Picked up Jackie in Newport Beach Friday afternoon, and hearing she still had a rattling cough, we immediately decided to just do the 50 miler. That probably was a good decision given the conditions. We hit tons of traffic going north on a Friday and so didn't get into Embassy Suites in Lompoc until almost 10p.

Sat morning, after getting some oatmeal at the Embassy breakfast, we rolled out towards Solvang. Wow...fog!! Lots of police cruisers on the 246, and one lowly cyclist headed east in the mist. Called Herb and told him we were coming. Parked in the big overflow field, registered and met Herb, Tracy and Wayne at the corner. As Herb mentioned, Wayne was holding an ill tandem front wheel

Herb pretty much covered the ride. We were on Santa Rosa Road, and one second the wind was blowing lazy smoke from the east, the next second we are getting slammed in the face by a headwind. Jackie immediately jumps on my wheel (she is learning well) and Herb follows. Yes we passed tons of inexperienced riders on Santa Rosa, some riding 3 abreast taking the whole lane and completely oblivious to anyone wanting to pass them. Some are walking up the rollers on Santa Rosa. I guess for many this is the longest they have ever been on a bike. Since we were doing the 50, I decided to hammer the rises, then wait at the top and take pictures of Jackie smiling as she reached the top of each one Also does it count as posing if you are hammer the climb in front of the official photographers?

Up the last climb to Hwy 1, the wind gusted so strong I was worried Jackie might get blown off her bike! We turned north, and descended to the rest stop in Lompoc. Grabbed a PB&J and a couple fig newtons, re-filled a bottle with water, and we were back off for the loop through town. Droolled over a nice Cervelo Soloist Carbon in the group we were with, but was actually glad to lose them as they were completely oblivious to other traffic in the town, blowing through stopsigns and the like.

We finally get onto 246 hoping for a tailwind, which didn't pan out for a few miles. Plus we are on a false flat doing only 14 mph. Still Jackie and Herb are hanging on behind me. And I didn't remember some of the hills on the 246 while we were driving them in the fog earlier. One of the downhills, we hit 38mph and I glance back to see Jackie still hanging right behind me! I ask her how she is doing and she says her legs are tired, but only a couple miles later she suddenly hits the front a couple miles later with a tailwind and flat road and starts hammering at 24 mph! Herb and I look at each other and just shake our heads and let her pull us home

Ride time 3:15.