Companion Wanted for 200 miles between San Francisco and Santa Barbara
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Companion Wanted for 200 miles between San Francisco and Santa Barbara
I'm planning a 6-day trip with 4 days of riding covering 150-200 miles route between San Francisco and Santa Barbara, during the 3rd or the 4th week of March 2019. I'll be using Adventure Cycling maps. The whole distance from San Francisco to Santa Barbara is 383.5 miles. My first choice is Monterrey to San Luis Obispo at about 150 miles, but I'm open to other starting/finishing points if I find companion(s).
I'm an experienced rider with Red Cross First Aid training and will be doing credit card touring.
Another idea I'm considering is to fly into San Luis Obispo and doing different day rides.
I'm an experienced rider with Red Cross First Aid training and will be doing credit card touring.
Another idea I'm considering is to fly into San Luis Obispo and doing different day rides.
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Have you checked Meetup? There are some touring groups on there where you might be able to find some touring companions.
#4
Bike touring webrarian
This is a very popular route, though March is a bit early for most people. You might find that you can find people already riding to ride with. This is not uncommon.
Why not just do this ride on your own?
Why not just do this ride on your own?
#5
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First off, where exactly are you riding from-to? You mention San Francisco, Monterey, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and mileages of 150 and 385 miles in the same breath; get more specific and someone here could give you better info. Also, where and by what means are you arriving at in California, and where/when are you intending to depart from to go back to NY?. Do a little research, post some good information, and you'll get some good helpful answers from the folks on this forum.
Second, is there any reason you don't want to do this popular route by yourself? March isn't the best time of year to ride the California coast, but there should be other riders and cars on Hwy 1, and its patrolled by the Calif Highway Patrol (CHP), too.
And if you're really paranoid, I'm almost 100% positive you won't find Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers, and Texas hitchhikers with chainsaws on that stretch of road.
Second, is there any reason you don't want to do this popular route by yourself? March isn't the best time of year to ride the California coast, but there should be other riders and cars on Hwy 1, and its patrolled by the Calif Highway Patrol (CHP), too.
And if you're really paranoid, I'm almost 100% positive you won't find Freddy Krueger, Michael Myers, and Texas hitchhikers with chainsaws on that stretch of road.
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#7
C*pt*i* Obvious
If it was less than 200 miles, I'd be so tempted to try and get it done in one day, probably would end up in failure though.
If my wife rode with, it would take 4 days, there would be lots of breaks with many opportunities for pictures, videos and snacks.
If my wife rode with, it would take 4 days, there would be lots of breaks with many opportunities for pictures, videos and snacks.
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I'm planning a 6-day trip with 4 days of riding covering 150-200 miles route between San Francisco and Santa Barbara, during the 3rd or the 4th week of March 2019. I'll be using Adventure Cycling maps. The whole distance from San Francisco to Santa Barbara is 383.5 miles. My first choice is Monterrey to San Luis Obispo at about 150 miles, but I'm open to other starting/finishing points if I find companion(s).
I'm an experienced rider with Red Cross First Aid training and will be doing credit card touring.
Another idea I'm considering is to fly into San Luis Obispo and doing different day rides.
I'm an experienced rider with Red Cross First Aid training and will be doing credit card touring.
Another idea I'm considering is to fly into San Luis Obispo and doing different day rides.
superunderrated part of california. great riding with less traffic. miles of smiles.
Rides - SLOBC
scroll down until you find something that fits your style. lots of rides with or w/o others. oh...looks like you've already located that site.
this semi-recent and semi-relevant (area south of san luis obispo) thread may or may not be helpful...
www.bikeforums.net/southern-california/1160420-cycling-around-santa-maria.html
Last edited by diphthong; 02-14-19 at 04:32 AM.
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The point of riding with a companion is safety and camaraderie. But the more I research the more I’m thinking about doing it solo. Now my only concern is the weather, but 60 degrees F will be fine coming from 30s and 40s in New York.
I’ll be flying in with my bike and staying at hotels and inns throughout. For Big Sur and one more stop, I may have to camp out given the lack of options.
I’ll be flying in with my bike and staying at hotels and inns throughout. For Big Sur and one more stop, I may have to camp out given the lack of options.
Last edited by panchothepug; 02-15-19 at 03:24 AM.
#12
Banned
Given the popularity of that and the whole Pacific Coast as a bike touring route , you will meet people also riding..
We get a Case lot of paper maps for the Oregon section of that route, printed by the state DOT and give out hundreds , every summer..
....
We get a Case lot of paper maps for the Oregon section of that route, printed by the state DOT and give out hundreds , every summer..
....
#14
Every day a winding road
IMHO, there is no reason to go beyond SLO. In fact the ride down into Santa Barbara is sort of unpleasant. Not to mention awfully steep. If you do it be sure to have good brakes.
#15
Every day a winding road
Further down the road is Ragged Point but that might be too close for you the day after Big Sur. But I highly recommend that hotel too. Again captive audience for meals but they are very good.
There are lots of great options for food along the way. Probably the best eats on any tour I have ever done. Be sure to check out Arguello Market for a turkey sandwich before leaving San Fransisco.
