merider1

Solvang will be my first double century and I'm curious if anyone is riding it or has ridden it and would like to offer his/her 2 cents. I'm garnering as much advice as I can so it will be enjoyable (as much as 200 can be!).

big john

I didn't do it,(chickened out due to illness the weeks before), but 12 of my friends did it and it was the first double for most of them. They stayed together almost all the way and all finished before dark, I think about 12 1/2 hours. They all enjoyed it and some are even doing it again this year. I also think the total climbing is low for a double but everyone mentions Drum Canyon near the end being tough.

merider1

Thanks, Big J. I should quit asking like an overeager puppy and just do it. But I'm a little nervous. I won't come off that bike unless I'm knocked off of it, so I'll definitely finish. But I rode the Mardi Gras Century up in Ventura today and got soaked, and I mean to the bone - no area on me that wasn't wet and numb or hurting from the cold. I almost quit at mile 33, but then the sun came out and I got back on my bike. They put us on a bike path for the majority of the ride (for what reason, I will never understand), so we were hammered with debris and pedestrians running in the rain. I was averaging 14/hr. No way was I willing to do a 100 in the amount of time it would have taken, so I just did the metric.
My point being, I sure hope those or similar conditions don't appear in Solvang or I'm going to be hurting!

Extort

Last year I did Solvang as my first ever double and truly enjoyed myself. A few things to note:
Bring full fingered gloves for the dawn start, Foxun (sp?) Canyon was at about 32 - 34 degrees and flying down the hill at 30+ is really difficult when your fingers are stuck to the bars. I also recommend arm & leg warmers and a light rain jacket.
Bring sunscreen as it was almost 80 at midday and very warm near the beach.
Bring a good light with a 4 hour battery, think about rest stops when calculating time.

Good luck and I hope to see you up there!

OC Roadie

Hey!, I'm waiting to hear from you and Pico about Butterfield

ronsmithjunior

I did 173 miles of the Solvang Double last year. After fighting stomach problems for 60 miles or so, I had to pack it up at the last SAG stop. Sucks. The course is a good one. You do Foxen Canyon in the morning, some rolling stuff during the day, and then Drum Canyon near the end. It is a very scenic ride.

Foxen Canyon can be chilly in the morning. Last year it was below 40 F. This year I will be wearing:

- shorts
- short sleeved jersey
- wool arm and leg warmers
- short fingered gloves with full fingered liners
- light weight rain resistant jacket
- wind breaker vest

If it looks like rain I will add:

- lightweight water proof coat with hood
- full water proof booties

Btw, Planet Ultra is getting very strict about reflective gear. Ankle bands are a must. You get DQ'd without them. Don't be shy about loading up you and your bike with reflective bits. My tires have reflective sidewalls.

I will be easily visible (and recognizable) on my yellow Burley recumbent. See you there.

Ron

adxm

Sounds like you've already got a great attitude for going into a double. As for advice, just get some good long rides in on the coming weekends, and go into the double well rested, fed, and hydrated. During the ride, EAT, and drink, but easily digestible stuff. Preferrably hammer gel/ sustained energy type stuff, if you've had experience with this before. You're going to be figuring out how your stomach reacts to long distances. It's probably the fastest double in CA (with the possible exception of Davis), and a great introduction to doubles.

A very pretty climb on Foxen Canyon wakes your legs up a bit in the morning, then there's a great series of flats with mild rollers through lush green scenery for the next long while. As I remember, there's a climb between here and SLO, but again, just take it easy and you'll be at the top before you know it. There's a small climb on 1 takes you from SLO to Los Osos (lunch is somewhere around here I think), and then you just make your way back in primarily flat agricultural areas all the way to Drum Canyon, which isn't too bad or too long of a climb (850 ft over about 3 mi), but will hurt in those last miles. Last year there were some headwinds during this section, and so it can get a bit grating, but you'll have the thrill of knowing each mile further you ride is a new personal best, and that can make it a bit better. Then it's a <10 mi cruise to the finish.

As for the weather, I was riding Butterfield last weekend through that same rain you had on your century, and that's not the kind of weather you want for a double! The important part, which I totally neglected, is keeping warm, because its near impossible to keep dry. Luckily on Butterfield at least, it stopped after about an hour and a half or so, and after my feet dried out a few hours later, I was good =), and luckily finished in 11 hours, because I think it started raining again at night. Butterfield is another good course for a double about a notch in difficulty above Solvang.

Good luck on your ride! It should be a blast. If I end up going I'll probably be volunteering, and doing the staff ride the next day. It's a lot of fun volunteering for the Solvang riders, who, judging from last year, are a very cheery, laid back bunch in general, compared to the average rider on a "hardcore" double.

merider1

Thank you guys for your advice and comments! I really do try to incorporate all the information I can garner. I love to ride and can't wait to try a double. I'm pretty sturdy and Solvang is one of my favorite places to ride. I'm doing the century 2 weeks prior as a training ride for that very reason! I hope to see all three of you (Extort, Ron and Adxm) up there.

Thanks again. :-)