The Bicycle Adventure Club - Come Ride With Us!

CA Coast: San Francisco to Santa Barbara

April 13th to April 24th

Ride Director: Lucy Glover
Ride Co-Director: Randy Glover
Ride Driver: Arleen Sakamoto
Report by: Marita Moberg

You have seen the pictures and read about the pacific coast, but you cannot really appreciate the rugged spectacular beauty of the coastline until you have seen it from your bicycle.

Twenty three bicyclists gathered in Oakland in a laidback bayside hotel to meet, greet and eat.  We were ferried on our first riding day across the bay to San Francisco to ride along the Embarcadero and over the Golden Gate Bridge ,then through the Presidio and ending in oceanside lodging in Pacifica.  Spring was in full bloom with the California poppies, ice plants and Star of Madeira covering the hillsides.  Day 2 was our longest day,  riding intermittently on Highway 1 . We rode up through Devils Slide along the coast on a road closed to cars with amazing views of the pacific coastline. We lunched on hot articoke bread at Arcangeli Grocery, a great lunch stop.  On day 3 we ride thru agricultural areas with fields of  broccoli, strawberrries and brussel sprouts and then miles of bike paths undulating through the sand dunes.  Day 4  we hug the coast and outline the Monterey peninsula, the most beautiful riding of the tour, and the 17 Mile Drive to Pebble Beach, Carmel and then into the forested Big Sur State Park where we stay in charming cabins.  Day 5 we are shuttled by bus to San Simeon (due to a mud slide) which gives us plenty of time to visit Hearst Castle and take a tour!  On day 6 we ride along Moonstone Beach and the seaside town of Cambria riding on Highway 1 again and a bike path.  Days 7 and 8 we leave the ocean and travel inland by large farms and agricultural fields  to Santa Maria and then Solvang.  Solvang is a qaint Danish touristy town, located amoung wineries and lots of shopping and restaurants.  Leaving Solvang on our last riding day, we ride on isolated canyon roads (and some highways) climbing over mountain passes and into Santa Barbara where we celebrate completing this BAC tour.  We pack our bikes on the van and the next morning head for the train station for a 9 hour ride back to Oakland.  The train is very comfortable and pleasant and we are napping and eating the whole way.  One final night in Oakland and everyone is off to home or their next tour.

This ride was expertly led by our experienced leaders Lucy and Randy Glover ( who have led more rides than most BAC members have ridden on.)  And also excellent supported by our competent driver and Happy Hour chef, Arleen Sakamoto.