So yup, I biked 64 miles around Santa Barbara and it’s neighboring cities, along the beaches, through the foothills, downtown, uptown, through a mountainside neighborhood, and then some. It took 5.5 hours. I purportedly burned 2200 calories. It was longer than my previous longest two bike rides combined (37 mi and 26 mi), and I kind of can’t believe I pulled it off.
What a tour it was! I’m getting ready to move away from Santa Barbara (boo), so I figured the time was ripe to explore new places the proper way: on two wheels. First, 4 miles down to Goleta Beach, UCSB and Isla Vista (first picture above; click to view), which is old. I continued west, away from Santa Barbara and down by sandpiper golf course and the Bacara resort. Both are super classy vacationing spots for richer LA residents, I hear. At mile 9, I turned back, reached the foothills, a new area for me, and began the journey east alongside citrus and avocado orchards.
At mile 14, I reentered the residential section of town, and promptly got lost. It was a nice neighborhood when I stopped to find my bearings (and take that picture), but for those of you who haven’t been to Santa Barbara, you’ll know it doesn’t even compare to Hope Ranch, Montecito, and other ritzier sections.
At mile 23, I got to Mission Santa Barbara, which is, by the way, strategically placed at the top of the hill. Emphasis on the top of the hill part. I do well on level roads, averaging close to 14 mph, but uphills are painful on a road bike that doesn’t downshift very well.
Rolling downhill from the mission was a mistake, because next was the aggressive climb up to Mountain Drive in Montecito. Miles 28 and 29 were a steep 800 ft ascension, something I could barely manage on a bike. Urghhhhhhhh!!! It’s symbolized well by the beehive in that tree hollow.
Mountain Drive at the top was worth it, though. I could just see Santa Barbara harbor in the distance, and I got to bike on the empty windy road, hairpin curves and all. It’s not often I get to lean into turns like that! Bonus reward: rolling down the mountain at 20 mph. I could’ve gone faster (I was braking), but the asphalt was cracked by the trees.
Down at Summerland was when the going got hard. I was on mile 39, and I had to get all the way back. I had already drank through my two water bottles, so downtown at East Beach and the harbor, I refilled both bottles and snacked a lot.
Up the mesa, 47. down the mesa, 50. Away from the mesa, 52. Though More Mesa (that’s the place’s name, haha), 56. Goleta Beach, 60.
Almost done… I was dangerously hungry at that point, so I wanted to recover a huge chunk of my calories quickly. Therefore, Freebirds’ huge-ass burrito, 61! I packed it up, made the last three miles in good time, and chowed down. The following day, my body was just kind of confused and upset; I alternated between being hungry and being tired all day. At least I wasn’t sore…
I took breaks for photos, but the ride was still a test of endurance on par with a half marathon, perhaps even more. Next up, a half marathon?!
Edit, July 2016: I remember writing that last line and scoffing incredulously. Me?? Running a half marathon?! Preposterous!! Well now, just two years later, I can wake up and run a half at 7:30 pace basically whenever I feel like it. wtf.