General Information and Ride Rules - Please Read!

Click here to view the 2010 Roster

Click here to view the 2009 Results

Click here to view Results from previous years!

This is the 2009 design. We'll have a new one in 2010!

Solvang Spring Tour: Don't just spend the day in Solvang, spend a week!
Click here for all the info.

Start/Finish Host Hotel
•  Our new host hotel is the Santa Ynez Valley Marriott located at 555 McMurray Road in Buellton, 800-638-8882. The Marriott will be offering a discounted rate of $179 per night. To get this rate, please let them know you're with Planet Ultra. Please don't wait to make your reservations as the rate will expire a month out.  Our overflow hotel in Buellton is the Quality Inn located at 630 Avenue of the Flags, 805-688-0022. The special Planet Ultra/Solvang Double Century rate is $109 per night for 2 Queens or one King. You must tell them you're with Planet Ultra to get the special deal.

If you prefer to be in Solvang, please stay at the Royal Copenhagen Inn, 1579 Mission Dr.; 805-688-5561. It's right in the middle of town - and a good bargain at $110 per night. We used to host all of our Solvang events at the Royal Copenhagen Inn, and we really like it; but we've out grown the meeting room space, so we simply had to move. Be sure to mention "Planet Ultra" when making your reservations at either hotel, to ensure that you receive our group rate.

Check-In
All riders must check in Friday evening from 6:00pm to 9:00pm or Saturday morning between 5:00am and 7:15am at the Santa Ynez Valley Marriott. Please do your best to check in Friday evening, not Saturday morning, especially if you want an early start time.

Special Rule For Spring Solvang Double Century Only
We'll have a not-so-secret control at Morro Bay where riders will receive a sticker or some other mark on their rider number. To make sure everyone rides the entire the course, riders MUST show their number at the finish - and it better have a sticker or a mark on it. If a rider isn't wearing their number, they will not receive a sticker or a mark and will be listed as DQ in the results. The sticker/mark rule assures both that riders completed the entire route and also were wearing their number, which is absolutely required. It's a no-brainer, so we're going to strictly enforce this rule, ok? No exceptions. Please folks, if you want Grand Slam and/or Triple Crown credit for Solvang, get a sticker or a mark

Come Prepared
Please be in shape for this event. If you cannot complete a moderately hilly century within 8 hours, you'll struggle finishing this ride within the time limit. An "I can do it" attitude is a wonderful plus, but only if you're already conditioned for this type of challenge.

Solvang Open Start Window
As always, we will have an open starting window, from 5:00am to 7:30am. Riders must check out at the start and have their number marked. (If a number isn't marked we can only assume that the rider left earlier than the allowed times; and that rider will be listed as DQ in the results). Please choose your start time based on how long it will take you to complete the course. Planet Ultra suggests the following start times:

5:00-6:30am* - Pre-dawn starting window: Riders who may require more than 15 hours to complete the course are encouraged to start in this window. Please remember that  checkpoint opening times are generally based on the first-light start - so if you start super early, be prepared to take care of yourself if you get to the first checkpoint before it opens. This probably means carrying a camelbak. Of course, you will also have to carry your lights and wear reflective ankle bands on both legs.

6:30-7:00am: All riders who will require 13-15 hours to complete the double century should start in this window. Please sleep in a bit more if you can complete the course in under 15 hours!

7:00-7:30am: Riders expecting to require 11-13 hours to complete the double century should start in this window.

7:30am: All riders who want their time posted on the website must start at 7:30am, along with anyone capable of finishing the double century in under 10 hours.

Due to the volume of riders, and variety of start times, we're not keeping track of ride times for everyone. We realize that some folks "race" the doubles, and their finish times are super important. So, if you're one of these types, plan to start at 7:30am. Only riders starting at 7:30am (all of whom should be able to complete the course in under 12 hours) will be timed. If you plan to complete the course in under 10 hours, you MUST start at 7:30am.

**PLEASE NOTE: Checkpoint opening and closing times are based on the first-light start time of 6:30am. If you're a fast rider, and you start super early, you'll probably beat us to the first and the second checkpoints. Remember, the pre-dawn start times are meant for those riders who really need the extra time, and not for those riders who want to get home before dinner...

Time Limit
Regardless of start time, the course closes at 10:00pm. No exceptions. Riders who fail to make the time cut-off will be listed as Unofficial Finishers.

Parking
If you are staying at a hotel in Buellton, please park there and leave your car there during the event. If you are driving into Buellton on Saturday morning for the event, please be very careful how and where you park. Also, allow more than enough time to find proper parking. Do not park at the Marriott unless you are staying there.

Twilight
Twilight begins at 6:26; Twilight ends at 19:45. Sunrise is at 6:51; Sunset is at 19:20.

Coffee
The very best coffee, chai and hot chocolate in town is at the Bulldog Cafe, 1680 Mission Drive in Solvang- just a few miles up the road on the main drag. Their pastries and brownies are amazing too! They open at 6:00am. Wireless internet also available.

