The Coast Ride 2024!
A Twist in the Road: Cancellation of The Coast Ride 2024!
Dear Fellow Coast Riders,
With a heavy heart, we must inform you of the cancellation of The Coast Ride for 2024. This event, a cherished tradition since the 1990s, has been a cornerstone of our cycling community, bringing us together for a journey of camaraderie and challenge from San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge to Santa Barbara.
The Coast Ride, which began as a simple adventure among a few friends, has grown into an annual milestone. Each year, regardless of weather – be it thunderstorms, cold snaps, or glorious sunshine – we have embraced the journey with resilience and triumph. It is this spirit that makes our current announcement all the more difficult.
The safety and well-being of our riders are paramount. This year, a major landslide on Highway 1 has made our beloved route impassable. Considering the safety risks and the closure of Big Sur, we find ourselves in the position of having to forego this year's ride. Nacimiento-Fergusson Road was our backup for us to enjoy most of Big Sur but that too was washed away, leaving us with one option of riding 154 miles on Day 2...with no Big Sur involved with this route.
While we share in the disappointment this news brings, it's important to note that as registrations had not yet commenced, there will be no need for refunds. However, we deeply appreciate your understanding and support as we make this tough call.
In lieu of our traditional ride, we encourage you to keep the spirit of The Coast Ride alive in your own way. Whether it’s local rides or personal challenges, let's continue to embody the ethos of our community: resilience, passion, and a love for cycling.
We are already looking forward to the return of The Coast Ride in 2025, envisioning a reunion on the road marked by safer conditions and renewed enthusiasm. Until then, remember the ethos that started it all: "Keep the water on your right, and keep on pedaling."
Thank you for being an integral part of our journey. We eagerly await the day we can all ride together again.
With sincere regards and a shared longing for the road ahead,
Scott
Howdy Coast Riders, Email #1 (1/3/23)
Let the 12-day countdown begin! Time to dry off, rest up, and get psyched! We are almost single digits away from the next episode of the epic Coast Ride. Hopefully the downpours will pass and clear skies will escort us down the coast. It’s still a bit too far out to get an actual forecast to rely on so make sure to pack a good rain jacket/thermal/wind vest etc. Hand warmers can be a life saver - plenty of time to pick some up. Also consider some full fenders (not just the “ass-saver” seat attachment). Fenders are great for all those behind your wheel - always appreciated. Please make sure your bike is dialed and ready to go! If you have cuts in your tires, replace them! Some other items to consider…packing extra brake pads, especially if you ride disc brakes, as there are far too many disc brake pad options out there. Lastly, don’t forget to pack your Di2/Campy/SRAM Charger if you ride wireless.
With the “Bomb Cyclone” making its way towards California tonight, we will keep everyone updated with Big Sur road closures…crossing fingers we can ride the beautiful Day 2 stretch of Big Sur. Regarding the route - here’s a great blog with real-time weather and road condition updates for the Big Sur coast: https://bigsurkate.blog/
Also – now is a great time to make sure you’ve got good lights for your bike. Daylight is still short, and the days are long, especially when the headwinds pick up. Every year we see a surprising number of riders roll in after dark, and lights will keep you and others safe. So unless you’re an old pro, or a young pro, and you know your pace and your ability inside and out, please consider bringing lights!
DISCOUNTS & THANKS:
Ornot Discount Code: It’s for 20% off for any coast ride participant. It works in store or online. Code = CoastRideOrnot
Note - we are psyched to have Ornot as a sponsor this year, and heads up - the first 400 people to register will receive a super cool Ornot handlebar bag. They are sweet.
Zealios: COASTRIDE = 20% off all items on www.teamzealios.com. Valid through Feb 15, 2023
REGISTRATION & PACKET PICKUP:
Early Bird - Thursday Night Packet Pickup at Pas Normal at their new location in the “Wiggle” @ 799 Haight Street at the corner of Scott Street. 1-6pm (Grand Opening next week!). I would be psyched to see a nice turnout at their Grand Opening next week! NOTE: No bag drop-offs at Pas Normal. If you want to drop a bag, you must do it at Sports Basement on Friday night.
We are proud to announce that Sports Basement in the Presidio at 610 Old Mason St. (Presidio Location) will be hosting registration for the Coast Ride. Sports Basement is offering 20% off all items in store on Friday night only for those who need any last minute items. To get the 20%, you must sign up to become a Basementeer which simply involves giving them your email address. Otherwise, you get 11% all purchases.
