Southern California - Post Ride - Solvang Prelude Impressions 1 to 10

What a fantastic day for weather! The start was perfect and the morning just got better by the minute. The ride was great, sag stops had plenty of goodies, especially the one with the ultra-fresh cut up cantalope & oranges. Great volunteers and even free bike mechanics who went out of their way to assist all who needed it. I'd give the day a 10. Post your impressions here.

Sounds great. What was the route (in general terms)?

Great ride! considering I hadnt touched my bike since my last night ride 2 weeks ago with the BF group through Griffith Park...

also still had my cold. I heard other riders as well who sounded like they had colds as well.

...driving to Solvang I saw the missile launch as i was making my way up san marcos pass in my truck...

Great weather, friendly riders, awesome volunteers at the Sags and start/finish. Thanks volunteers! That sherriffs officer at the instersection in front of the hotel had a great sense of humor and was cheering us on to the finish, great guy!

Enjoyed the santa maria style BBQ chicken lunch. But during lunch I didnt enjoy the sounds of falling lumber and carbon as those rickety wobbly "bike stands" kept tumbling down...ah my helpless Gios got tangled up amongst the other poor bikes. Oh the humanity!

dare i add my usual pessimism here???? it was a great route but dare i say nowhere near worth the cost of admission. still trying to figure where all the money went...couldnt have been ALL to the portapotties!!! i think next time i may just bring all of my own stuff and go bandit...they didnt even have pbandj man!!! justsaying....

Did you guys eat in Solvang after? I wish hotels weren't so expensive. In March I stayed in Lompoc to save money.

One reason why I bypass the Prelude... long drive for a short ride, expensive lodging even for Buellton or Lompoc and they don't do a good sag. Last time I did it they only had bananas, orange slices, pretzels and some lame cookies and were running out at that. I guess they figured everyone would be done in a couple of hours and didn't need much. I did this ride years ago when I first started riding and basically going slow. The slow people get screwed that's for sure!

This is why I think Thomson's idea of doing our own Solvang ride is great. If we got a group, we could split the cost of rooms (for those who want to) and map our own ride. And after, have refreshments at the restaurant of our choice. :D

This is why I think Thomson's idea of doing our own Solvang ride is great. If we got a group, we could split the cost of rooms (for those who want to) and map our own ride. And after, have refreshments at the restaurant of our choice. :D

And I do think it is a good idea. This has been suggested here by Brandy and Caligurl has actually set up the Joshua Tree ride this weekend. The reason M.E. cites the Solvang ride as my idea is I had mentioned it to her quite a while ago. She means no disrespect to those others that have suggested it.

Someone has suggested that he bring his own stuff and bandit the ride next year. Let me offer this question, if that is the desire, why do it on their date? Why not do it any ol' time of the year? I think it is better to stay away from the masses and enjoy the ride.

We could start the Solvang Rebellion Ride 2-4 weeks after. :)

We could start the Solvang Rebellion Ride 2-4 weeks after. :)

now thats an idea!!!

Someone has suggested that he bring his own stuff and bandit the ride next year. Let me offer this question, if that is the desire, why do it on their date? Why not do it any ol' time of the year? I think it is better to stay away from the masses and enjoy the ride.

I did my first century like that by accident. I was moving out of Boston and hadn't been to the cape, so I decided to pedal to Provincetown. As I was paused in Brookline trying to figure out which way to turn, I saw two girls on road bikes (I was on a no-suspension cheap mtb) looking at maps trying to figure out which way to go. They were with AYH and doing Boston->Provincetown, so I rode with them for a while. Later we separated, and about 30 miles in I started to bonk badly, not having any idea how much you needed to eat when cycling (especially on a heavy mtn bike with sleeping bag and stuff strapped on the rack). As I was rolling down a steep hill thinking about payphones and calling my housemate, I saw some guys with a white van, a big table with water coolers on it, and some boxes next to it. the coolers had gatorade and water, and the boxes were full of muffins and bananas. It turned out they were with a different group that was also doing the ride the same day as AYH, and they were nice enough to give me a couple bananas and refill my water bottles. After that I got food regularly and was fine all the way to P-town.

She means no disrespect to those others that have suggested it.


Was someone offended? :eek: :(

Someone has suggested that he bring his own stuff and bandit the ride next year. Let me offer this question, if that is the desire, why do it on their date? Why not do it any ol' time of the year? I think it is better to stay away from the masses and enjoy the ride.
Isn't this what we do on the weekends with local clubs?

Not that I mind doing it this way, but one of the attractions of event rides for me is the prospect of riding with multitudes of people. I did a great ride in South/North Carolina with over 1,500 people in it. I was never alone on the roads. It was great!!

Isn't this what we do on the weekends with local clubs?

Not that I mind doing it this way, but one of the attractions of event rides for me is the prospect of riding with multitudes of people. I did a great ride in South/North Carolina with over 1,500 people in it. I was never alone on the roads. It was great!!
I did Solvang in March and I was alone for probably 80% of the ride. Hotels during the ride week, if you can still find one, are $250-300/night. A month later they'll be < $150 and the roads will be the same.
10-20 people with someone driving a SAG wagon and it could be fun. The weather might even be more agreeable.

they also have cheap camp grounds all around that area. That's were some of my friends stayed at over the weekend.