East Camino Cielo Road

[posplayr]

Thought I would post a few pictures from my Ride on Thursday. Now that it is staying light longer I can head out after work and get about an hour ride in on the ED. From my house it is a few minutes to Gibraltar Road to get to Camino Cielo and cross east to west to 154 and then circle back. The road is a little rough in places but the views are awesome especially in the rich late afternoon light. I did the ride Wed and Thursday to work on my "chicken strips"

From the top of the mountain after about 25 minutes of riding; Thats is the Santa Barbara Pier and Harbor; next pic is looking further to the west over the Mesa and Hope Ranch. In the third pic you can see a portion of how the road snakes along the ridge.

Here is a pic of the ED and my chicken strips

I just happened to park in front of some ancient Indian art

Towards the end of the ridge ride as you get closer to 154, but still up on top you get this view looking west into the Santa Ynez Valley and Lake Chacuma.

 

[Tom MLC]

Oh, I remember that territory from years ago on my GS750. Hadda be '81 or '82. I know I cruised around the Lake Cachuma area. Maybe I will detour that way on my way to Death Valley next month. Or maybe on the way back.

 

[posplayr]

Oh, I remember that territory from years ago on my GS750. Hadda be '81 or '82. I know I cruised around the Lake Cachuma area. Maybe I will detour that way on my way to Death Valley next month. Or maybe on the way back.

Let me know, coming over through 33 is nice.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?p=1195062#post1195062

 

[salty_monk]

I took that road the other week I think. Was good riding

 

[posplayr]

If anybody is planning on passing through Santa Barbara and want to go through some nice scenic back roads just from Carpentaria, through Montecito behind Santa Barbara and then up to the top of the mountain on the back roads then here is the way to go. It is a nice little tour with several little twisty areas or just riding through large tree lines lanes with huge houses and mansions on either side. You will then climb Gibraltar road which gets you to the ridge road Camino Cielo. It is between 3500 and 4000 ft above sea level and the city of Santa barbara below.

I started the route at Padero Lane which if it is the weekend will probably be the best place to get off. The traffic can back up going into town.

Generally after getting off a Padero Lane (freeway exit)you will:
a.) go west along the freeway access road till you turn north (right) toward the mountain on "Toro Canyon Road"(don’t go out to the park; stay on the main road).
b.) Follow that road (2 miles) till it turns more west which you will now be on East Valley Road. If you ever get lost just find a road and drive south (down hill) to get back to the freeway. This road will go through the back of Montecito for about 7 miles and through the Upper Montecito Village

c.) Eventually you will run into Sycamore Canyon Road which you will follow through a nice tree lined back road.

d.) Which eventually will get you close to Gibraltar Road. to Get there watch for El Cielito (head right up hill) near the top of a hill after doings some twisties through some a well groomed residential area.

e.) Follow this for about a 1/4 mile and you will hit Gibraltar Road which is what takes you to the top of the mountain. You will now wind around up the mountain side for 10 or so miles. Eventually you will hit

f.) East Camino Cielo (Sky Road) which runs the length of the ridge for several miles. If you go right you can add some about 10 miles once way but will have to turn back unless you want to go 60 miles on dirt trails. It is a nice smooth road except for the occasional gravel.

f.) After going east and the back tracking to the west keep going on East Camino Cielo all the way to Hiway 154 which is secondary road heading north out of Santa Barbara to go over the mountains. You will hit it near the top of the mountain. There is a Camino Cielo Store before 154 or if you want to have another adventure follow the directions to:

g.) "Cold Springs Tavern" either cross 154 and head north on Stage Coach road. or Go north on 154 and take a quick left hand turn about 1 mile from the top. If you passed the bridge you went to far.

Mapquest shows this as being about 30 miles and taking about 1 1/2 hours. It will take at least that long.

REMEMBER: There are some very steep and tight sections. DO NOT RIDE THE ROAD LIKE YOU KNOW IT if you have never been on it. Enjoy the scenery and you will be able to get in some nice slow speed curves. Until you know the road you don’t want to come up onto an increasing radius blind curve with gravel (there is one of those just after a really nice set of open tight curves along the ridge). If you can see the road and the curves then have at it but there are a lot of blind curves and there is a fair amount of traffic on the weekends especially. Most of the traffic is joggers, Hikers and bicyclists. Some cars from people that live up there or off road bikers trailering stuff back home or rock climbers or hang gliders or paragliders. I’ve even seen some people just sitting on the side of the road playing their drums at sunset.

So especially if it is your first trip take it easy and it will be a lot of fun.

Here is the route in Mapquest. Obviously you could do this from the north as well starting at the Camineo Ciel Store at the top of the Highway 154. The route I outlined is best if approaching Santa Barbara from Ventura.

http://www.mapquest.com/maps?1c=Gor...:Santa+Barbara:1:::/io:1:::::f:en_US:M:/bl:/e

 

[posplayr]

I took that road the other week I think. Was good riding

33 or Camino Cielo?

 

[salty_monk]

Both

Was during the week. Nice riding not much traffic....

Dan

 

[posplayr]

I got my camera mount working better and just stuck my Cannon SD630 on there. Camino Cielo is a pretty windy narrow road mostly 30-40 mph. I'm going east on East Camino approching the crest right at the end.

Image_Stabilized_Sunday_Ride_On_Camino_Cielo


P.S: A link to discussion on camera mount and image stabilization

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=164338

 

[bonanzadave]

That was fun ! No Wheelie ?

 

[posplayr]

That was fun ! No Wheelie ?

No wheelies, just putting. I actually know the road much better coming the other way. Also with the high grass it is a little harder to see gravel so I'm not pushing it much.

Next time I'll take two sets of batteries and get more of it including the view.

You have to really watch out if you get to excited and run up on a 15 mph corner, but you get to do alot of high lean angles without really putting your life at risk.

 

[posplayr]

https://www.google.com/maps/place/E...130652c658ff6!8m2!3d34.4954395!4d-119.7095753

I thought I would update this thread. It is probably a 20-25 mile ride (considering all the curves). Same road I encountered the forest service truck (coming against me on a Saturday) I always rode late afternoon 2 hours before dark during the week.

I just discovered that Google has full panoramic views of Camino Cielo in Santa Barbara. Back in 2009-2010 I used to ride this road going east to west every afternoon (honing my skills riding) on my old GS750EX.

You start at Gibraltar Road climb the hill and then traverse the ridge moving between round side (ocean) and back side (SY valley) till you hit 154 and then drop back into town.

You can progress right down the road and get the feel for what it is like to ride it right from your mouse() I probably rode it 100 times and knew it like the back of my hand and virtually never saw on coming traffic till that one Saturday).

There is another thread for West Camino Cielo (also dramatic) but google doesn't show that road..

http://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...ino-Cielo-Refugio-Road&highlight=camino+cielo

 

[steve murdoch]

I bet you used to have fun riding that beautiful bike.

 

[posplayr]

I bet you used to have fun riding that beautiful bike.

I'm glad I survived ;still gives me a little bit of the willies