• Tour Leaders: Holly Evans (604-983-3945, ollyevans@aol.com) and Ken Levine (505-884-9204, klevine2@aol.com)
• Tour Dates: Sunday, Jan. 10 – Sunday, Jan. 17, 2016
• Registration Opens: August 1, 2015 @ 5:00 p.m. PST. Register at http://tinyurl.com/m9dw6g
• Tour Numbers: Maximum 20 (includes 2 leaders)
• Tour Rating: Intermediate for organized rides but participants can do easier and shorter rides on their own.
• Tour Fee: $75 CDN via Karelo with approximately $65 CDN refunded (after the Tour) to participants who show up for the Tour. Those who cancel or do not show for any reason forfeit the entire $75. Forfeited fees are deposited into the CCCTS general account.
• Registration/Participation Selection begins August 1 at 5:00 p.m. The full $75 fee is required at sign up which must be done online with Kaerlo at http://tinyurl.com/m9dw6g. Applicants are selected on the basis of date and time of registration receipt. Once we fill the tour, Karelo starts a wait list based on registration date and time. The Leaders will invite wait list members to join the trip and pay the fee as cancellations occur. CCCTS policy sets a maximum of 2 registration names per Karelo session. More names are voided.

Description: This 7 day hub and spoke is centered in the southern California City of Oceanside, about 35 miles north of San Diego. Oceanside and San Diego County offer many bike routes north (into Orange County), east, and south. We will explore all these directions and do out and back rides, loops, and 1-way rides using light rail and commuter trains. Seniors can purchase ½ price transit tickets. A senior is 60 and over in San Diego County but 65 and over in Orange County. Tentative Itinerary: Orientation and Welcome Happy Hour (BYOB) will be 5pm-7pm, Sunday, January 10th at the Holiday Inn Oceanside Marina. Depending on the ride, we may split into 2 groups to facilitate public transit and options for a slightly shorter distance, a slower pace, or to explore more side trips. Weather, leaders’ whims, transit schedules, and group input can alter the order, distance, and speed of the rides (all listed below in MILES) but here is a tentative list of tours:

• 35 to 45 miles along the Coast to downtown San Diego and the harbor with public transit back to Oceanside. There is one major hill at Torrey Pines, heavier traffic in San Diego, and often the route is crowded with riders, joggers, and skaters. Lunch is in San Diego. Riders can choose to stay longer in San Diego and take a later train back. There are 2 route options (long scenic and short bike trail) and we’ll discuss which to take.
• Train north to Irvine and a 50 mile ride through Lake Forest, Laguna Hills, and Laguna Nigel to the Coast and Dana Point and San Clemente, and through Camp Pendleton to Oceanside. Lunch and break enroute.
• Commuter train south to downtown San Diego and then a 26 mile ride around the harbor and to the Mexican border, Imperial Beach, and Coronado Island. We will take a ferry back from Coronado Island to downtown San Diego and then the train back to Oceanside. (Faster riders may wish to ride back to downtown San Diego rather than using the ferry and then take a later train.) Lunch on the way and a visit to historic Hotel Del Coronado are options.
• We take light rail east to San Marcos or Escondido and then ride North and West to Oceanside traversing rolling hills and stopping at the Lawrence Welk Golf Center. Lunch may be in Bonsell followed by riding the San Louis Rey River Trail back to Oceanside. A stop at the San Louis Rey Mission and a Mexican bakery are options.
• We ride 24 miles north through Camp Pendleton to Dana Point Harbor and then the 24 mile return ride. A shorter option is to lunch in San Clemente and return from there.
• Ride 60 miles (RT) to San Juan Capistrano. Lunch is at the turnaround point with an optional visit to the San Juan Capistrano Mission. Those not wishing to ride back can stay longer in San Juan Capistrano and take the train back to Oceanside.
• Depending on group consensus, we’ll keep a day open for a ride to any of the following: Point Loma, the Cabrillo National Monument, Rancho Santa Fe, inland bike trails, or exploring Carlsbad, Encinitas, Solano Beach, and Del Mar.