Lights and Clothing Drop (Bring your own bag - we don't supply them)
If you leave your lights and reflective gear at the start, your bag will be waiting for you in Guadalupe. That said, this is a fairly flat course, so carrying your lights yourself - if you need them - should be part of the adventure. Rest assured that it is a MYTH that an extra pound on your bike will slow you down in any significant way for this type of riding.

If there is any chance that you’ll be out past sunset, you MUST have lights and a reflective ankle band on both legs – so please do not under-estimate the time you will need to complete this event. Come prepared with a very good light and backup bulbs and batteries, plus at least one non-blinking taillight and lots of reflective gear. We repeat: BRING LIGHTS. Trust us, you will not be happy if you try to descend Drum Canyon or traverse Hwy 246 in the dark without proper lights and reflective gear.

Support Provided
We have checkpoints at Sisquoc, mile 39, San Luis Obispo, mile 83, San Luis Obispo, mile 107, Guadalupe, mile 144, and Los Alamos, mile 171. At these checkpoints, riders can expect to find bananas, PB&J sandwiches, granola/fruit/energy bars, Hammer Gel, Sustained Energy, Endurolytes, and Gatorade, plus other wholesome edibles. Subway sandwiches will be served at the mile 107 checkpoint in San Luis Obispo.

Volunteers / Sunday Staff Ride
We always need volunteers!!! We can only put these events on with the help of loyal, trustworthy, motivated individuals running the checkpoints along the way. To provide a little incentive, we offer one free entry into any Planet Ultra event for each time you volunteer at a Planet Ultra event. It's a simple formula: "work one, ride one free!" So please contact us to let us know when and where you'd like to help. Please note that the intent of the "work one, ride one free" offer is to encourage riders themselves to give something back to the sport they love. However, we also appreciate when riders bring along family and friends who they've recruited to help out, so we're offering a one-half ride credit to the recruiter if the volunteer doesn't want the ride credit. Ride credits must be used within a year of the date of volunteering. Volunteers at Solvang may use their ride credit to participate in a fully supported Staff Ride on Sunday, April 1st. Staff riders will get leap-frog style support from two SAG vehicles. The SAG vehicles will carry your food/water, your lights, extra-clothes, and whatever else you think you may need. Of course, you'll get Grand Slam and California Triple Crown credit!

Local Weather
Click here for the weather in and around Solvang.

Elevation Profile and 3D Profile of the course.
Click here for these awesome creations by Doug Sloan. (Large file size. Slow to load.)

Route Description - NOTE: Route sheets will be available to registered riders if so requested via email between two weeks and four days before the event. However, we cannot guarantee that the route sheet will be 100% accurate. Though not anticipated, last-minute routing changes may be required.
Starting in 2009, the event starts and finishes just a few miles down the road from its namesake town, Solvang, a quaint, Danish village with great restaurants, window shopping, real shopping, horse-drawn carriages, parks, people in costume, wine-tasting, vineyards, and lots of fun things for the whole family to see and do. Bring your family and make a weekend of it. We promise they'll all have a great time while you ride your bike!

Starting with a wave start, you'll do a short warm-up in the eastern Santa Ynez Valley, then heads up world famous Foxen Canyon. You'll then essentially bypass Santa Maria by jogging around that town on dead quiet Bull Canyon to Hwy 166. Next you'll more or less parallel the 101 as you head north. After some really neat back roads, the route skirts the edge of San Luis Obispo, then goes all the way into super scenic Morro Bay, right to the waterfront and a dramatic view of "the rock." Next you'll roll through some of the prettiest state park miles anywhere, then head south on PCH along the coast through Pismo Beach, and such. After Guadalupe, you'll stay southbound on this desolate and beautiful stretch of Hwy 1, bypassing the whole Lompoc area, and then continuing onto Hwy 135 to the neat little western antique haven of Los Alamos, site of the final checkpoint. From Los Alamos, riders encounter what is essentially the only real climb of the entire day, up and over Drum Canyon, a quiet, twisty, 800 foot, 3.4 mile ascent. It's got a gnarly, technical downhill, so close attention to the matter at hand is imperative. On the other side, we hop onto Hwy 246 back to Buellton, with a big shoulder all the way to town!

The route is 193 miles. And truly, these are the best miles available in an already spectacular riding region. This route is among the fastest, most scenic, and most popular in the entire California Triple Crown series! Total elevation gain: about 7,500'. Fun, fast, and easy!

Towns/regions visited: Solvang, Santa Ynez, Los Olivos, Foxen Canyon, Sisquoc, Santa Maria, Nipomo, Arroyo Grande, San Luis Obispo, Morro Bay, Pismo Beach, Shell Beach, Guadalupe, Los Alamos, and back to Buellton.

Directions
Use Hwy 101 to get to Buellton from either north or south. Take the Hwy 246/Solvang exit. Head towards Solvang; and make the left turn onto McMurray Rd. The Marriott is on the left.

2005 results and ride report

2004 Start, Sisquoc, Guadalupe, SLO park, and Morro Bay
2004 Laguna Lake, Guadalupe, Los Alamos, and finish
2004 Los Alamos Checkpoint Show by volunteer Ryan Zurakowski
2004 San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay Area by SAG driver Elton Bryant
2004 Report, Century Roster, and Double Century Results