The hostel down by the waterfront in San Fransico is very good. Likewise the one in Montara beautiful views from the room. Be sure to book early.
#16
Every day a winding road
Oh I see. You only want to do a 200 mile chunk? I would start in Monterrey then ride to SLO. That is the sweet spot IMHO and right at 200 miles Though Montarra is awfully nice as mentioned but it gets pretty boring past that. Santa Cruz to Monterrey gets pretty boring too till you hit Moss Landing which is kind of nice. An it has La Haute Enchilada!
.
.
Last edited by spinnaker; 02-14-19 at 09:21 PM.
#17
C*pt*i* Obvious
Very tempting, the only thing that puts me off are the typical aggressive west coast drivers.
In China we have lots of predictably stupid drivers, however they are also less hostile compared to drivers in the states.
California and Texas were by far the worst places I have ever driven.
In China we have lots of predictably stupid drivers, however they are also less hostile compared to drivers in the states.
California and Texas were by far the worst places I have ever driven.
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The point of riding with a companion is safety and camaraderie. But the more I research the more I’m thinking about doing it solo. Now my only concern is the weather, but 60 defrees F will fine coming from 30s and 40s in New York.
I’ll be flying in with my bike and staying at hotels and inns throughout. For Big Sur and one more stop, I may have to camp out given the lack of options.
I’ll be flying in with my bike and staying at hotels and inns throughout. For Big Sur and one more stop, I may have to camp out given the lack of options.
We are having a very wet, cold winter here. We got about 5 inches of rain yesterday and today, and it snowed last week at my house (at 1700ft), just outside of Santa Cruz.
I first did that ride in February, and it was great weather, but this February it would have been a complete disaster.
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The point of riding with a companion is safety and camaraderie. But the more I research the more I’m thinking about doing it solo. Now my only concern is the weather, but 60 degrees F will be fine coming from 30s and 40s in New York.
I’ll be flying in with my bike and staying at hotels and inns throughout. For Big Sur and one more stop, I may have to camp out given the lack of options.
I’ll be flying in with my bike and staying at hotels and inns throughout. For Big Sur and one more stop, I may have to camp out given the lack of options.
https://weatherspark.com/m/145254/3/...-United-States
I stayed at the HI Hostel at Fishermans Wharf in San Fransisco. Good price for lodging within the city. They fill up, so you should make a reservation. At that time there was a Safeway grocery store a short distance away, but there were not a lot of restaurants nearby. I do not know if you can ship a bike there in advance if you were using BikeFlights, you would have to call and ask. They had a locked room near the front door where they stored our bikes while we were there. But it is a hostel, not a higher end motel, so no airport shuttle van.
https://www.hihostels.com/destinations/0059/hostels
#20
Banned
Yea, a couple years ago, Heavy, wet , winter Storms washed out bridges and caused landslides it took a year, + , to repair & clear ..
And its another winter like that one..
...
And its another winter like that one..
...
#21
Every day a winding road
Good odds of getting wet one day, or maybe a couple.
https://weatherspark.com/m/145254/3/...-United-States
I stayed at the HI Hostel at Fishermans Wharf in San Fransisco. Good price for lodging within the city. They fill up, so you should make a reservation. At that time there was a Safeway grocery store a short distance away, but there were not a lot of restaurants nearby. I do not know if you can ship a bike there in advance if you were using BikeFlights, you would have to call and ask. They had a locked room near the front door where they stored our bikes while we were there. But it is a hostel, not a higher end motel, so no airport shuttle van.
https://www.hihostels.com/destinations/0059/hostels
https://weatherspark.com/m/145254/3/...-United-States
I stayed at the HI Hostel at Fishermans Wharf in San Fransisco. Good price for lodging within the city. They fill up, so you should make a reservation. At that time there was a Safeway grocery store a short distance away, but there were not a lot of restaurants nearby. I do not know if you can ship a bike there in advance if you were using BikeFlights, you would have to call and ask. They had a locked room near the front door where they stored our bikes while we were there. But it is a hostel, not a higher end motel, so no airport shuttle van.
https://www.hihostels.com/destinations/0059/hostels
#22
Every day a winding road
Very tempting, the only thing that puts me off are the typical aggressive west coast drivers.
In China we have lots of predictably stupid drivers, however they are also less hostile compared to drivers in the states.
California and Texas were by far the worst places I have ever driven.
In China we have lots of predictably stupid drivers, however they are also less hostile compared to drivers in the states.
California and Texas were by far the worst places I have ever driven.
#23
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Which reminds me that I had a good photo. Riding our bikes on Fishermans Wharf at 4:30am on the way to the shuttle bus stop, the shuttle to the Amtrak station. Thus no crowds at 4:30 am, and not much light either, the camera exposure was 1/10 of a second.
#24
Banned
Montara is another nice Hostel , down the coast.. Point Montara Lighthouse Hostel | Point Montara Lighthouse Hostel
#25
Every day a winding road
Montara is another nice Hostel , down the coast.. Point Montara Lighthouse Hostel | Point Montara Lighthouse Hostel
https://www.bikeforums.net/20795345-post15.html
With the OPs 200 mile limit, Montara might be out of the question. Much better to ride south of Monterrey if you need to choose IMHO.