Pedal & Surf Camp 2025: Highlights

Lizard Head Cycling’s “California Dream” Trip

Cycling is a seasonal sport and Lizard Head Cycling Guides’ tour calendar has long reflected this fact – tours in Texas and Death Valley in early spring and late fall, tours in the high mountains each summer as we try to beat the heat, etc. We love the adaptability of our tour schedule because, at the end of the day, we’re huge fans of sunny days and mild temperatures. With that in mind, we’re excited about our newest special event, Pedal & Surf Camp, located in beautiful southern California where the sun’s always out and the surf’s always up!*

Starting in the spring of 2025, and continuing for years to come, we’re looking forward to sharing a week of world-class cycling and top-notch surfing/beach relaxation with like-minded Lizard Head cyclists. This unique trip will feature hand-crafted cycling routes each morning paired with the option to surf (or just relax on the beach!) each afternoon. It’s a unique combination of activities, only possible in the riding and surfing paradise of Southern California.

Needless to say, this is a very special week of easy living and California Dreaming you don’t want to miss! Sign up now and we’ll see you at Pedal & Surf Camp from April 20th to 25th, 2025.

*Note: Lizard Head Cycling Guides does not control the weather and cannot actually guarantee what the weather will be like on this trip! 🙂 

The Inspiration: A Father-Son Trip for the Ages

Lizard Head’s Pedal & Surf Camp was inspired by a trip that Lizard Head’s founder, John Humphries, took with his son in the the spring of 2024. On their trip, they were struck by the beauty of this part of California, and the grandeur of the Pacific. They also had a ton of fun surfing! John, being a cyclist, couldn’t help but notice that the area also offered fantastic riding, and immediately began planning a tour to return to this area with bikes and a group of Lizard Head guests.

The Location: “The Mediterranean of the Lower 48”

Southern California is famous for it’s climate. Warm temperatures (but not hot!) all year round make it a great place to visit, and spring is arguably the best time of all – cool breezes and sunny days are the norm. The area’s gentle climate has made it a popular tourist destination for years (and helped give rise to a thriving surf culture – more on that below). That same climate makes it a great place for cycling, with many professional riders opting to train in SoCal each year, especially in the winter and early spring when weather can make riding challenging in other parts of the northern hemisphere.

It’s not just the weather that makes riding in Southern California so great: up and down the coast, peaceful, forested hills rise dramatically from the rugged Pacific coastline. Cyclist can enjoy challenging climbs to great view points, twisting descents through wild canyons, and of course miles of gentle spinning along the coast, connecting idyllic beaches.

It’s a wonderful part of the country that feels like it was designed from the ground up as the perfect place to host a spring cycling trip; we can’t wait to share it with our guests this spring.

The Surfing: World-class Beaches and Great Partners

California’s surf culture, popularized by the Beach Boys and countless Hollywood movies, needs no introduction. For experienced surfers, the beaches we’ll visit on this trip, from Malibu to Santa Barbara, are bucket-list surfing destinations. For new surfers, and even those looking to try surfing for the first time, there couldn’t be a better place to start one’s surfing journey.

Reliable weather patterns (not to mention amazingly consistent surf breaks) mean we’re nearly guaranteed to have good surfing conditions on this trip. While no two days are the same on any Lizard Head trip, Pedal & Surf Camp will have a consistent rhythm: we’ll share breakfast each morning, ride for several hours, and then be at a stunning beach by mid-afternoon. Not a bad way to spend a week!

We’ll coordinate with hand-selected providers for the surfing portion of this trip to ensure everyone has great equipment to use and to arrange lessons as-feasible for those who are interested. Lizard Head Cycling, and our all-star guides, will make the logistics of riding and surfing each day a breeze. From tuning bikes and supporting each day’s ride to coordinating with our surf rental and lesson providers, they’ll ensure your trip is truly a vacation.

Pedal & Surf Camp 2025: Dates

Potential tour dates are listed below and not all tour dates will run. Lock in your preferred tour date early as unopened tour dates will be closed. Please see the Spring/Autumn Tour Calendar and the Summer Tour Calendar for confirmed departures. Any unopened date can be a Custom Week (9 riders required). Please contact us via email or call 970.728.5891

To easily register for a particular tour, please click the Book Now! link after the tour date listed below. This will select the tour name and the appropriate date on the registration form.

