Got a few days to spare on your visit to Southern California? Here’s a great suggestion-Solvang and the surrounding Santa Barbara wine country is waiting for you.
Nestled within scenic hills and cow-strewn canyons, about a 35-minute-drive north of Santa Barbara, our gem can be found. This is the same location that many of the memorable scenes from the popular movie Sideways were filmed a few years ago. It’s the same area, painted with green rolling hills and gentle peaks, which Lance Armstrong and his team pedaled – training for the Tour de France.
If you have an interest in great road-bicycling you owe it to yourself to visit Solvang and the gorgeous surrounding countryside. Drive up and take your bikes and helmets with you or rent gear in Solvang or neighboring Buellton.
The best time of the year to plan a trip to the area is in the months of April, May and June. The wild flowers are out in spectacular fashion. The lush green grass hills are filled with specks of yellow and orange. The weather is mild and mostly dry after the rainy season in Southern California. The area can be very hot in summer months – so unless
you enjoy cycling in 90 degree plus temperatures – it’s best to cycle in the springtime or late fall. A clear December day works well too.
A Solvang biking experience is fun for just about anyone. It’s a great place to escape to and ride in solitude for a few days if you are so inclined. Take the children or renew and ignite your relationship with someone special. Solvang can be very romantic. Debbie Lee, an Orange County, Calif., pleasure rider, visited Solvang frequently with her boyfriend. “He used to take me up there two to three times a year to ride,” she says. “Then he asked me to marry him one night there.”
A great ride out of town in late morning is on Atterdag Road which becomes Chalk Hill Drive and then Ballard Canyon Road. This route is fun, scenic and comfortable for most riders. You’ll pass farmlands with cows, horses and even a few American bison. The hills are gently rolling and in spring they are crackling green. Crows hover overhead and few cars will pass you on this magnificent stretch of highway. About three miles out on Ballard Canyon you’ll peddle past the very scenic Rusack Vineyards. It’s a great place to stop and if you are so inclined – sample some of the local vintage. Don’t forget to fill-up your water bottle before you and your group departs for more riding. There are no water stations along the route. From Ballard Canyon head to the lovely town of Los Olivos which is about nine miles from Solvang. You’ll find a throwback community with a flagpole in the middle of town, art and antique shops and several quaint eateries.
Fuel up here. If you are traveling with children it’s best to head back to Solvang from Los Olivos along Alamo Pintado Road on the Dan Henry bike path. The path is flat or slightly downhill. You should glide effortlessly in your saddle back to Solvang. The lane is named after the civic-minded retiree who displayed a passion for cycling well into his nineties. I had the pleasure of meeting Dan on one of my many rides, one hot afternoon, at the local market. He was very cheerful and friendly and full of energy. As you ride toward Solvang you’ll pass several more wineries. The Blackjack and the Buttonwood Farm wineries come to mind. You’ll also pass more farmland with grazing cows and then pass a stable with Shetland ponies. The kids will enjoy stopping to visit.
If you are an experienced and strong rider, you and your companion should bypass the route to Solvang and head to Foxen Canyon Road from Los Olivos. You will have more magnificent hills to climb. Ride to the top of Foxen Canyon which is no easy chore. You will have a steep mile or so ascent to the top. You will sweat. Your heart will pound. Look down from above and you will see green grass covering the rolling hills surrounding you. From this vantage point you will take a steep mile descent and come to a junction whereby you can continue on Foxen Canyon Road for more spectacular riding, or turn left onto Zaca Station Road. This route steers you back to town. If you turn left, you will immediately pass the popular Firestone Vineyard which is worth a tour and visit.
The riding from Firestone to Solvang is relatively easy. The scenery is inspiring.
