DAY ONE: SAN FRANCISCO TO SANTA CRUZ
Our AIDS/LifeCycle adventure begins as we ride out immediately following Opening Ceremonies. The route on Day 1 offers some of the best scenery and cycling roads that San Mateo County has to offer. The stunning coastal views from hilltops to the ocean are truly Northern California at its best! Tailwinds prevail as we pedal along scenic CA Hwy 1 on our way to Harvey West Park in the City of Santa Cruz. Highlight of the day: The lunch stop on Day 1 offers a spectacular and breathtaking view of the ocean.
DAY TWO: SANTA CRUZ TO KING CITY
We rise and shine early on Day 2 to beat the Santa Cruz morning rush hour commute and get an early start on our second day in the saddle! This is a long mileage day with relatively flat terrain that will take us through the Salinas Valley, also known as Steinbeck Country. The lushness of vineyards, strawberry and artichoke fields stretch as far as the eye can see in all directions. There are usually excellent tailwinds along the roller coaster road that takes you into King City at the end of the day. Highlight of the day: Mission Soledad, the Water Stop location on Day 2 is one of the most historic and special destinations on the ride. Take a moment to enjoy the peaceful serenity of the Mission Chapel.
DAY THREE: KING CITY TO PASO ROBLES
Quadbuster. Don't let the name scare you. We are sure to make it to the top with our fellow cyclists (and perhaps a special guest) cheering us on and up! But Quadbuster is only a small part of the route on Day 3. We will pedal on remote roads passing only a few small quaint stores, mostly later in the day. Rest Stop 4 is at Mission San Miguel, one of California's 21 historic Missions. The day ends as we ride into Paso Robles where we camp at The Mid State Fairgrounds. We dine inside the fairgrounds dining hall - what a treat! Highlight of the day: Lunch on Day 3 is in the small town of Bradley where the local school hosts a BBQ to raise money for their field trip program.
DAY FOUR: PASO ROBLES TO SANTA MARIA
The route on Day 4 has a little bit of everything - a feast for the eyes with stunning vistas and ocean views that give way to sprawling fields of farmland and even some quaint seaside towns. The route will wind along some remote and seldom-traveled roads as well as some congested town streets. Before lunch we will conquer the infamous Evil Twins. The views from the top of that second sister hill are nothing short of spectacular and we may even find ourselves forgetting that we are pedaling uphill (yeah, right!). From there we will ride back out to the coast and through the city of Pismo Beach (Do I smell Cinnamon Rolls?) and on into Preisker Park in the beautiful Central California city of Santa Maria. Highlight of the day: Half Way to LA!! At the top of the second sister hill we will come upon a vista point turnout where we will have the opportunity to have our picture taken with the Half Way to LA sign!
DAY FIVE: SANTA MARIA TO LOMPOC
Day 5 begins with a beautiful and scenic ride through the farmlands of Santa Maria. At the edge of town, we will enter one of Santa Barbara County's prettiest wine country roads. The scenery will be classic Central California with sprawling vineyards and ancient oak trees making the few challenging climbs along the way well worth the effort. Lunch is located in the quaint tourist town of Solvang - a town founded by Danish immigrants. The authentic Danish architecture, thatched roofs, traditional windmills give the town an old world feel, making it a very popular cycling destination. Departing Solvang, we will pedal through Buellton, home of the world famous Pea Soup Andersen's and head into Lompoc on more beautiful and scenic wine country roads. Highlight of the day: Oh my, but don't you look just fabulous in that Red Dress!
DAY SIX: LOMPOC TO VENTURA
Day 6 begins on one of the prettiest roads on the entire route. We will pedal through vast expansive ranchlands with wildflower covered hills on both sides! As we ride toward the coast through the gorgeous Gaviota Pass we will be on US101. This is a well travelled freeway and caution should be practiced at all times along this portion of the route. After lunch we will pass through the heart of Santa Barbara, Montecito and Carpinteria and on into Ventura where we camp at San Buenaventura State Beach. Highlight of the day: Day 6 is the best bet for dolphin sightings!! Cast an eye to the sea and glimpse those playful creatures jumping in and out of the water as they frolic just off the coast.
DAY SEVEN: VENTURA TO LOS ANGELES
Almost there! Today our trip south will take us through Ventura, Oxnard and Port Hueneme (pronounced Why-Knee-Me) and Malibu. We will see the military planes on display as we ride past the Naval Air Station on our way to Highway 1 also known as the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). Once on PCH it's a straight shot down the coastline for about 20 miles. We will enjoy the southern California sights of surfers and beach goers as we pedal through Malibu on our way toward LA. We will complete your journey with a turn away from the coast and nice pedal through Santa Monica on our way to the Closing Ceremonies site. Highlight of the day: The streets are peppered along the route on Day 7 with friends, family and well-wishers.
For more information about the route, go to http://www.aidslifecycle.org/life-on-the-event/route/
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
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