2025 Spring Tour Date

• April 27 to May 2, 2025 (Book Now!) – TOUR OPENED 3 riders needed to make GO

2026 Spring Tour Date

• TBD – Follow us on Instagram and subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to know about our 2026 Pedal & Surf Camp dates

Tour Status Notes: NO STATUS = Date Set, no riders have signed up. TOUR OPENED = Tour Opened, rider minimums not met. TOUR A GO! = Tour is Go, rider minimums met. SOLD OUT = Tour Full, rider maximums met.

Why Should you Sign-Up Now and OPEN a Tour Date?
This is the proverbial chicken and the egg conundrum! We need our cyclists to first commit to the date that works for them so that we can commit to that date.

For starters, when you OPEN a date you get to pick your preferred departure date, and there is no penalty if the tour does not run. Once you pick your tour date, Lizard Head closes nearby dates and funnels all additional riders to your chosen date until the tour meets its 6 rider minimum.

BONUS: As an added bonus, we can also hold a spot for you on another tour date of your choosing. There is no fee to switch to another tour date.

In conclusion, if you want a tour to run, we need you to sign up and not wait for others to do the same! Waiting for others may mean that a tour date takes longer or does not confirm. Just Do It! Once a few riders jump into the proverbial waters, others will follow!

Pedal & Surf Camp 2025: Overview

Tour Length: 6-Days and 5-Nights, or 3-Days and 3-Nights (guests depart on the morning of Day 4)

Meeting/Ending Town: Los Angeles, California (Airport Code = LAX)

Total Miles: 180 miles (5-Night Tour) or 110 miles (3-Night Tour). Shorter and longer mileage options available.

Ability Levels: Upper Intermediate (3) , Advanced (3/4)

Tour Cost (Full 5-Night Tour): $3,250 per person. Add $625/per person to the Tour Cost to have a private room each night of the tour. Cost includes lodging and meals. Lodging availability may vary.

Tour Cost (3-Night Tour): $1,950 per person. Add $375/per person to the Tour Cost to have a private room each night of the tour. Cost includes lodging and meals. Lodging availability may vary.

Tour Discounts: Please see our Reptile Rewards & Tour Discounts page to learn more about Reptile Rewards, Tour Discounts, and Group Discounts. Tour discounts are not stackable with any other discounts or promotions – only the highest valued discount is provided. Please note that for discounts to apply the tour minimum must be met.

Early Bird 2025 Post-Election Discount - For 6-Day or longer tours take $200 off the tour cost. Discount applies to new registrations only made before November 7, 2024. Please make sure to mention this offer when you register.
Excludes Self-Guided tours. Tour discounts are not stackable with any other discounts or promotions.

Tour Includes: 6 days (3 days on 3-Night tour) of guide service, 5 nights (3 nights on 3-Night tour) of accommodation, all meals, park service fees, energy food, liquid refreshments, shuttles, and mechanical support. Alcoholic beverages, bike rental, and surfing-related costs (rentals, lessons, etc.) are additional.

Lodging: (subject to change)

• Nights 1 – 3: Inn by the Harbor, Santa Barbara, California
• Nights 4 & 5: The Hadsten Solvang, Solvang, California

Meeting Hotel and Ending Hotel reservations and costs are NOT included unless specified otherwise. Guests are on-their-own to make reservations at the Meeting Hotel or Ending Hotel, or other nearby hotels.

Road Bike Rentals

NOTE: The make, model, and specifications of rental bikes may differ from what is described below. Please contact us if you have any specific needs for a rental bike or have any questions about rental bikes.

Lizard Head Cycling Guides is proud to rent Scott Bikes. The Scott Addict 10 Disc was designed from the ground up with those longer days in mind. With geometry that is less focused on racing and more on enduring, the Addict 10 will be your go to when you’re looking to put the miles in.

The Scott Addict 10 Disc features: Carbon Frame and Fork, Shimano Ultegra 2x11 Drivetrain, 34x32 Compact Gearing, 30mm Tires, and Hydraulic Disc Brakes. Approx. Weight: 16.89 lbs / 7.66 kg (without pedals)

☛ Learn more about our Rental Bikes and Equipment

Road E-Bike Rentals: Click Here for more information on our Road E-Bike Rentals including pricing. Please note that E-Bikes are not available for certain tours including those that involve camping. Please contact us for more information before registering for a tour. NOTE: E-Bikes are great, but our tours are designed to be ridden without motorized assistance. We offer "bumps" along the road so that everyone can stay together.

