April Rides

[Crankin]

Thanks!

[rebeccaC]

some spring riding for all still having bad weather...

Alex was traveling for a conference so I decided to do some solo rides on Santa Ynez valley roads and Figueroa mountain road last weekend. It’s just a 90+ min drive to Los Olivos and a wonderful small hotel which has a great spa too. Spent last Sat. riding Figueroa which still has some winter road damage and that made for only two cars on the ride. There were a number of other riders though which led to some good interactions…met an interesting woman who lives in the area. She liked my homemade energy bars and we had a good talk where we stopped at the top. I was stopping for photography so we said goodbye on the descent. It was slower climbs and especially descents because of road conditions but the views were worth it, especially in contemplative meditation value.










she’s ‘cloud hidden whereabouts unknown’….



and one of the most beautiful descents I’ve done




Then on Sunday Foxen Canyon road for a relaxing ride on the valley floor through farm country. The area is becoming more popular with cyclists because of the beauty and the variation of the kinds of rides you can do on less traveled roads.

[emily_in_nc]

Wow, what gorgeous terrain, but so mountainous -- I would die. Love the valley rides, though. How lovely to see empty roads from down here in crowded central Florida. Thanks for posting these beautiful images, Rebecca!

[north woods gal]

Makes me want to pack up and come out there for a ride, Rebecca. You are truly fortunate to live in such a beautiful area and, as always, your photography is stunning. That-you, so much. I will carry those images with me for the next few days. Really helps.

Emily, come on up for a visit, this summer, if you want to avoid crowds. Hundreds of miles of paved roads though beautiful north woods with very little traffic. Mostly rolling hills, but nothing extreme. Our hottest days are in the 80s. You'll more likely see deer than another bicyclist, maybe even a bear.

As for us, one more day of riding, today, but then the big storm, now called Winter Storm Xanto, hits, though no certainty, at this point, how much snow we'll get, though it could be over a foot.