santa Barbara Roll Call

[hairylegs]

Hey forumites -

Who's based in SB? I'm from here originally, but spent 23 years in LA before moving back a few months back. Man do I love it here.

Cheers,

Cody
(San Roque/Hope area)

[4151zero]

gibraltar road! i visit once a year fr sfo

[Steve in SLO]

UCSB Cycling Team alum here. I’ve ridden the area extensively. I used to live at the bottom of Old San Marcos Pass Road and my daily ride would be up Old SM and I would add Painted Caves Road when I was feeling frisky. Usually once a week we would ride up and over to Lake Cachuma and then onto Highway 101 to return. I wouldn’t dare do that now with all the traffic. Lovely, lovely riding in that area, and a real fun town. Congrats on making it back there.

[mhespenheide]

Unfortunately, I just moved out of the area. But I can absolutely recommend the riding in the Santa Ynez Valley, just over 154. Happy Canyon, Ballard Canyon, Foxen Canyon, Alisal, Drum Canyon, and Cat Canyon are all worthwhile. As is Industrial Eats in Buellton and the Gathering Table in Ballard. And happy hour at the Landsby in Solvang.


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[hairylegs]

Gibralter was pretty hot at the top this am - even at 8:30am! Wish there was easy water up there, that is my only gripe. What a climb!

[nublar]

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/bjD9bh8UiPsiMOIJy9PAuOkrYywYfZUIFLe5R77FRD0uM0oHPG XW1-wR5m1hiu_ksTWc_gjOsgSBGqU-tVtQBKMdz2RNuBYpYjExe_ZwSxQEIBkuOV-rRCRNqcenzZeh8jQomCI2FrRW0ccs7U7T_Ff8OySm9JE591IuC nqjtnbuMu_RIOwBsx2wfBij5lyqAmjaSF63hpxD7a0FeeBj4IC HEgH04LRiWTUFKheP5LTDfSxL0GZnlIDsSHQUuRXUyQbzj0TWz xL4lk11HeFzSACzxtVyXdEkGYSY5CtJeTVKVb96bJPxfw5sQgY oWOm3lXiTKuw0ITxxW42YYnkrnGCVsZAxl4w9YLDNi_G0Doa_N QnMHGJ7kE_pgHyDMfBUojXcwyRoiTRcs3NMkpM3XQEEm7MYclu xsLho7DtopBL4KzeRJpxTTVl1FNLIkPWzxhOgIfCeHZ9H9XsyE hOvi6J1xq7mKm2A5lha0LkUl5IJ-jAoGOVsHJGF5HfQ7PPasWkA__YgmW2gHTm3WfWB7D6iNLo66vP M9h1VZp-_zeFcjo5Ly3itJRyN47QllKhf1oq59rJgd6N1e1kta7zRkBH_n AyTxHcVocxYbns_kl-hZtjk-DUWjvW4E1BSzOWE7j0Ml3ti7kjOYeScU8aJV4wmQo-JibDuwyu9yjtNRK0OlTZRyb7hgibyeUiyUHk=w1410-h1058-no?authuser=0

[hairylegs]

That is a gorgeous bike! When were you up there? I didn't go "up and over" today - just to the Camino split and back down. Someday I'd love to do "double up and over." Up Gib, down Painted Cave/Old San Marcos then back up PC/OSM and down Gib! That'd be a tough ride!!!

[wernerherzogsid]

I do not reside in the Santa Barbara area, but I enjoy the quiet moments staring at the sea from East Beach as the sun sets. As the blood red sun dips below the horizon, it is a time of reflection and contemplation that is priceless.

[Steve in SLO]

The “double” is a hard ride, especially if you climb Gibraltar first, that means you will be going up Painted Caves as your final ‘big’ climb, and East Camino Cielo can seem endless after that. Tough. What I used to do was go up OSM/PC or Gib and descend the other and complete the loop via 192 Mountain/Foothill Rd. That was doable on a regular basis.

[jasonification]

Heya! Moved to SB almost exactly a year ago! Been loving the ride here. The accessibility via bicycle has made my driving far and few between

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[hairylegs]

I do not reside in the Santa Barbara area, but I enjoy the quiet moments staring at the sea from East Beach as the sun sets. As the blood red sun dips below the horizon, it is a time of reflection and contemplation that is priceless.

Could not agree more. I'm more of a sunrise guy, and the sun over the mountains is an insane start to the day!!!

