bernmart

I found it a beautiful ride, but Hard. Very, very hard. It started off cold and foggy, and stayed that way for the first 15 miles, by which time I was shivering. Then I got a flat (first one ever on a century). It took me more than a half-hour to change it, I was so cold. Then the fog burned off, to be replaced by very high winds--bad headwinds for about 20 miles, then, as the course shifted direction, really scary crosswinds for about 15 more. Locals estimated between 25-30 mph winds. Apparently not typical this time of year.

Quite a few climbs during the first 25 miles, but the winds really compromised the "easy" mid-part of the ride. I was pedaling to do 10 mph against the wind with a 1-2% downhill grade, and once couldn't get much over 15 mph on a 4% downhill! By the 70-mile rest stop I was really tired. A young guy I was riding with had been talking about sagging out at that point, but we both decided to try to finish, even though it was getting late. His legs started hurting him terribly ten miles into the long, gradual climb up Foxen Canyon. I kept going, at what seemed a reasonable clip, but I was rapidly running completely out of energy, and nothing seemed to help--food, water, nothing. Every mile or two I'd have to stop and rest.

Finally I faced two facts: I wasn't enjoying myself at all, despite that Foxen Canyon road is one of the most beautiful roads I've ever seen; and, at the pace I was making, counting breaks that I just couldn't not take, I wouldn't finish until well past dark. So when the sag wagon came by at mile 85, I hitched a ride.

I admit that I feel bad about not finishing. I'm 2 dnf's out of 6 centuries so far. I need to ask some hard questions about training and nutrition if I'm to do a century like Solvang again and enjoy it at all.