Ultimate Ride San Francisco - Los Angeles

ultracycle
San Francisco Los Angeles
actionchallenge in the USA
This fantastic, challenging ride takes us along the stunning Pacific coastline, across open farmland, through redwood
forests, over the foothills of Bald Mountain and into the LA. It’s an exhilarating six days of demanding cycling through
some of the USA’s finest scenery.
We set off with the Golden Gate Bridge behind us to take on the Big Sur’s redwood forests and the roller coaster roads
along the Pacific Ocean coastline with their steep climbs and dramatic drops. We look out for elephant seals and sea
otters, cycle past Hearst Castle and pass through the famous beach resorts of Malibu and Santa Cruz.
As a peloton we speed along the flats before we climb into the mountains, with the peaks of Hollister, Romauldo and
Bishop lining our route. The road to Santa Barbara takes us on an exhausting but exhilarating 158km ride from Pismo
Beach, into the foothills of Bald Mountain and back to the coast in one day. The warm sunshine, huge ocean views and
mountain peaks inspire us on our journey together.
These are tough days in the saddle but there’s always time for a beer in the evenings before camping under the stars
or staying in motels as we make our way to LA. In Santa Monica; LA, we hang up our lycras for a celebratory dinner
together to mark the end of our fabulous ride, before partying into the night.
at a glance
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trip highlights
Activity: Cycling - road biking
Location: San Francisco and Los Angeles, USA
Duration: 10 days / 6 days cycling
Difficulty: Tough
Distance: 774 km
Group size: 15+
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Ride through the Redwood Forest
Take on the Big Sur coastiline
San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge
Cycle the foothills of Bald Mountain
Cruise through Malibu
Relax on Pismo Beach
Explore Los Angeles
Action Challenge have been leading inspirational team adventures across the world for individuals, private groups,
charities and corporate clients since 1999. Our trips enable people to experience the world’s most exhilarating locations,
often in aid of charity. Our ‘Ultimate Ride’ series offers challenging cycling trips designed to test our endurance in
exciting environments. Together we rise to the challenges, achieve formidable goals and forge friendships for life.
w w w .a c t ionc ha lle nge .c om
ultracycle
San Francisco Los Angeles
introduction
This fully-inclusive endurance cycle from San Francisco to Los Angeles will begin as
soon as you register! You will receive a challenge pack including a training guide, kit list
and discounts for all the essentials you may need. If you are raising money for a charity,
we will sort out all the formalities so you can concentrate on your own preparation and
fundraising. We offer pre-challenge briefings to prepare you for this tough and
demanding trip. On the day of departure you will meet your group and Action Challenge
leader at the airport in London. Whether you’re joining the challenge on your own or with
others, you will instantly be made to feel welcome. As a team we will board our flight to
San Francisco, ready to take on an endurance bike ride of a lifetime!
Arrive in San Francisco
San Francisco to Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz to Big Sur
Cambria
Pismo Beach
All inclusive trip cost from £2,099
Initial £399 deposit to sign up
Three payment options available
Please visit our website for more details
brief itinerary
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Please visit our website for more details
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Day 9
Day 10
Santa Barbara
Santa Monica
Free day in Los Angeles
Depart USA
Arrive UK
what’s included
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International flights
Action Challenge cycle leader
Full support team, including local guides
UK medic
Support vehicles
All accommodation
All meals, except in free time
Airline taxes
Treated drinking water
All transfers in local vehicles
National Park entrance fees
Celebration dinner
Invitation to a challenge briefing in London
Discounted training weekends
Fitness and training guide
Discounts from UK retailers
Reduced rates at Nomad Travel Clinics and Masta Health
This is a gruelling challenge that leads us
over 774 km in six days of cycling.
Although our cycle aims to miss the most
extreme weather conditions, the route we
take has many climbs and therefore a
high fitness level is required.
Why not stay on after the challenge and
explore some more of Los Angeles’
highlights?
Extensions include:
● Las Vegas
● San Francisco
● Grand Canyon
● Yosemite
topography
Altitude
The best times to go are either side of the
summer period when temperatures are
not at their peak. During Spring and
Autumn winds should also have settled a
bit but will be blowing from North to South
and therefore aid us in our journey down
the country.
Distance
+44 (0) 207 609 6695
www.actionchallenge.com
[email protected]
ultracycle
San Francisco Los Angeles
itinerary
DAY 1 - Arrive San Francisco
Upon arrival, we transfer to our hotel close to The Golden Gate Bridge. This afternoon
we have a bike fitting and briefing before sitting down to a good Californian welcome
meal.