[hairylegs]

The “double” is a hard ride, especially if you climb Gibraltar first, that means you will be going up Painted Caves as your final ‘big’ climb, and East Camino Cielo can seem endless after that. Tough. What I used to do was go up OSM/PC or Gib and descend the other and complete the loop via 192 Mountain/Foothill Rd. That was doable on a regular basis.

For sure! I haven't gone up OSM/PC and over yet, just from the Gibralter side. Alas it always entails Foothill getting home! Camino can definitely seem endless, but on the other hand last time I did the whole loop saw no cars and almost felt like I was on a trail!

[hairylegs]

Heya! Moved to SB almost exactly a year ago! Been loving the ride here. The accessibility via bicycle has made my driving far and few between

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Awesome! Where do you reside? I'm off La Cumbre in the San Roque area. (near Foothill)

[jasonification]

I live close to Hollister and Patterson!

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[chismog]

Full-time resident since 1998. I live near the Montecito CC golf course.

Agree with the others, the riding can be pretty magical here! I'm 98% road, my wife does mostly mtb.

Happy to help any Paceliners who want local info.

[GOTHBROOKS]

i always thought it would be cool to leave out by the matilija dam in ojai and take the back country route to carpinteria. on the map it looks like it eventually connects to romero somewhere after the murietta divide? still havent tried it.
#805orgotohell

[cgolvin]

Native Angeleno but one of my best friends now lives near the base of Gibraltar (previously lived in San Roque), so I visit a couple times a year, usually including an up & back ride around xmas.

I actually prefer OSM/PC over Gib, especially the PC portion. The double is a good day in the saddle, but definitely not at this time of year. Fig is also an excellent climb and makes a tough double. Still plan to do Jalama one day …

Riding on 154 is NUTS, I wouldn’t do it

[chismog]

I won't ride 154. I know folks who go north up (the):rolleyes: 101 past Winchester. I won't do that either.

Maayyybe if it was the only way, like coming back from Jalama (also on my list!). But it seems insane.

You're tougher than I, doubling up PC and Gib in a day, or adding Fig! The SB Century route is about as big a day as I ever need to do. Jalama would be a one-way for me, mostly due to traffic.

Any road you take to East Camino Cielo is a path to paradise. It's gotta be one of the better roads for cycling anywhere.




I actually prefer OSM/PC over Gib, especially the PC portion. The double is a good day in the saddle, but definitely not at this time of year. Fig is also an excellent climb and makes a tough double. Still plan to do Jalama one day …

Riding on 154 is NUTS, I wouldn’t do it

[cgolvin]

I won't ride 154. I know folks who go north up (the):rolleyes: 101 past Winchester. I won't do that either.

Maayyybe if it was the only way, like coming back from Jalama (also on my list!). But it seems insane.

You're tougher than I, doubling up PC and Gib in a day, or adding Fig! The SB Century route is about as big a day as I ever need to do. Jalama would be a one-way for me, mostly due to traffic.

Any road you take to East Camino Cielo is a path to paradise. It's gotta be one of the better roads for cycling anywhere.

I think the ONLY way I might ride 154 is heading north from Camino Cielo to access roads in the Santa Ynez valley…but if I did I'd be sprinting full gas and taking the lane until past the bridge when the shoulder opens up. But I agree, crazy town.

I wasn't clear -- my reference to a Fig double is to do it both ways, from Happy Valley into Los Olivos, then turning around and doing it in reverse. It's a full day, for sure.

The last time I climbed PC with my buddy we were approaching La Cumbre and he said "be careful coming up, the road surface is really bad, watch your speed…" We rounded the bend to discover that they had just recently repaved it -- from there down Gib was a delight.

If you have the time and inclination to come south, there's a road down here that you should check out: Yerba Buena, just north of the LA/Ventura county line. They have finally finished repaving it, and it's like butter. Here's a route that I did recently: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/52049865

[chismog]

That ride looks awesome. I've seen pics of some really nice riding down around Malibu, I think? I'm certain the scenery is great, but without knowledge of the traffic on those roads I'm a bit lost on where to go.

To me that's one of the true joys of riding in SB- above 192 there just isn't much traffic, but there is amazing riding and epic views.

Mountain Drive is on a 1 hour loop from my front door, and I just don't know how it gets any better than that. ;)

[cgolvin]

That ride looks awesome. I've seen pics of some really nice riding down around Malibu, I think? I'm certain the scenery is great, but without knowledge of the traffic on those roads I'm a bit lost on where to go.

