Day 38: Solvang Circuit, 71km

Being sticklers for habit, we visited the Pancake House across the road and ordered oatmeal and toast. With our nights accommodation we were also entitled to a 'free' pastry in the danish bakery next door - Olsens. It was truly authentic danish service - abrupt and forthright.

A 45 mile loop took us around the surrounding wineries, as we baked in the escalating temperatures. Shortly after our second climb on Drum Canyon Road I grumpily declared I was doing no more cycling away from the coast. It felt like we were spinning again, but at least so one shouting at me to pedal faster in tune to 80s pop would have taken my mind off the heat and lack of sea breeze. The climbs were nothing too strenuous and the far reaching views spectacular although becoming all too familiar.

At about the 20 mile mark we came into Los Alamos, where we were treated to cool old saloons and hotels. Stopping outside the local market a dog had decided the coolest place to sit was on top of the cab of a pick up.

The next stretch of the route took us along hwy 101 until we turned onto Alisos Canyon Road and it's varying steepness of climb. The Lonely Planets had deemed to call one "VERY steep". If this was the case then I could only imagine the Lost Coast was off the scale or undefinable at the least or maybe even the edge of the world.

Turning onto Foxen Canyon Road I began to realise how best to ascertain the turnover of a particular vineyard. If the road in front was pothole riddled, the likely hood was that they were mass produces and more likely intense haters of cyclists. Of course if there was newly laid tarmacadam the owners must have either been keen cyclists or successful entrepreneurs. Sadly to say the majority of the route was on roads that looked like they had undergone serious warfare and not only from falling cyclists who had become entangled in the strewn car parts and pot holes.

Turning onto hwy 154, we soon came into Los Olivos - a cute provincial village that obviously made it's money from wine and boutiques. With only 6 miles back to Solvang and a strong need for sustenance that could not be provided by fermented grapes, we followed the flat Alamo Pintado Road and hwy 246 straight into our motel.

In Guadalupe, the lady we had bought fruit smoothies from had suggested the bike shop in Solvang if we had any mechanical needs. We were looking for a route out of Solvang, and wanted to check out Refugio Pass which was described, in part, as 3 miles of steep climb on dirt track. After so much cycling we obviously thought we were invincible but as soon as we mentioned the road in the bike shop everyone (customers et al) said no way. Why deal with 3000ft of climbing, speeding ATVs and 9 stream crossings when we could take a pretty gradual climb along Alisal Road and stop in at an Organic Farm along the way. We were sold on this alternative route.