Tandems and Recumbents: Lizard Head Cycling Guides happily accommodates both tandem and recumbent bikes on our tours.

If you have any further questions, please read more on our Rental Bikes FAQ page. You can also email us at info@lizardheadcyclingguides.com or call us at 970.728.5891

Meals On Tour

Lizard Head Cycling Guides provides most meals on all tours (unless otherwise noted) including breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Guides will prepare a daily lunch en route for nearly every tour, both road and off-road, as well as provide nutritious snacks at periodic aid stations during the day.

Most of our road tours utilize local restaurants for all meals and occasionally guides may prepare a dinner or two during a tour. Due to the nature of being "off the grid", most of our off-road tours feature guide prepared meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. FUN NOTE: When guides prepare a meal in camp and the guests sit around and watch, this is called "Guide TV".

We also pride ourselves on being able to cater to specific dietary requests and needs, so rest assured that you will be able to get the nutrition that works best for you during your tour. Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan, or a someone who loves it all – we will keep you well fed during the tour!

Lunches: Lizard Head Cycling Guides prepares healthy lunches to keep you going. We will serve you fresh organic fruits and veggies, salads, hummus, sandwich fixings, nuts, gourmet cheeses and, of course, plenty of salty/sweet snacks such as chips and cookies.

Dinners: On our road tours, Lizard Head Cycling sources our favorite restaurants in each town that we visit. Our guides focus on establishments that offer fresh and local ingredients and guests choose whatever they desire to eat off the menu including: appetizer, salad, entrée, and of course, dessert... yum! Also, while on tour if a guest wants to dine early before the group and go to bed, this is fine. We understand that on some days sleep is the most important post-ride element.

Ability Level: Can I Ride This Tour?

Definition of Ability Levels

= Intermediate (2/3) Rides and/or takes spin classes 1 to 3 times a week for a total of 50 or more miles.
= Upper Intermediate (3) Rides and/or takes spin classes 2 to 4 times a week for a total of 75 or more miles.
= Advanced (3/4) Rides and/or takes spin classes 3 to 5 times a week for a total of 100 or more miles. Has ridden multi-day tours and done a century ride.
= Expert (4) Rides 4 or more times per week totaling 150 or more miles. Rides E.F.I. with regularity. Has done numerous multi-day tours, century rides and races.

How Fit do I Have to Be? If one month prior to the tour, you can ride 2 to 3 times a week equaling a total of 75 or more miles a week, you'll do just fine. We like to jokingly say that "one is ready for a Lizard Head Cycling Tour when they are finished with tour" and this is true! The only way to simulate a week long bike tour is to go on a week long tour.

Our average rider age is 55 years. These are bike tours, not races so we take our time to stop, take pictures and see the sights. We have all day to reach our destination and most riders take "bumps" at some points. We offer reduced mileage options for each day. Of course if someone wants to ride E.F.I. (Every Freaking Inch), we love to show them all the extra climbs, loops and hidden canyons that can be included!

Do the Bump! Daily mileage options allow cyclists of varying abilities to enjoy this tour. One of our favorite options is to give cyclists a "bump" via the support vehicle, or a 10 to 20 mile lift down the road representing an hour of pedal time. After the bump the rider is "off the front" and riding at his or her own pace without feeling they are being left behind the group. They'll then have time to linger and take in the spectacular scenery. All cyclists come together in time for lunch. Afterwards, cyclists can take another bump and/or continue riding.

Seamless Mileage Options: Lizard Head Cycling Guides designs multiple mileage options for each tour – something we're well known for in our business. This technique is similar to heliskiing in that one does not ski everything, they ski the best. 🙂

Slow or Fast? Many cyclists who sign up for our tours have worried themselves silly about not being able to keep up, but then they're surprised to find that all the worrying was about nothing. They do just fine! Slow and Fast only exist relative to other cyclists. Speed does not matter as long as one is moving on the bike. As long as one is moving, they are truly going fast enough.

If you have questions about your ability to ride this tour, please contact our office via email or call us at 970.728.5891 - we'll more than happy to guide you!

Please also see this blog post for more information.

Overall Route Map

Pedal & Surf Camp 2025: Itinerary*

*PLEASE NOTE: Tour itineraries are subject to change and modification based on the group, available accommodations, road construction, road closures, and other unforeseen circumstances including weather, wildfires, flooding, hurricanes, landslides and/or other acts of nature. Also, the distances and elevation profiles shown below may not reflect the actual distances and elevations while on tour as these are provided here to give an idea as to the anticipated mileage and terrain. Please view this itinerary, the distances, and elevation profiles as a general outline as to what to expect while on this tour.