Yes, valid concern. With the exception of the total of ~3 miles on Pacific Coast Highway, I doubt that we encountered more than 25 cars on that ride. Most of the canyon climbs south of there are similarly sparse, but to get to them you have to ride on PCH which can be busy with cars going fast, although there is a generous shoulder on most of it.

Not that it's representative, but the last time I rode from LA to SB I was approaching my friend's house via 192. On one of the twisty sections a multiaxle truck coming in the other direction toward me crossed more than halfway over the center line. When I gave him a "what the hell?" gesture, he flipped me off. Nice.

[prototoast]

I go down to SB once or twice a year because my wife used to live there and loves it. It has some nice roads, but I really hate how "trapped" I feel there. I don't feel comfortable riding on 101 or 154, and I really would rather not ride on 150 either. Within the city, there are a lot of sections that are really quite difficult to navigate on a bike. Mountain drive is awesome, Gibraltar is cool, but riding there requires far too high a tolerance for riding on dangerous roads.

[hairylegs]

Man, PCH. I've barely ridden that road since I had my kid. Scary between SM and Pepperdine especially.

The 154 though - I'd actually take PCH over that! LOL

I remember doing 101 to Refugio years back and wouldn't dare these days either.

I actually want to do this ride this fall/winter on a clear day on my adventure bike....

https://www.strava.com/routes/2730641866720335716

[chismog]

I definitely understand this perspective. Majority of my rides are relatively short 1-2hr loops, but it is always variations on the same theme. For example, I can find lotsa ways to get to Mountain Drive or Bella Vista, but it's still more or less the same loop.

150 can be awesome if you're on it early enough to miss traffic.... or it can totally suck.

I grew up riding near Seattle, and SB has nowhere near the variation a place like Seattle does. But, the weather is always awesome here, and my rides are usually just me or with a couple friends. Finding new paths through the neighborhoods has kept it more fresh, but they're not routes that are conducive to big group rides. I'm kinda done with that anyway so I don't mind too much.

SB Century route sort of takes every ride I might do and rolls it all into one big day. Highly recommended, whether you do the official Century or not.



I go down to SB once or twice a year because my wife used to live there and loves it. It has some nice roads, but I really hate how "trapped" I feel there. I don't feel comfortable riding on 101 or 154, and I really would rather not ride on 150 either. Within the city, there are a lot of sections that are really quite difficult to navigate on a bike. Mountain drive is awesome, Gibraltar is cool, but riding there requires far too high a tolerance for riding on dangerous roads.

[jasonification]

If SB people are interested...I would be down to do a socially distant coffee outside meet n greet in a few weeks? The Bike Friday is ready!https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200821/64f7b96132567e917f488a389737ab6c.jpg

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[nublar]

How's the air/weather around Gib and Camino Cielo in the morning these past few days? Thinking of escaping LA this weekend to do some climbing - air quality is terrible here in the valley

[jasonification]

Just headed out to get some groceries. It's smokey for sure in Goleta..

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[chismog]

Smoky in SB for sure. I rode yesterday morning and it was OK, but last night was really smelly. I can't see the ash in the air or on my car, but there's been a pretty thick haze since yesterday afternoon. I'm takin' today off the bike.

How's the air/weather around Gib and Camino Cielo in the morning these past few days? Thinking of escaping LA this weekend to do some climbing - air quality is terrible here in the valley

[chismog]

Sure! That tandem is so cool. I had no idea Friday made one. You'll be easy to spot. ;)

If SB people are interested...I would be down to do a socially distant coffee outside meet n greet in a few weeks? The Bike Friday is ready!

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[fkslksj]

How's the air/weather around Gib and Camino Cielo in the morning these past few days? Thinking of escaping LA this weekend to do some climbing - air quality is terrible here in the valley

I'm refraining from cycling here in SB for the time being. We don't see ash because the larger/heavier particles haven't flown this far, but our PM2.5 levels are pretty high right now (PM2.5 are the ones that can travel deeply into the respiratory tract because they're able to bypass a lot of our body's natural filtering). This is also what's causing all of the haziness we're seeing, to @chrismog's point.

[hairylegs]

I took today off as well...

Hoping to get a beach walk/run in tomorrow early if it's not too yucky. Mornings def seem better but maybe it's just psychological!

