Guests will arrive in Santa Barbara (SBA), and our staff will do airport  and hotel pickups. After you register, we will email a list of suggested hotels for guests planning to arrive early. Please email us your arrival/departure plans, including flight numbers.

Flying into LA (LAX) is also an option. If you decide to fly into LA, renting a car or booking a shuttle is best. After receiving your reservation, we will email you more travel details.

Everyone will have time to settle into the For Friends Inn and enjoy our first chef-prepared meal.

After lunch, our mechanics will work on building guest bikes or fitting people to their rentals. We will depart for an afternoon shakeout spin once all the bikes are ready, and all the guests have arrived.

Today’s Ride: Arrival Spin

25-30 miles & 1,000′ – 1,500′

Surfaces: Pavement

Most queen stages are defined by a significant climb, but do not let our Jalama beach route fool you. It is an epic route! This ride will be an endurance challenge with great climbs and lonely country roads. The Long Option starts at The For Friends Inn, and the shorter option shuttles the first 24 miles of the ride to the junction of iconic Highway 1. Once we turn towards Jalama Beach, we have another 14 miles to the Pacific Ocean and Jalama Beach. The secluded beach sits on the rugged coastline and has a small restaurant known for its Jalama Burger. The support van will have snacks to fuel us up before retracing our route back to Highway 1. Once reaching the highway, we will turn left towards Lompoc before heading onto Santa Rosa Road. This stretch of road is full of agriculture and vineyards. Before returning to Santa Ynez, the final miles will bring us through Buellton and Solvang.

Today’s Ride: Jalama Beach

55-75 miles & 4,000′ – 5,500′

Surfaces: Pavement

Mount Gibraltar is a challenge! The ride has steeper pitches, amazing views, and fun descents; it’s been used in the Tour Of California. The climbing starts after 10 miles; the bulk comes in a 10-mile stretch, gaining 3,500’ at an average grade of 6.2%. We can do a nice out-and-back along the ridgeline of the Santa Ynez mountains to extend the ride. Once you crest the ridgeline, we still have more climbing, but the descents offer a great reward.  We will finish up and have a short shuttle back to Santa Ynez.

Today’s Ride: Mount Gibraltar

32-40 miles & 4,000′ – 5,000′

Surfaces: Pavement

The Canyons ride has something for everyone: rolling hills, quiet roads, and plenty of vineyards and open spaces.  The route follows the wine trail North of Los Olivos on Foxen Canyon and climbs up Firestone hill, which offers an expansive view of the valley.  At Sisquoc, we head up Tepusquet and gradually climb on a beautiful quiet road. At the top of the climb, guests can decide whether to drop down the backside of Tepusquet and turn around at Highway 166. The descent is lovely; it feels like a European descent with many hairpin turns and very low traffic. The climb up the backside is slightly over 5 miles gaining 1,100’, and is a 5.5% average grade. From there, it’s a net loss as we follow the same route back to Figueroa Mountain Brewing in Los Olivos, where we will finish with a post-ride picnic lunch celebration.

Today’s Ride: The Canyons

52-76 miles & 3,200′ – 5,800′

Surfaces: Pavement

Shuttles will run to the Santa Barbara airport all morning, with the last shuttle leaving at 11 a.m. Please email us your departure times.

For those who don’t depart early, you are welcome to go on an optional self-guided ride on a nearby route.

Today’s Plan: Departure Day

Checkout by 11 a.m.