Originally Posted by DanteB
Spingineer, great job on the Solvang Double!
I started at 6:30, so I wouldn't have to use lights in the morning. It was cold, I recorded a temp of 36 degrees. By the first rest stop it had warmed up to comfortable 48 degrees. Most of the day went fine, visited with a lot of people and I felt very good. I wasn't overly fast at the rest stops for some reason, I'll have to check that out. Drum Canyon, the big climb at the end, felt very easy this year and the sprint into Solvang was a quick one. I had a ride time of 11:15 and overall just under 13 hours (got hung up in a few rest stops, port-a-potties)..
Thanks, Dante.
I was so freaked out about not finishing before the cutoff time, that I wanted to start as early as possible. I didn't realize it was that cold. I didn't even have my ears covered. I guess all that morning training in the Bay Area helped me acclimate to the cold.
I met so many of my LA friends on the ride ... it was like a reunion of sorts.
I'm generally not a fast rider at long distances. Drum Canyon would have normally been fine for me, but after 170 miles, it was killer. I guess I'll just remember this experience, and learn from it for my next double (possibly Davis).