[cgolvin]

Question for you locals: how is it riding on San Julian Road (Highway 1) from Las Cruces to the junction with Jalama Road? Possibility of doing it (plus Jalama to the beach) later this week since my friend isn’t up for a big day of climbing.

My local friend says that there’s not a lot of shoulder and cars can go fast, though on a weekday traffic should be light.

Any first hand experience? Will factor in weather and air quality separately, just seeking advice on the road & traffic. Thanks

[chismog]

The road out to Jalama Beach is awesome. Jalama burgers, of course. Sometimes I bring my bike if we go camping there and ride out and back to the main road (highly recommended).

Your friend is correct about the 1. Unprotected shoulder and highway speeds. You could totally do it, but... it would be really bad if there were an accident.

It's such a lovely drive, you can't help but consider it... but I probably won't ever actually do it. Jalama->SB = 50 miles of American highway. :eek:

[cgolvin]

Thanks. My original route was to start in Buellton but I fear it will be too hot

[mhespenheide]

Highs in the high eighties later in the week for Buellton, but if you get an early enough start and finish before 11am, it usually takes a while for the air temperature to climb (unless it's a simply scorching day). Santa Rosa road is quiet enough that you could easily cache water somewhere along it and I'd be 98% sure that it would be there for your return trip.

Sorry I'm not there to join you, or climb Refugio.

I haven't ridden 1 north from Las Cruces, but Lompoc residents treat it like a freeway to commute to SBA. I'd avoid it unless it was the only option.

[cgolvin]

Sorry I'm not there to join you, or climb Refugio.

I haven't ridden 1 north from Las Cruces, but Lompoc residents treat it like a freeway to commute to SBA. I'd avoid it unless it was the only option.

Thanks Mark, I’m sorry as well, hope the new digs are treating you guys well.

Good idea on the water cache, we’ll see.

[terry]

Amusing thread to me. My bro moved to SB at the top of the SM Pass (Stagecoach rd) in ‘80. I went out to visit him in ‘81 and thought what a great climb the pass would be but unfortunately didn’t have a bike that trip. Our rental was a four cylinder that wheezed it’s way up the pass and had to pull over numerous times to let people pass. Fast forward to my last trip last year-he now lives in Santa Ynez- on our way back up the pass from SB he was doing 70! ( scaring the crap out of me) and he was getting passed! I can’t imagine riding up there now-good on ya for those that do.

[mhespenheide]

Fast forward to my last trip last year-he now lives in Santa Ynez- on our way back up the pass from SB he was doing 70! ( scaring the crap out of me) and he was getting passed! I can’t imagine riding up there now-good on ya for those that do.

Nobody (sane) rides 154 across the pass, at least not more than once.

My wife commuted from Los Olivos to Santa Barbara for three years. Multiple times per week she was passed over a double yellow, sometimes on a curve, while she was doing the speed limit or +5 over. :eek: It's a smooth road, but with GPS now routing everyone on 154 instead of 101 and those people treating it like a freeway, it's straight-up dangerous. The number of people with pricey sports cars or GT cars who want to use those cars doesn't help either.

[fkslksj]

Thinking of riding the 154 is terrifying. I definitely see the occasional brave (reckless...?) individuals riding it, but there's been too many bad accidents there. I take my motorbike up there when going to the valley for some nice roads and am very wary each time. Last year there was a fatal accident when a car crossing double yellows around a blind corner hit a motorcyclist. Can't imagine how much scarier it would be on a bicycle with cars going 30 over the 55 speed limit.

[nublar]

Does anyone ride 154 down from East Camino Cielo to Cathedral Oaks? I want to go up Gib and do a loop but don't want to descend PC or San Marcos

[prototoast]

Does anyone ride 154 down from East Camino Cielo to Cathedral Oaks? I want to go up Gib and do a loop but don't want to descend PC or San Marcos

https://www.strava.com/segments/821446?filter=overall

Looks like about 300 people have done it in 2020 (filtered for 2020 to exclude Tour of California counts, which obviously don't have the same risk).

[cgolvin]

https://www.strava.com/segments/821446?filter=overall

Not to pick nits but that's only down to the OSM/PC junction, not all the way down to Cathedral Oaks as requested. I guess I can understand choosing against PC since that's a more technical descent, but OSM is pretty mellow and there is no way I would choose that section of 154 over OSM.

