Monday, May 12, 2008
On Monday we are riding up to Solvang, a hamlet in the California plains: at once a seemingly touristy but actually authentic Danish settlement, a hub for the surrounding Santa Ynez wine valley, and a biking mecca. They continually host a stage (recently a time trial) in the Tour of California.
Leaving Oxnard and Ventura, we were forced onto a chunk on the avoid-as-much-as-you-can 101 highway, then small roads from Baker, with directions from a very kitted local cyclist, small roads away from Casitas and along the beach to Santa Barbara. Lunch was bottomless warm taco chips and fajitas from Sharkeez. We road up through residential Santa Barbara and then began a long climb, probably about 10 kilometers, up highway 154. We were aiming for an alternate, quieter road back down into the Santa Ynez valley along Stagecoach road, but we just kept climbing, unknowingly, towards Lizard Mouth. It was stunning and a lovely winding climb, but about 5 kilometers out of the, um, way. We sorted ourselves out, hit a monstrous descent, then back on 154. Stayed at the Copenhagen, ate gnocchi and stuffed Angelica chicken at Cafe Angelica, drank a Mandolina Super Tuscan. We wanted cheesecake. Only option: the chinese restaurant. No thanks.
145km