diphthong

you have a lot of roadie options. can’t speak to gravel or mtb but they would seem to
be fairly well represented.

from solvang, fig(ueroa) mountain is north and a tough climb (clockwise or counter-clockwise ascent) awaits. most of your roadie roads are within the santa ynez valley altho if you head west enough, the santa maria and lompoc areas add a few more options.

heading south pretty much just leads you to refugio rd which is paved, then approx 5 miles of relatively hard-packed dirt to the summit where the pavement appears again. you can make a left onto west camino cielo and continue on pavement uphill for a few more
miles until the summit and more dirt. the dirt eventually descends to the san marcos pass area. if you decide to
blow off the left onto west camino cielo and continue straight on refugio rd., it stays paved-barely. horrible pavement on a really steep descent. the road does take you all the way to the 101 and el capitan state beach.

heading east of solvang has a little for
roadies but it peeters out
pretty quickly. going east does contain the 800 lb gorilla in the room...california hwy 154 up to san marcos pass. tons of fast traffic up or down the hwy and shoulder varies from wide to less than zero. you can divert onto stagecoach rd either heading up or down the 154 in the santa ynez valley for a traffic break with much of the road in the shade. stagecoach rd also has a cool bridge and the cold spring tavern (nice history) enroute. much love/hate with the 154 to/from san marcos pass because there are three grest connecting paved roads near the summit: old san marcos pass rd (heads down to santa barbara), painted cave rd and east camino cielo rd. (eventually connects with gibraltar rd). all three are must-do’s at some point and all three are challenging. any major ride with elevation out of the santa ynez valley will involve the 101 by buelton and/or the 154 over san marcos pass.

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