Day 1: Saddle Peak Loop in Malibu
Standard Option: 37.5 miles with 4,365′ of climbing

After meeting up in Los Angeles we’ll head out to sample the famous road riding in the hills that surround the city. Specifically, we’ll stop on the Pacific Coast Highway just outside of the city and set off into the mountains, winding through Topanga Canyon and up to Saddle Peak. From Saddle Peak it’s a sweeping, twisting descent down before we roll through gorgeous forested terrain back to Topanga Canyon and, eventually, our vehicle.

After the ride, we’ll drive a bit further down the coast though Malibu, to Santa Barbara. In the afternoon, guests will have time to relax in our beautiful hotel, explore the town, or stroll along Santa Barbara’s famous beaches.

 

Day 2: Malibu to Santa Barbara via Latigo Canyon
Standard Option: 36.2 miles with 3,925′ of climbing

Today’s ride starts with a quick shuttle south, towards Malibu. Once riding, we’ll quickly leave the ocean behind as we return to the same mountains we visited yesterday, twisting through the Malibu hills on Latigo Canyon Road. The day’s ride is steadily uphill for the first 15 miles as we leave the coast, then transitions to a rolling downhill for the final 20 or so miles.

We’ll wrap up our ride just outside of Santa Barbara, before the roads get too busy and urban. After shuttling back  to our hotel it will be time to surf! We will facilitate equipment rentals and/or lessons for anyone interested in hanging ten. And, if you don’t want to surf, don’t worry — from relaxing at the hotel to swimming in the Pacific or exploring downtown, there are plenty of ways to enjoy an afternoon in Santa Barbara!

Day 3: La Cumbre Peak Loop
Standard Option: 36.0 miles with 4,795′ of climbing

Today’s loop takes us through some of the best riding terrain in this region of California. We’ll depart right from Santa Barbara, steadily climbing the twisting curves of Gibraltar Road until we reach La Cumbre Peak. After soaking in the views at the top, we’ll traverse high above the ocean through rolling terrain before we hit San Marcos Pass and then descend south, back towards the Pacific.

Though there is plenty of climbing, today’s ride is on the shorter side (36 miles if you ride every inch of the route, with no “bump” from the van along the way). This will get us back to the hotel with enough time to shower before a second afternoon on the beach. Guests who are excited about surfing will have another chance to get out on the ocean, with the same surfing partner we got to know yesterday.

 

Day 4: Santa Barbara to Slovang via Refugio Road
Standard Option: 31.8 miles with 3,280′ of climbing

This morning, 3-night guest will depart for Los Angeles and/or LAX airport via a private shuttle or taxi. Meanwhile, the rest of the group will saddle up for a point-to-point ride to Solvang, a hidden gem of this part of California. The first half of today’s ride follows the Pacific Coast Highway, treating us to dramatic ocean views as we pedal. Then, we’ll turn inland, cycling the famous Refugio Road climb.  After a challenging (but gorgeous!) 5-mile climb, we’ll be rewarded with an equally long descent out of the mountains. We wrap up in Solvang, a friendly, small city with plenty to offer us for a relaxing evening.

Day 5: Ranger Peak
Standard Option: 36.1 miles with 4,545′ of climbing

Our final ride is an epic one! We depart from just outside of Solvang and, after a few miles through quiet farm land to warm up, we’ll climb steadily for nearly 10 miles, to the summit of Ranger Peak. The top of Ranger Peak, and the high roads on either side of the summit, offer phenomenal views: mountain ranges to the north and east and open country to the south and west.

After a roaring descent and some final flat miles back, we’ll step off our bikes in the tiny town of Los Olivos, high-fiving after a week of amazing riding. But, the fun still won’t be over: after getting back to our hotel, guests who are interested in a bit more surfing will have the chance to shuttle out to the ocean for a final session. Talk about the perfect end to a week in California!

Day 6: Trip End and Departure

The tour wraps up with a final, celebratory breakfast in Solvang (and the chance to sleep in!). After breakfast, we’ll pack up for the ride back to Los Angeles. Lizard Head will happily drop folks off at LAX for late afternoon or evening departure flights, or in downtown Los Angeles if they would like to continue their trip on their own.