Ojai Valley Century 2016

Route Map

I completed the Ojai Valley Century on June 4th. It was the first century ride that I have done since my bicycle accident last may. Leading up to the ride I was concerned about finishing the ride. But with my rides leading up to the century, I knew that I would be OK. Also, the Ojai Valley Century is well supported. I knew that I would not be left out on the route alone.

The Ojai Valley Century starts in downtown Ojai and runs up to Montecito, back to Ventura, on to Santa Paula and returns to Ojai. The ride has two significant climbs, Casitas Pass between Ojai and

Ride Start at the Mob Shop in Ojai

Carpinteria and the 8-mile climb from Santa Paula and Upper Ojai. For most of the ride, it was easier to me, than in years past. But, as always, the ride had a split personality. While most of the century was along the Pacific coast, the marine layer kept things cool. From Santa Paula to Ojai, the sunny skies ramped up the temperature to over 100 degrees.

Starting at the Mob Shop a downtown Ojai bicycle shop, we were off to Meiners Oaks, past the Farmer and the Cook, an organic food market and cafe. After only 9 miles, there was a mini rest stop with bathrooms just before the first climb of the day, Casitas Pass. Casitas Pass is a Category 3 climb, with two summits, miles apart on Highway 150. The first climb is the longer and steeper of the two. This main portion of the first climb has an average grade of 8% over 2.5 miles. Then there is a 2-mile descent and a shorter 1.5-mile climb up West Casitas Pass with an average of 6 to 7% grade. From there, it is a much longer descent to Gobernador Canyon Road and another climb, a Category 5 that goes for one mile. The descent is steep at the beginning with a sharp hairpin, but it is fun overall.

Carpinteria High School Rest Stop

The route turns right onto Highway 192 to Carpinteria High School and the first full rest stop. Highway 192 travels behind Carpinteria and is regularly used by the Amgen Tour of California when the route passes through from Santa Barbara to Ventura County. The route makes a loop in Montecito before returning to Carpinteria High School. This area has a lot of wealthy residents. The latest cars are on the road here, not in the showroom. We pass by polo fields and Oprah’s west coast home. Between the polo fields and Montecito, you have another climb, up Greenwell Avenue, a Category 5 climb, about 1.5 miles with a 8% start, a flatter middle and a 9% end.

Back at a Carpinteria High School, I could see more cyclists coming up and quite heading back to Ventura at this crossing point of the route. After a short break, I was back on the 192 heading south for the second half of the century.Soon I was on the new bike path that was built along US 101 between Bates Road in Carpinteria and Exit 78 Seacliff. It is a quick 9 miles back to Ventura and a lunch break in the Patagonia parking lot at Mile 60. In Ventura, the low clouds were gone, the sun was out, and the temperature was in the 60s. A nice day here, but I knew that Santa Paula and Ojai would be a lot warmer with the sun out. We passed through Ventura on the way to Santa Paula. Between Ventura and Santa Paula, it is mostly flat with an occasional rolling hill and fruit orchards along the way. And there was a faint tailwind to help the cyclists along.And it began to get gradually warmer as we approached Santa Paula.

I reached the Santa Paula old train station, used now for excursion trips and movie productions.

This was the last rest stop of the century. If it is warm here, then the 8-mile climb to Upper Ojai will be hot. This happens nearly every year, at this time of year and time of day. Typically, local cyclists like myself, start on this climb early in the morning and move to Casitas Pass a little later. Casitas Pass can get hot, but the climb is shorter, and the descent takes you to the ocean.

Highway 150 from Santa Paula, through Ojai to Carpinteria, runs next to the station. I begin to the last climb of the day. A Category 2 climb with a 4 to 6% grade for the first 4 miles, with a 1-mile descent to Thomas Aquinas College and a 3-mile ascent to the summit at 6 to 8 %. Not too steep, just a grinder of a climb. But with the temperature increasing almost every mile along the climb, the climb becomes harder and harder. The effort to climb and the heat is draining. I was moving pretty well for the first three miles; then the heat began to affect me. I had made sure to stay hydrated throughout the ride anticipating this section. But it was still very tough. The ride organizer set up a small rest stop 1 mile short of the summit with Gatorade, iced water, and popsicles. I grabbed a popsicle to try and reduce my core body temperature and dumped a cup of ice water down my back. Many other cyclists stopped there as well. Other cyclist/robots kept going on past. I can only imagine that those cyclists were from the desert. In Oxnard, where I live on the coast, a day over 80 degrees is a bad day.

I made it to the top of the climb, and I stopped in at the Stagecoach Station, a convenience store next to the Summit Cafe for some air conditioning. Naturally, the AC had broken down the day before. I moved on to finish the remaining 8 miles. Luckily, it is mostly downhill to downtown Ojai, including Dennison Grade, a 1.5-mile descent with some curves. I pulled into the Mob Shop parking lot more overheated than tired. If it had not been for the heat, I could have ridden much further. Maybe next year.