Ride: 153 - 163 Hilly Flexible
Leaders: Tom Adams, 916-764-7019, tcadams54@yahoo.com
Sandy Yarrow, 916-802-0898, skybike2@gmail.com
Description: Hotel: Hotel Solares, 600 Riverside Ave., Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Phone: 831-458-9660
Room Rates: $110.00 + tax
You must be a member of the Sacramento Wheelmen Cycling Club in order to participate. Make your reservations by phoning the hotel (831-458-9660). For the Hotel Solares group discount rate ($110 plus tax), provide our group code (“Zodiac”) and make your reservation by March 10. There will be two beds in all rooms set aside for us. Social hour (beer and snack food included) will be in the Hotel Solares inner courtyard following the ride each day. Dave Grattendick is hosting dinner at his Santa Cruz home on Monday, March 25. Whether you stay at the Hotel Solares or not, please RSVP the
ride leader at tcadams54@yahoo.com. Are you staying at the Hotel Solares? Are you going to the hosted dinner on Monday? Please let the ride leader know if two of you are sharing a room so that he has an accurate head count. $10 donation appreciated.
Ride Itinerary: Rides on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday start at the Hotel Solares. Wednesday’s ride starts in Pescadero.
2024 Santa Cruz Zodiac Itinerary:
March 25: After you arrive in Santa Cruz, this short ride (22.3 miles) heads east from the Hotel Solares and does a loop through Scotts Valley. Total climbing: 1,528 feet. At the end of the route, we go down to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, go to the end of the wharf, and then back to the hotel on a bicycle trail.
Start time: 1 pm.
GPS route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45067478
March 26: Pescadero-Tunitas Creek. Two routes to choose from: 55 miles and 6,147 feet of climbing or 45 miles and 4,347 feet of climbing. Pescadero is a 36.8-mile drive from Santa Cruz. Park along the south side of the road at the intersection of Stage Rd & Pescadero Creek Rd. The short ride stops for lunch at Alice’s Restaurant (mile 25). You can get anything you want, so long as it’s on the menu. Those on the long route have several refuel options to choose from in Woodside (mile 29).
Start time: 9:45 am
GPS route: Short route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/7058183
Long route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/7058148
March 27: This route from the Hotel Solares heads south and then east, climbing to the Summit Store (mile 34.2) for lunch by going up Eureka Canyon Road and then Highland Way. After lunch, the screaming downhill goes through Soquel and into Capitola where we regroup at Gayle’s Bakery and Rosticceria (mile 46.4). When you get back to the Hotel Solares you will have covered 51.7 miles and 3,735 feet of climbing.
Start time: 9 am.
GPS route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/45107320
Option contingent upon someone willing to lead it: Hotel Solares to Gizdich Pie Shop in Watsonville. 47 miles and 2,148 feet of climbing.
GPS route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42209949
March 28: After you check out, please join us for a very scenic and challenging ride of 34.2 miles and 2,986 feet of climbing that passes through Bonny Doon. Heading northeast from the Hotel Solares, the route climbs steadily for the first 13 miles and then descends 8 miles to the coast, turning south on Highway 1 to get back to Santa Cruz. We cruise through the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk on protected lanes one more time.
Start time: 9:30 am.
GPS route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38851488