Registration this year will be from 4PM - 7PM on Friday night (highly encouraged) at Sports Basement where you can drop off your bag if you choose. On Saturday morning, registration is from 7-7:45 where you can enjoy a warm cup of coffee from Equator and grab some nutrition from some of our awesome sponsors.
To do this ride, you must sign a waiver at Pas Normal or Sports Basement on either Thursday night, Friday night or Saturday morning. USA Cycling requires all participants to sign a hard copy of the waiver to cover every rider on the road.
Saturday morning there will be bagels, coffee, bananas to start the ride off right!
The Vans will be rolling out at 8:00AM each day, so do not be late dropping off your bag! Please help the SAG driver by loading your own bag into the Van. Make sure to bring some $$$ for yourself and for neutral support. The SAG drivers have all graciously volunteered their time to make the ride as safe and fun as possible.
So let’s all get there safe and sound, and keep this ride a beacon of healthy fun and adventure for years to come.
The good folks from Civic + Sprocket are back again to provide awesome wrenching skills for those in need of some bicycle love. Stay tuned for a list of other SAG drivers that I’ll announce next week. Make sure you give every SAG driver massive kudos along the way. It takes an army to get us all down the Coast safely and having these folks give up their weekend to help us enjoy our experience down the coast speaks volumes of how kick ass they all are!
If you are on Strava, make sure to join the “Coast Ride Club” where we can all connect with one another. http://www.strava.com/clubs/thecoastride
Let’s talk about our sponsors – our sponsors rule! Every year we line up a whole host of amazing sponsors who generously supply us with great products, nutrition, hydration, and gear. They take our ride to the next level. Give them all a try, enjoy them, and most importantly - please thank them by including their hashtags in your social posts about the ride – ideally with a picture of you and their stuff.
Van Ride Home, if you have space, or are looking to share, please post on the Coast Ride website Forums as there are several people looking for a ride home.
Day One: The Plan is to connect w/ your peeps and roll between 7:00 and 7:45!! With a group this size, there will not be a mass start like previous years. Please consider a headlight as day 1 is typically a very long day. One year nearly 100 people rolled in after dark with a lot of folks riding with no lights. Safety first, always! A 125 mile day into a headwind will most definitely crush your mph pace.
Day 1 Strava Route: https://www.strava.com/routes/1237204
Day Two: Plan to roll out between 7:00-7:15. If you know you are going to need every bit of daylight to cover the distance, consider leaving slightly earlier with front/rear taillight. I don’t want people finishing their day in the dark if possible. Hwy 1 has a wonderful shoulder but traffic is always heavier in the pm hours.
Day 2 Strava Route: https://www.strava.com/routes/1239367
Day Three: Please roll out with your own group, we will not roll out as a huge group on Day 3 this year. There are tons of quick breakfast options in San Luis Obispo for a quick 15-20 minute stop.
If you choose to leave later than 8 on any of these days, please arrange your own, alternative SAG support! Please be considerate of the SAG drivers, as they want to be on the road as soon as possible each day.
Strava Route: http://www.strava.com/routes/1239652
Download the routes to your bike computers (or phones). Otherwise, you can print the map from the Coast Ride website
Routes — THE COAST RIDE 2023 with turn by turn or follow others who have the route uploaded to their Garmin/Wahoo etc…
PDF attached to email
Day 1, your personal bags, GU/OSMO/Floyd's Recovery and Pizza will be waiting for you at DAYS INN MONTEREY FISHERMAN'S WHARF 1288 Munras Ave in Monterey! Please keep your bag size modest. Leave your Mt. Everest Expedition Pack at Home Please:)
Day 2, your personal bags will be at the Harbor House 1095 Main Street (formerly Days Inn) Morro Bay! More GU/OSMO/Floyd’s and Pizza waits for your arrival.
Day 3, bags will be at the Lemon Tree in Santa Barbara at 2819 State Street. Same Program…more GU/OSMO/Floyd’s and Pizza!
Getting psyched for 3 great days on the saddle with friends and looking forward to making many new friends on the ride as well.
The Coast Ride always delivers: Happiness, inspiration, camaraderie, overcoming legendary efforts, simply having a major blast riding our own magic. Can’t wait to see you out there.
I will send out more updates in the coming days.
Ride On,
Scott