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 Activity: Cycling - road biking Location: San Francisco and, USA Duration: 10 days / 6 days cycling Difficulty: Tough Distance: 774 km Group size: 15+ trip highlights 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 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. www.actionchallenge.com
introduction This fully-inclusive endurance cycle from San Francisco to 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! brief itinerary Please visit our website for more details All inclusive trip cost from 2,099 for 2015 or 2,149 for 2016 Initial 399 deposit to sign up Three payment options available Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Arrive in San Francisco San Francisco to Santa Cruz Santa Cruz to Big Sur Cambria Pismo Beach Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Day 9 Day 10 Santa Barbara Santa Monica Free day in Depart USA Arrive UK what s included 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 highlights? Extensions include: Las Vegas San Francisco Grand Canyon Yosemite Altitude topography 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
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 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 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 Four nights in comfortable hotels and motels Two nights in hostels Two nights camping All accommodation is on a twin/tripleshare, single-sex basis and we will pair you with someone of a similar age, where possible. 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 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.
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! Meals: B,L,D Accom: Camping Distance: 80 km Total climb: 650 m DAY 6 - Santa Barbara 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 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. All meals are full of carbohydrates, protein and nutrients to keep us well fuelled throughout the trip. We can cater for all dietary requirements 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 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, 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 Today we have the full day free to enjoy. DAY 9 / 10 - Depart / Arrive UK 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.
payment options A REGISTRATION DEPOSIT of 399 for 2015/16 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 or 2,149 for 2016, which, after you pay the 399 Registration Deposit, leaves a balance of 1,700 for 2015 or 1,750 for 2016. 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 or 3,500 for 2016 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 or 3,500 for 2016, your charity will pay for the balance of your trip costs to Action Challenge. That balance, paid by your charity, is 1,700 for 2015 or 1,750 for 2016 (the same as if you were you were Self Funded ) - the charity will retain at least 1,700 for 2015 or 1,750 for 2016 to help fund their work. You will have to pay any airline fuel surcharges 10 weeks prior to departure. 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 or 2,600 for 2016, your charity will pay a portion of your trip cost to Action Challenge. That balance, paid by your charity, is 1,025 for 2015 or 1,050 for 2016. At the same time, you will be required to pay the remaining balance yourself, which will be a figure of 675 for 2015 or 700 for 2016. (These two amounts add up to the same as the Self Funded final balance) - the charity will retain at least 1,525 for 2015 or 1,550 for 2016 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 +44(0)207 609 6695 or you can send us an email to events@actionchallenge.com for more information. @actionchallenge www.facebook.com/actionchallenge Action Challenge UK Ltd United House North Road London N7 9DP United Kingdom