Hey guys, I'm going to be riding out to Santa Barbara this coming week and I just need some help.

I'm planning to leave at 7am and get there around 3-5, or maybe sooner depending on how long the stops and sight seeing will be.

I'm thinking of going the same way that the tour of santa barbara went. It was something like,

->Santa Susana pass-> LA avenue-> Balcom-> Ojai->lake casitas-> santa barbara.

I dont remember the turns whatsoever. I can get to LA avenue over Santa Susana from my house no problem but from there I'm really confused.

Does anyone have a detailed turning list or route I can follow? Please :)

ALSO!! I think Danno would help, I just haven't had a chance to get a hold of him. What are some good places to go out in Santa Barbara? I'll be bringing clothes and the like, so no biker gear hehe. Clubs, cool bars, and other fun stuff to do there.

Let me know if anyone can help :)

Thanks!!!

PS: Anyone is willing to come with us but we will be riding relatively fast(not too fast but we won't be waiting 30+mins at the top of climbs and taking 1hr food rest stops).

The routeslip is in the first post.
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=277890

My only contribution is that I prefer Grimes Canyon to Balcom.

My only contribution is that I prefer Grimes Canyon to Balcom.Yeah, me too. :D

+10000000

We did Grimes the first time and everyone wanted something different because of all the truck traffic that day. That is how Balcom came to be.

hit up the sportsman downtown for cheap drinks.

hit up the sportsman downtown for cheap drinks.

cool thanks, address??? Hopefully it comes up on google->local in santa barbara

I would download Google earth and make your own route. That's always the most fun, IMO.

When are you doing this? I'll ask my coach if I can work it in somehow, a longer ride would be nice.

A few alternate routes in Santa Barbara:
http://www.santabarbara.com/default.asp?url=http://trafficsolutions.info/PDFs/South%20County/Santa%20Barbara_hi.pdf

Can't go wrong with lunch at Carlito's:

http://www.santabarbara.com/dining/review_read.asp?pk_restaurant=623

My only contribution is that I prefer Grimes Canyon to Balcom.

Boo! And Boo to Roadfix and Scoot too. Grimes is where all the scary trailer trucks pass you within inches. Balcom puts hair on your chest. TdeSB III will have Balcom in it, so you boys better toughen up. You didn't hear me, a girl, complaining or Thomson complaining. :rolleyes::p:D

Ovo, do Balcom if you use my TdeSB II route. You're young and should be going up that hill.

Going north, neither Balcom nor Grimes is very steep, so it really isn't a matter of "toughening up". For me, the north side of Grimes is just prettier. And that descent is more fun than the steep side of Balcom.

The trucks on the stretch approaching Grimes can get annoying if it's a weekday (and sometimes even on Saturday), but for the most part, I've found them to be far better drivers than the cars.

Jim, does that mean you are doing this ride? I don't see a date?

That last piece of Balcom going north is steep, perhaps 15%, but short. I do agree with you that Grimes is more enjoyable, the downhill while going north is a real cruise. It was the truck traffic that demanded a new route. Since that is at my back door, I take the canyon toward my destination, if I am headed east from Fillmore, I take Grimes, if west I take Balcom. If I am doing the loop, I always take Grimes over and Balcom back. Catch the best part of both. Trucks don't bother me because I am usually alone or in a small group. We had a larger group on SB-I day and that is tougher to keep along the shoulder. Balcom does have much less traffic though.

And, nope, I wasn't planning to do this ride.

Going north, neither Balcom nor Grimes is very steep, so it really isn't a matter of "toughening up". For me, the north side of Grimes is just prettier. And that descent is more fun than the steep side of Balcom.


