Recs for riding in Los Olivos, CA?

[PoppaWheelie]

I'll be in Los Olivos this weekend for a family vacation...I'm toying with bringing a bike, although it might not be a popular move with the s.o. Can anyone recommend a short-ish ride (say, around 2 hours) from town that would worth the effort of hauling all my gear? I could probably get out early one morning without too much fuss.

Any thoughts would be appreciated, thanks!

[PoppaWheelie]

Maybe an up/down on Figueroa Mountain...?

[Pete Serotta]

Do not have the maps but this is the area around SOLVANG, Get a Santa Barbara County map and lay out a route. You will see from map the best choices. Also the Los Olivos Cafe is wonderful there. (as is the wine selection).

Have fun and it will probably be "warm" in the area.

[Jack Brunk]

Head out on Foxen Canyon road and you can ride through some really cool wineries and basically head to Santa Maria and return on the same route. Decent climbing on the way back and you won't get lost. Foxen Canyon road is maybe a 1/4 of a mile outside town.

[PoppaWheelie]

Cool. Thanks guys. I'm looking forward to it.

[mosca]

You could ride the TT course from the Tour of California:

http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/Route/stages/stage6.html

That should only take you about a half hour. ;)

[Kurt]

Head out on Foxen Canyon road and you can ride through some really cool wineries and basically head to Santa Maria and return on the same route. Decent climbing on the way back and you won't get lost. Foxen Canyon road is maybe a 1/4 of a mile outside town.

JB told you the best route, from town just go out and back to sisquoc, its only a few hours or double if you tear into some wine once you get out to sisquoc - its a beautiful joint out there, one of the best in the valley. don't miss the sandwich shop below, life changing. funny, I am going out that way tomorrow and doing fig from happy canyon, also a great loop

Panino
paninorestaurants.com
2900 Grand Ave
Los Olivos, CA 93441
(805) 688-9304

[Jeff N.]

Los Olivos? What a fabulous area for cycling. Heck, just clip in and start riding in any direction. Maybe head out to the late Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch gate. It's right in that neck'o'the woods. Jeff N.

[LIGHTHOUSE]

Its going to be hot this week end so plan on getting out early. Get a map and think about Riding out Foxen canyon take a left on Alisos Cyn road, when you get to 101 take a right on the little frontage road about a mile to Los Alamos take a left onto Drumm Canyon which has a 2 mile climb, when you get to hwy 246 turn left , ride through Buellton and turn left on Ballard cyn rd. and take it back to Los Olivos. This is a 50 mile ride on some great roads.
Have fun,
Tim

[Pete Serotta]

That is his back yard!!! Tim look forward to seeing you and David next March.....PETE

Its going to be hot this week end so plan on getting out early. Get a map and think about Riding out Foxen canyon take a left on Alisos Cyn road, when you get to 101 take a right on the little frontage road about a mile to Los Alamos take a left onto Drumm Canyon which has a 2 mile climb, when you get to hwy 246 turn left , ride through Buellton and turn left on Ballard cyn rd. and take it back to Los Olivos. This is a 50 mile ride on some great roads.
Have fun,
Tim

[GuyGadois]

Los Olivos? Now you are talking! That is my hometown when the population was just 200 of us!

It is a very nice place to ride and there are some wonderful rides. Here are some notes...

Foxen Canyon - like JB said, this is a good one. It is about 20 miles to get to Sisquoc and the roads are in mostly good shape. Do keep in mind that there is a bike race on Saturday in Sisquoc so you might not be able to make it all the way there. I apologize for not knowing the route. Maybe try Googling it and seeing if it goes down Foxen Canyon (I don't think it does).

Ride up Figueroa Road (two block from the entrance of Foxen Canyon in Los Olivos) - you don't have to ride all the way up the mountain. The ride to the base (cattle guard) is quite nice and as an added bonus you get to wave to Neverland Ranch and the crazies camped outside it. If you do decide to climb Figueroa, the initial bump is insane (20%+) but then it gets much easier and the views will be memorable.

Happy Canyon - From Los Olivos, ride down Grand to Roblar and cross 154 (heads up!). Continue east on Roblar, Right on Mora and left on Baseline out to Happy Canyon. You take this as far as you want. Follow it as far as it goes and you will end up on Figueroa Mtn Road going the opposite was than if you started on Fig Mtn Road. This is a beautiful empty road. Watch for tarantulas!

TT route - Awesome route. Easy. In Los Olivos head to to Ballard Canyon road. Go up and over the hill and down the backside of Happy Canyon which is beautiful and windy. The road is getting really bad. Don't let that stop you from taking this route. It is awesome. Once in Solvang go up the Alisal hill and down the backside (Watch out it is VERY steep). Go right at the bottom of the steep hill and left on to Alamo Pintado. Take this all the way back to Los Olivos. Be sure to stop in Ballard and ride through the town and see the all school house if you have a moment.

Alisal to Nojoqui - A quick ride or TT route detour is go west on Alisal road through Solvang and by the Alisal Guest Ranch up to Nojoqui falls. A beautiful climb and a great park. Get off the bike and hike to the falls (about a mile) although there may not be much water this late in the season.

Ping me with any additional questions or ride requests. I have pretty much ridden the entire valley a few times over.

-GG-

[GuyGadois]

Its going to be hot this week end so plan on getting out early. Get a map and think about Riding out Foxen canyon take a left on Alisos Cyn road, when you get to 101 take a right on the little frontage road about a mile to Los Alamos take a left onto Drumm Canyon which has a 2 mile climb, when you get to hwy 246 turn left , ride through Buellton and turn left on Ballard cyn rd. and take it back to Los Olivos. This is a 50 mile ride on some great roads.
Have fun,
Tim

+1

...but Drumm is a bear especially in the heat (Los Alamos will be hotter than Los Olivos) and the decent on the other side will have your backside screaming. To say it is a bumpy road is an understatement. It is better described as a road in Belgium circa 1945.

-GG-

[PoppaWheelie]

I love it...thanks for all the tips. Assuming I can make it through the week alive, I'm all over this trip.