Welcome to the ultimate one-week cycling celebration!  At the Solvang Spring Tour you'll experience the best routes in Southern California's most popular cycling region. This is where the pros train! Where Lance spent time preparing to win #7! California cycling just doesn't get any better than this! We’ve created routes that will be new adventures for even the most seasoned Santa Ynez Valley cycling veterans, visiting hidden spots in all kinds of neat locations. Riders can choose between two or three different routes most days - one long (60-110 miles), one medium (40-60) and one short (20-40). All totally fun and non-competitive! We definitely take our time and smell the... poppies!

Routes are challenging, but (other than Figueroa Mountain) not overly difficult. On average, the long routes have between 3,000 and 5,000 feet of vertical gain, and the medium and short routes between 1,500 and 3,500. Most of the climbing is gradual and not too steep. Many riders will find that a low gear of 39 x 25 is sufficient on most routes; but a 39 x 27 or 29, or better yet, a triple crank, will be much appreciated on a few of the climbs for the long rides. Please note: What you'd use for a single day event is probably not enough for a week long tour. You will fatigue from the accumulated miles. Also, please bring a good, sturdy set of wheels, as some of the roads are less than perfect, and we do cross many cattle guards during the week. Light-weight, fancy wheels are really not appropriate for this type of Tour.

Note: All rides begin at 9:00am at Royal Copenhagen in Solvang, unless otherwise agreed upon. It's pretty cold in the morning, and sometimes foggy. Our experience is that it warms up by around 9:00am - so why start earlier? All long rides are semi-supported, meaning there will be at least one simple SAG stop. Almost all route sheets have a designated café for all to stop and enjoy in the latter part of each ride. Remember, we don’t have ‘that far’ to ride every day, so stop and smell the roses, kick back in cafés, get to know one another! Enjoy your vacation!

There's tons to do in the Solvang area - so bring along your non-cycling spouse or significant other. Enjoy shopping, fine restaurants, wine tasting, golf, horseback riding, glider rides, and so much more. You can tempt lady luck with Las Vegas style gaming at the Chumash Indian Casino (and we hear they have a great buffet too). Remember that silly movie "Sideways"? See all the sights made famous in that film! Enjoy an afternoon in Santa Barbara or San Luis Obispo. The entertainment is endless!

General Information - Please Read!

  If you want to avoid the active.com fees, click here for the mail-in/pay-by-check form.

Click here to see the 2008 roster

Click here to see the Official 2008 Solvang Spring Tour Blog!

Entry fee of $245 includes: Planet Ultra Solvang jersey, dessert buffet welcome, pizza party, a complete set of route sheets, supported rides, goodie bag, and lots of fun in the Southern California sun! (Accommodations and meals are not included.)  Please note: We do not offer a separate/different entry fee to riders who wish to ride less than the full tour.

*We have two positions available to work half - ride half and pay half for the week. If you're interested in this option, please contact the embassy for details.

Rider Check-In / Dessert Social
Saturday night from 8 to 9pm. Anyone who can't make that time can pick up their route sheets before the Sunday ride, and the goodie bags afterwards. Our group has the big common room (under the stairs, on the far side of the swimming pool) for our purposes all week, so that will be the hub of all the activities. (Pre-registered riders only. No showing up and registering on the spot!)

Traveling to Solvang
If you're flying to California, you can fly into either Los Angeles or Santa Barbara. Rental cars are available at both locations. From Santa Barbara you can arrange shuttle service to Solvang for about $138 round trip (http://www.superride.net). Feel free to use our bulletin board to post messages for ride sharing. If you're driving to Solvang, whether coming from the North or South, you'll take the 101 freeway to Hwy 246 in Buellton and follow the signs to Solvang. If you plan to ship your bike to Solvang, please make arrangements with the Royal Copenhagen Inn, or other place of lodging if you're staying elsewhere. Planet Ultra cannot be responsible for your bike.

Weather
Bring your sunscreen - but also leg warmers, arm warmers and a jacket or vest. Come prepared for every kind of weather.

Additional Information:
Most nights we'll have a suggested dinner restaurant location. Join us if you wish!

Coffee
The very best coffee, chai and hot chocolate in town is at the Bulldog Cafe, 1680 Mission Drive - across the street and a couple of blocks up the main drag from the Royal Copenhagen. Their pastries and brownies are amazing too! They open at 6:00am. Wireless internet also available.

Here's the planned route schedule for 2008 (but not set in stone for future Spring Tours):

Sunday: Alisos and Cat Canyons (slideshow)
154 to 101 to Alisos Canyon to Cat Canyon to Los Alamos, then back on 101 and 154 to Los Olivos.
63.5 miles, total elevation gain = 2,830’

Monday: Figueroa Mountain (slideshow)
Figueroa Mountain via Happy Canyon and back via Los Olivos. This is a super tough ride with prolonged, steep climbs. Be prepared to ride on some unpaved roads which are hard-packed gravel.
50 miles, total elevation gain = 4,900’

Tuesday: Casmalia (slideshow)
246 to Purisima Mission to Vandenburg Village to San Antonio Rd to Casmalia to 135 to Los Alamos, then back over Drum Canyon.
78.4 miles, total elevation gain = 4,100' (shorter option available)

Wednesday: Jalama Beach (slideshow)
Santa Rosa Rd to 1 to Jalama Beach to 1 to 101 and past Nojoqui Falls Park. GREAT hamburgers at the beach! This is a super tough ride, especially when you factor in the wind.
78.6 miles, total elevation gain = 5,330' (shorter option available)

Thursdsay: Santa Rosa Road and Harris Grade
246 to Santa Rosa Road through Lompoc and Highway 1 up the Harris Grade. Drop down to 135 and back via Los Alamos and Drum Canyon.
64 miles, total elevation gain = 4,000'

Friday: Tepusquet Century (slideshow )
246 to Drum Canyon to Los Alamos to Cat Canyon to Sisquoc to Santa Maria to 166 to Tepusquet to Foxen Canyon to Los Olivos.
111 miles, total elevation gain = 5,400’ (shorter option available)

Saturday: Cruise around the Valley
A great tour of Solvang, Ballard, Santa Ynez, Los Olivos and Foxen Canyon.
39 miles, total elevation gain = about 1,500’

NOTE: Route sheets are not available prior to rider check-in; so please, please don't ask us to send them to you.