I must be confusing Grimes with some other road then. The road we took was most definitely NOT prettier than Balcom and had a ton of trucks on it on a Saturday. They were very close and when Bill went down on that road, had one been there, he most likely would have been hit. There was almost zero shoulder to speak of. As for the "toughening up" ribbing I was giving - I assumed the preferences for Grimes were due to the climb on Balcom as I couldn't imagine any other reason you boys wouldn't want to do Balcom - but I realize now that you, Vance, wouldn't be bothered by the steepness that normally kills me on that road going either direction. I'm still surprised to hear you say that you prefer Grimes.

But isn't SB more than 8 miles away?


;)

But isn't SB more than 8 miles away?
;)

The train must be involved. ;)

get on at northridge and off at SB.....couldnt be an easier route!

What day are you coming out? I could probably help you out when you get here.

Hey, I'll meet you in Ventura for the last part of the ride. Any idea what time you'll be coming through? Oh, and which day?

What day are you coming out? I could probably help you out when you get here.

Coming on Friday, will be there Friday evening and possibly Saturday evening! Let me know :)

Hey, I'll meet you in Ventura for the last part of the ride. Any idea what time you'll be coming through? Oh, and which day?

We're going out Friday, no idea what time we'll be there. I'll pm you my cell

packed and ready to go, leaving at 7am

Have a nice ride Oleg

Have a nice ride Oleg

Thanks Thomson :)

packed and ready to go, leaving at 7am

you going by yourself? :eek: :( Why not wait until the TdeSB III...which is coming up soon???

hey merider do you have a mileage profile for the "updated" route slip on that original thread?? I'm trying to figure how much to go before the next turn and such.

It would help alot :)

Thakns!!

No I'm going with a friend

you going by yourself? :eek: :( Why not wait until the TdeSB III...which is coming up soon???

Oooh, maybe I'll be able to do it. When is it?

Oooh, maybe I'll be able to do it. When is it?

Sometime in January/February. I just have to figure out a weekend. If no rain, it should be a perfect time of year to do it as it is miserable to ride TdeSB in the heat. I'd love it if you join, but you'll have to do repeats on Balcom to entertain yourself while I climb it once. :p

hey merider do you have a mileage profile for the "updated" route slip on that original thread?? I'm trying to figure how much to go before the next turn and such.

It would help alot :)

Thakns!!

No I'm going with a friend

Mileage profile? It's about 100 or so miles. ;) I do not have a turn-by-turn route slip, no. Sorry.

I ran into Ovoleg today at the summit of the climb out of Santa Paula. I dropped down then had miserable heaadwinds the rest of the way to Westlake. The climb over Balcom was actually the only shelter I had!

I met up with Ovoleg and Joe a couple of miles after the summit from Santa Paula. Considering they had just completed an 8 mile climb, they were pretty peppy. I miscalculated the timing and ended up riding over 25 miles backwards along their route to meet them. Didn't have time to go over Casitas Pass with them but it was fun. Hope to ride with you guys again some time.

I ran into Ovoleg today at the summit of the climb out of Santa Paula. I dropped down then had miserable heaadwinds the rest of the way to Westlake. The climb over Balcom was actually the only shelter I had!

Great kit :) Nice to see you!! You came just as we strolled into that Summit place, we made good time considering we stopped a grip of times to take photos and such.

I'll make a report or something and put some photos up. great ride

I met up with Ovoleg and Joe a couple of miles after the summit from Santa Paula. Considering they had just completed an 8 mile climb, they were pretty peppy. I miscalculated the timing and ended up riding over 25 miles backwards along their route to meet them. Didn't have time to go over Casitas Pass with them but it was fun. Hope to ride with you guys again some time.

NEIL!!! So nice to meet you man, you were friendly and humorous too!!

Seriously you SAVED ME!!!! without you, it would take like 3 days to get to Santa Barbara with that wheel. You true'd it like a PRO. Both Joe and I kept riding and we were in disbelief that you fixed it so fast. I was like, "dude he fixed it in like 30seconds", and he said, "ya and its probably better than it was before...wtf hes good!!!"

Thanks again!!!! Sorry I missed your phone calls, I had no reception in Ojai.