Meals: D Accom: Hotel
DAY 2 - San Francisco to Santa Cruz
Our first cycling day starts from our hotel and once out of town, we ride through the
beautiful Presidio Park a former military base, along the California Highway 1 (not a
motorway!), through Half Moon Bay, past historic state parks and along picturesque
beaches. We take our rest stops looking out over incredible views as the day ends in
Santa Cruz, with its famous pier and beach boardwalk.
Meals: B,L,D Accom: Motel Distance: 136 km Total climb: 1224 m
All accommodation is on a twin/tripleshare, single-sex basis and we will pair
you with someone of a similar age, where
possible.
DAY 3 - Santa Cruz to Big Sur
It’s a long, hard ride today as we head through Monterey and Cannery Row, which was
made famous by John Steinbeck. Riding through the Monterey Peninsula, we cross
farmland and dune areas, with long stretches of great bike paths. We pass the famous
Pebble Beach golf course, cycle through the town of Carmel where Clint Eastwood was
once the mayor, past one of California’s most historic Spanish missions and onto the
fabulous Big Sur coastline. This is a fantastic day of coastline, ending in the redwood
forest of Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park.
Meals: B,L,D Accom: Tent Distance: 144 km Total climb: 1524 m
DAY 4 - Big Sur to Cambria
If you wish to share a room with someone
you are travelling with, please specify this
on your registration form.
If you decide that you would like to have
your own room on the challenge, we can
accommodate this in the majority of
places.
Please email us for more information
Today is some of the most dramatic cycling of our challenge as we follow the roller
coaster hills, with their steep climbs and dramatic drops. The road levels out past
Ragged Point, where we look out for elephant seals and sea otters before passing
Hearst Castle, home to the famous newspaper magnate. Tonight’s stay is in the
charming town of Cambria.
Meals: B,L,D Accom: Motel Distance: 112 km Total climb: 1591 m
+44 (0) 207 609 6695
• Four nights in comfortable hotels and
motels
• Two nights in hostels
• Two nights camping
www.actionchallenge.com
• Insurance - approximately £60
• Visa waiver program - $20
• Vaccinations - up to date on boosters.
• Tips for local staff - recommended
amount $50
• Airline fuel surcharge / supplement as
applied by airlines. Please note that this is
capped at a maximum of £150.
[email protected]
ultracycle
San Francisco Los Angeles
DAY 5 - Pismo Beach
This is our shortest cycling day but certainly not one that should be taken lightly. As we
climb out of Cambria we head into the hills and pass the small village of Harmony before
dropping down for a quick 20km stretch of coastal riding. Here we move fast through
the towns of Cayucos and Morro Bay before we once again find ourselves climbing into
the mountains. The peaks of Hollister, Romauldo and Bishop, line our route into San
Luis Obispo before we descend to Pismo where grab a beer and relax on the beach!
Breakfasts each morning will be at the
accommodation, lunch en-route and
evening meals will be at the
accommodation or in a local restaurant.
All meals are provided apart from those in
free time.
Meals: B,L,D Accom: Camping Distance: 80 km Total climb: 650 m
All meals are full of carbohydrates, protein
and nutrients to keep us well fuelled
throughout the trip.
DAY 6 - Santa Barbara
We can cater for all dietary requirements
From Pismo Beach we quickly head inland through flat farmland and onto the Cabrillo
Highway to Santa Maria. Soon we reach Orcut where we enter the hills which take us
through Los Alamos and Buellton before finally hitting Gaviota and the coast for the final
third of the days ride. The Gaviota State Park is on our left as we head south along the
foothills of the imposing Bald Mountain, before eventually rolling into Santa Barbara,
exhausted after our longest days ride.
Meals: B,L,D Accom: Hotel Distance: 158 km Total climb: 1141 m
A kit list will be sent to you on receipt of
registration. Many everyday items can be
used on this challenge, and we offer a kit
hire service to keep costs down.
DAY 7 - Depart Los Angeles Santa Monica
We end our challenge just as we started, cycling the fast and flat Pacific Coastal
Highway 1 past Summerland, the Toto Canyon, Carpinteria and all the way to Ventura.
From here we head into the farmlands growing citrus fruits, artichokes and pumpkins
before reaching the coastal road once again. After we pass through Malibu, Paradise
Cove and Big Rock, our route gradually becomes more urban as we reach the outskirts
of Los Angeles, one of the biggest cities in North America. We cycle through Pacific
Palisades before arriving in Santa Monica and our hotel for the night. This is the end of
our cycling challenge and this evening we get together for celebrations that will undoubtedly go on well into the night.
