This half-day ride is a great Goleta Grand Tour. Try it yourself – you'll enjoy a fast, flat route with great views and little congestion...
Richard Fox was in town. I'd seen him posting rides around Santa Barbara's beach paths – I knew he was nearby.
"Meet for coffee?" He took the hook – Handlebar would make a good impression and I knew I could give Richard a great tour. I knew he can do an all-day ride; I follow his posts which describe his many bike rides up and down the coast. He's the author of enCYCLEpedia Southern California, The Best Easy Scenic Bike Rides. He's a connoisseur of coastal bike rides.
Going off-road on the Ellwood Mesa
He wanted to refresh his memory, ride his favorite routes in Goleta. I knew right where we were going, the Goleta Grand Loop, the full north-south loop.
It was a perfect day for a ride.
Follow Richard at Casual Bicyclists of Southern California.
—Frank Peters
Richard's route guide
Autumn on the Ellwood Mesa
Above Goleta Beach, views in every direction