[prototoast]

Not to pick nits but that's only down to the OSM/PC junction, not all the way down to Cathedral Oaks as requested. I guess I can understand choosing against PC since that's a more technical descent, but OSM is pretty mellow and there is no way I would choose that section of 154 over OSM.

Sorry, I couldn't find a segment that was the full length, I figured this was a reasonable proxy.

[cgolvin]

Sorry, I couldn't find a segment that was the full length, I figured this was a reasonable proxy.

Agree, more valuable than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick, didn't mean to be picky. Though I'm guessing that the absence of such a segment kind of answers the original question, not many people doing it.

[nublar]

Not to pick nits but that's only down to the OSM/PC junction, not all the way down to Cathedral Oaks as requested. I guess I can understand choosing against PC since that's a more technical descent, but OSM is pretty mellow and there is no way I would choose that section of 154 over OSM.

Hmmm I might just do that

[mrk_d]

Does anyone ride 154 down from East Camino Cielo to Cathedral Oaks? I want to go up Gib and do a loop but don't want to descend PC or San Marcos

I have ridden both up and down the 154 from the base. It's safer than the segment near the lake IMO; there is more shoulder and cars are generally traveling a little slower.

[froze]

I use to live there between 1971 to 1985, graduated from Dos Pueblos. I liked it there a lot too till they took out the traffic lights on 101, after that the place boomed and it was no longer quaint. It took me 45 minutes on weekday to drive my car from La Cumbre Plaza down State to the 101 frwy! back before the lights were taken out that was at the most a 15 minute drive. It was wall to wall cars, wall to wall people on the sidewalks crossing against the lights, it was nuts, I'm glad I left now.

Back when I lived there we use to ride the 154 all the time, we took a big loop starting in SB and going up the 154 to 246 and then to the 101 back to Goleta and exiting the 101 to take Hollister back to 154 and then we went our separate ways to go home. I haven't been up the 154 since then but I can only assume that since the traffic is so bad in SB that the 154 must also be jammed with cars. I probably did that ride around 4 times. I rode my bike all over those mountain roads, all the way to Ojai.

After I left SB and a bit later in years, I rode my bike the back way out of Bakersfield to Ojai an then to SB, I think that was a 158 mile jaunt, my butt didn't like me much for about a week after that. That was the longest 1 day ride I ever did.

Anyways I'm from the old days, not to up on the new days there in SB. Really the only town I like along the coast of CA now is Morro Bay, it's the old quaint type of coastal city I like, it's still semi quiet.

I also use to street race (with cars) in SB. Back in those days we would congregate at the La Cumbre Plaza parking lot. Myself and a friend painted start and finish lines for 1/4 mile drag races up on Ward Memorial, starting point was just past the on ramp coming out of Goleta Beach, and ended a 1/4 mile down so we could exit at Hollister or stay on to the 101; people with CB's at each end so we knew when cops were coming. I also road raced for money on Camino Cielo late at night, again our gang of CB guys kept us safe, but to keep us really safe we had 20 minute separation between two cars, the winner was whoever could close the time gap or extend it. I probably did that at least 3 dozen times and never lost a road race, one race the bets got up into the $800 range! this was back in the late 70's, most races were in the $100 range, but that one some rich kid got the betting to took off, we had prepared for this race a week ahead of time so we got the money together. This kid had his daddy's Porsche Carrera Turbo, thought he could beat me, nope, he was pissed to say the least. I also dragged raced up in Santa Maria, went did street drag racing in Ventura and Van Nuys where the racing got really serious, those guys had fast cars, I only lost one drag race in Santa Barbara to an out of towner, but in Van Nuys, I was lucky if I won half the races! Which is why I never betted on drag racing! I missed that sort of stuff, I had a lot of great times in SB, even the cops had great times with me...

[fkslksj]

I consistently do OSM, and would definitely recommend. I've definitely seen cars cut to the inside around corners, but I've never had a problem by staying away from the opposing lane until I can see around the corner. Also helps that there is little no no traffic in the early mornings. I have seen, on occasion, longboarders hauling downhill, so there's one other thing to watch out for if you're climbing OSM and decide to cut to the outside on the switchbacks.

[chismog]

Speaking of longboarders... This is an old video, but it's *very* worth watching. I'm not a skater but the guy's talent is obvious and the video really showcases OSM. This is shot below 154 down towards Cath. Oaks.

https://youtu.be/kkviQ41u0eQ