Please join us for another La Grange Century as we ride north to Santa Barbara.
WHEN
Saturday, July 29, 2023. 7:30 am.
SCHEDULE
The ride starts at the Van Nuys Train Station and departs at 7:30 am sharp. Our first stop will be San Vicente and Ocean (SVO) for those that don’t want to ride over the Sepulveda pass. We will serve coffee and snacks there. Starting from SVO shortens the ride to about 85 miles. We will roll from SVO around 8:50 am. You can expect to return to the Van Nuys Amtrak Station around 8:30 pm.
ROUTE:
https://www.strava.com/routes/8714909
RIDE RULES:
This is a group ride, which means we stay together, and you should be able to ride at an average pace of 18 MPH. There will be four stops approximately every 20 miles for food and drinks from the van for about 15 minutes. If someone has a mechanical, the group will stop so that we all stay together.
COST:
$40 — Price includes all snacks throughout the day, your meal and drink at SB Biergarten in Santa Barbara, and transportation of your bike back to Van Nuys.
You must prepay via PayPal by Sunday, July 23rd at 10 pm so that we can confirm restaurant reservations and purchase supplies based on the number of riders. The club’s direct link to pay via PayPal is: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/veloclublagrange
If you do not have a PayPal account, please send $40 to:
Velo Club La Grange
11870 Santa Monica Blvd. Suite 106-317
Los Angeles, CA 90025
RETURN BIKE TRANSPORT:
If requested, your bike will be carefully packed and transported back to the Van Nuys train station in the LG van. To have your bike packed in the van, please add “I need bike transport” in the PayPal or check notes.
RETURN TRIP VIA THE TRAIN:
You are responsible for your own train ticket. Most people purchase a coach seat but you can buy a business class if you so desire. Please buy a ticket for Amtrak 11 Coast Starlight departing Santa Barbara (SBA) at 6:19 pm arriving at Van Nuys (VNC) at 8:36 pm. The cost of the train ticket as of today, June 28, 2023, is $25. Again, book the train now. Please don’t make the van driver wait for those on the later train.
GEAR BAG:
You can bring a soft duffle bag with a change of clothes, which will be transported to Santa Barbara in the van. Please plan on carrying your personal stuff back on the train. If there is room in the van, we can transport it, but bikes will take priority.
FAQs
Does selecting "Interested" or "Going" on Facebook reserve a place for me?
No. Your place is only reserved once you pay.
Will bikes be transported to SVO (San Vicente and Ocean) after the ride for those that start there?
No, the bikes will not be sent back to SVO.
If not, what are the options?
There are several options:
You can leave a car at the Van Nuys Amtrak Station the night before and then arrange a ride home with a friend or Uber. This ensures you have a car waiting for you after the ride.
You can get a ride home from Van Nuys with other riders on Saturday night.
Arrange to have someone pick you up Saturday night.
You can leave your car at Van Nuys the morning of the ride, and then get a ride to SVO in the van. You will need to be on time since the van leaves Van Nuys around 7:3o am to drive to SVO.
How are bikes transported back to Van Nuys from Santa Barbara?
We can take up to 30 bikes in the van. They are protected with heavy-duty moving blankets and no one has reported their bike being damaged during transport. The first 30 requests will have priority in the van. Once the 30-bike limit is reached, you must find an alternate method of bike transport.
Does my bike have to be transported back in the van?
No. You are free to make any arrangements you want. We just need an exact count of how many bikes will be transported back. Some riders arrange a personal vehicle or stay the night in Santa Barbara. Also, the train may have VERY LIMITED space for bicycles. Please check with Amtrak directly.
What time do we arrive in Santa Barbara?
Around 3 pm. Food and drinks at Biergarten start around 3:30 pm, which gives us over 2 hours to drink, eat, and chill.
What's the pace?
The pace is about 16-18 mph. We stay together but you need to be able to keep a good pace. Last year someone dropped off the pace, but they knew the route and they did not want the group to wait.
Are non-members allowed?
Yes! We welcome and encourage non-members as this ride is a nice intro to La Grange.
Submit any further questions here…
revised 7-2023