If you are planning on travelling to San
Francisco before the challenge or wish to
organise your own flights, we do offer a
land only option, with a significant
discount off the trip price. You will be
required to meet your group at the hotel
on day two of the itinerary.
Please email us for more information
Meals: B,L,D Accom: Hostel Distance: 144 km Total climb: 691 m
DAY 8 - Free day in Los Angeles
Today we have the full day free to enjoy Los Angeles.
DAY 9 / 10 - Depart Los Angeles / Arrive UK
+44 (0) 207 609 6695
www.actionchallenge.com
• Road bike (can be hired)
• Alcoholic drinks
• Drinks and food outside of meals,
other than water
• Personal kit / equipment
• Airline fuel surcharge / supplement as
applied by airlines. Please note that this
is capped at a maximum of £150.
[email protected]
ultracycle
San Francisco Los Angeles
payment options
A REGISTRATION DEPOSIT of £399 (for 2015) is required to secure your place. We
offer 2 deposit payment options:
OPTION 1: Deposit paid in full, by card at the time of registration.
OPTION 2: Deposit paid in two 50/50 split payments. The first 50% is paid when you
register and the second is charged to your payment card at the end of the following
month. For this option, a £10 supplement will be charged with the first instalment.
ATOL is a scheme that protects you from
losing money or being stranded abroad if
your travel company collapses. Action
Challenge is 100% ATOL bonded, which
provides you with full financial protection.
On receipt of your registration fee, you will
receive an ATOL certificate explaining
your protection.
Once registered, there are 3 PAYMENT OPTIONS to fund the balance of the trip cost.
Full details are on our website.
1) SELF FUNDED
For anyone who wants to pay for the entire trip themselves. It’s then completely up to
you whether or not you choose to raise any money for a charity of your choice.
The total all inclusive cost of this trip is £2,099 (for 2015), which, after you pay the £399
Registration Deposit, leaves a balance of £1,700. This final balance is due for payment
10 weeks before your departure along with any fuel surcharges levied by the airline.
2) SPONSORSHIP FUNDED
This is for anyone who wants to take on this challenge and will link it with fundraising a
significant sum of money for a charity of their choice. You would have to raise at least
£3,400 (for 2015) via sponsorship and donations from friends, family and colleagues,
and be confident at the outset that you can achieve this total.
Pay the Registration Deposit and nominate a charity to fundraise for. All fundraising
goes directly to your charity and providing that you raise at least £3,400 (for 2015), your
charity will pay for the balance of your trip costs to Action Challenge. That balance, paid
by your charity, is £1,700 (the same as if you were you were ‘Self Funded’) - the charity
will retain at least £1,700 to help fund their work. You will have to pay any airline fuel
surcharges 10 weeks prior to departure.
how to book
To book on to this challenge, please visit
our website; www.actionchallenge.com
for a full list of prices and all available
dates.
private groups
If you are a charity, business, school or
private group with a minimum of 10
people and fancy your own bespoke trip,
please call us on + 4 4 ( 0 ) 2 0 7 6 0 9 6 6 9 5
or you can send us an email to
[email protected]
for more information.
3) MIXED FUNDED
A mix of the 2 options above! You pay about half the trip cost yourself, and also
fundraise for your charity. They pay the remaining balance of your trip costs. Ideal for
anyone who wants to take on the challenge and also fundraise for a charity, BUT is
happy to pay a reasonable proportion of the trip cost themselves, which with your
registration deposit, is set at a level that covers at least the costs of flights &
accommodation; perfect for those who feel more at ease asking for sponsorship in
respect to the ‘challenge’ component of their trip.
Pay the Registration Deposit and nominate a charity to fundraise for. All fundraising
goes directly to your charity and providing that you raise at least £2,550 (for 2015), your
charity will pay a portion of your trip cost to Action Challenge. That balance, paid by your
charity, is £1,025. At the same time, you will be required to pay the remaining balance
yourself, which will be a figure of £675 (These two amounts add up to the same as the
‘Self Funded’ final balance) - the charity will retain at least £1,525 to help fund their
work. You will have to pay any airline fuel surcharges 10 weeks prior to departure.
+44 (0) 207 609 6695
www.actionchallenge.com
@actionchallenge
www.facebook.com/actionchallenge
Action Challenge UK Ltd
United House
North Road
London
N7 9DP
United Kingdom
[email protected]