Participants must reserve their own Oceanside accommodations. Leaders suggest the Holiday Inn Oceanside Marina where a block of rooms are held until Nov. 30. Prices are: standard room with 2 queen beds for $99/day + tax including breakfast; junior suite with 2 queen beds and pull-out sofa for $119/day + tax including breakfast. The phone number is 760-231-7000 and the website is www.hioceanside.com. When booking, request the CCCTS rate. You also may call or view the hotel website for other room options, amenities, and extended stay rates. However, riders can book any motel or hotel they wish (and there are many) with the understanding all rides start from either the Oceanside Harbor area or the Oceanside Transportation Center. (Free parking is at both.) People must get to each ride start on their own so we strongly suggest a motel near downtown, the harbor, the pier, or the north coast of Oceanside. A member must select his or her own roommate(s) once the participant list is published in the Newsbrief. If participants fly to San Diego, the nearest airport, they can get to Oceanside via bus and commuter train. Be sure to check bus and train schedules online before booking flights as the bus schedule from the airport to downtown San Diego and the train schedules from downtown to Oceanside vary greatly during the week. Riders can check www.GONCTD.COM for the Coaster Train north, Amtrak north (more expensive and certain trains do not accept bicycles) and Airport-Downtown Bus 395 schedules. There is a 1 mile walk or cab ride from the Oceanside Transportation Center to the suggested motel. Another option for a small group is to rent a car at the San Diego airport and keep it for the week. Those driving an RV to Oceanside have 2 RV Parks from which to choose, both being close enough to our daily starts that they can ride bikes there. (Google Oceanside RV Parks for the 2 located on the Pacific Coast Highway.) There is a California Visitor Center close to the Holiday Inn Oceanside Marina and it offers maps and information on transportation, nearby restaurants, grocery stores, and entertainment. Leaders will also offer suggestions. Participants can check www.sandiego.org for information. Holly and Ken have vacationed in Oceanside during the last 5 years and are familiar with many routes. They offer rides each day (subject to weather) but participants can choose to do the official ride, their own route, or neither. In summary, the Leaders offer CCCTS members the option to enjoy some of their favorite southern California coastal routes, the beach and surf, and the (relatively) wonderful January weather. Riding conditions: Oceanside averages a January daytime high of 63 F (17 C) with morning ride starts being 10 F -15 F cooler. Overnight low averages are 45 F (7 C). January 2015 had a high range of 59 F – 71 F and a low range of 41 F – 60 F. A light jacket is required for ride starts but smart tourists also bring winter gloves, long pants, and light rain gear. Routes vary from relatively flat along the coast to moderately hilly inland. We mostly use bike trails, bike lanes, and bike routes for our rides ranging from 30 to 60 MILES. Each day includes a lunch stop (bring or buy) and coffee break(s). On some days, participants have the option to make the ride shorter and use public transportation back to Oceanside. The Leaders hope members stay as a group each day but individuals can do their own route or leave the group (after notifying the leaders) to explore or race ahead. (We suggest members get free Oceanside and San Diego County bike maps available from bike shops and the Visitor Center.) Holly and Ken enjoy seeing the sights, exploring new routes, and taking a Starbucks break. In other words, fast speed, ignoring STOP signs, and heads down pace lines are not part of this tour. Tour fee of $75 CDN (with most returned to riders who show up) includes welcome/orientation happy hour snacks (BYOB), some maps and route sheets, and minimal administrative fees. Worth repeating is that those who cancel at any time or don’t show lose their entire $75 fee. (Forfeited money is deposited in the CCCTS account.) Tour fee does not include transportation to/from Oceanside, accommodations, meals, personal expenses, commuter fares, bike rentals or entry fees. Other Notes:

• Bring a passport, driver’s license, and US currency.  While train tickets are only purchased from a machine using a debit or credit card or cash, we often found malfunctioning ticket machines only accept cash. You need a driver’s license to enter Marine Camp Pendleton on our rides north.
• San Diego County Public transit does not permit tandems, recumbents, or trikes on its buses, trains, or light rail. If you use one of these bicycles, you can’t do some Group rides or the full lengths.
• Alan’s Bike Shop on Pacific Coast Highway, Oceanside, offers a limited number of bike rentals. There are other shops available.
• We strongly suggest trip cancellation insurance and supplemental medical insurance.
• While we plan to be back in Oceanside before dark each day, we suggest riders who want to “linger” along the way or get a later train bring bicycle lights.

Participants: Garry Clifton, Brian Collier, Dianne Collier, Jim Grayson, Ute Grayson, Hugh Kellas, Berni Koppe, Annie Miller, Allen Olsen, Ilka Olsen, J Christopher Poole, Jill Weldon, Larry Weldon, Colin Wright, Doug Wylie, Karin Wylie, Bob Louie, Brenda Louie