Solvang century march 9th
 

The wife and I just signed up for this ride.

Anyone else going?

Me!

I just got approval from the Activities Commission. I'm thinking of trying to get the fitting / entry fee double pack - the guy is right here in Whittier I think. I think the deadline for that is Feb 22 so I'll work on that tomorrow. :)

Bring your go-juice, there's hills.

My wife and I are doing the 100K on the tandem. I'm having the wife try a new saddle to see if we can get her more comfortable over the 4-1/2 hours or so. It's a nice ride, but tougher than Palm Springs and my business travel will definitely (further) kill our conditioning. While the climbing isn't tough on the 100k I'm definitely going to switch out our 12-30 for an 11-36 in case we're dying at the end.

while I just did my first hundred mile ride last weekend, I routinely did rides with 4K climbing last year...so I think I can complete it. Little scary, but not undoable. I am going to make a real effort to get in 50 plus mile rides ever weekend between now and then, with 3-4K climbing.

TH, I looked at that bike fit option, but want to go ahead and get one done here. I am going over to auburn today to get one done, so I can have more time on the ridley. Still not sure I will take it on a hundred miles, but want to give it a shot. I have it set up with much more of a drop between the bars and seat, and its puts me further stretched out too. Not to mention it has higher gearing than my giant.


We couldnt get a hotel anywhere close, we are staying about 18 miles away from the start in a embassy suites.

See you guys there.

Looks like I will be there too. Don't know what I'll be riding yet.

I'll be there God willing. I was thinking of doing the 100k but reading your posts made me dream of the full imperial century (has a nice ring to it doesn't it?).

Charlie

Vest, I think we're at the same embassy (Lompoc?)- everything was shockingly sold out. I was briefly tempted to find a campground and just throw up a tent. I sleep like a baby on my air mattress, but then I'd want a nice warm shower in the AM.

The hills don't look terrible but they are rather backloaded, which always makes me a little nervous, but they don't look terribly imposing either. Still, I reckon if I do this again I'll know I am ready for Solvang - http://app.strava.com/activities/16750453

Does anybody know the rest stop arrangement for the century? What's the weather typically like? The shot on the front of their website looks foggy.

yes the one in lompoc...we now have a tradition of recovery therapy, we need to continue that tradition

I might have to extend through Saturday night then. :D

On the Solvang century last year (2012) it was sunny but cold at the start 45F or so with a strong wind from the west. Later in the day it warmed up to 65F or so.

I think you should do the imperial century. :innocent:

Anytime TH puts a ":innocent:" in his post, be afraid. Be VERY afraid. He's causing trouble...and he knows it!

PJ, I think you should sign up too. Heck you're already half way there compared to where I'll start driving (Never mind the Vests)

:innocent:

Look at the profile. Even the grades on the long hill are 1,2, 3%. I see one itty bitty spot of 7% from maybe 1/4 mile at the peak.

Some buds and I trained on GMR for this ride back in 98. We figured we had to train because of all the comments we heard about "THE WAAALL" :eek:


We hit the wall and were like, OK wait, what? :roflmao2:

We hit a big headwind in an area where there were small rollers and wineries. That was tougher than any of the climbing or "THE WAALL".:D


I'm shocked it totals 6000+, even so nothing like GMR to the village. Not much different from PS imo. I was only 35 yo back then but we did it in 5:30 ride time with about an hour of rest with only a year or two on the bike. Another easy century.


http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1964933

See, there's that emoticon again! Stirring up trouble!

I'd be there if I weren't already committed. It killed me to not be able to do PS. I think for Solvang I would bring my trailer and go camp at Cachuma. It would be fun to pack out the group site! Like everything else, maybe next year!

I want to do the double on the 23rd but the total cost of that trip I can almost pay for the new MTB I want:lol:

Realy! When we did it in 98 a hotel room was $100 and none near town. That was single century for the double, you'd need 2 days minimum. We tried to leave early Friday night but Gina couldn't get off early so we left about 7 pm. Witht the LA traffic in that direction, and rain we didn't arrive till near midnight.


But I would say this century is more interesting that PS and nicer. We're going to AZ for a week mid to late March as we're expecting another grandson. Or I just might have considered getting a room and doing it.

Fees and cost do add up after so many organized rides. First few I did were in 98, and then more up until 2005 when a few friends realized we could have just as much fun organizing our own rides and BBQ's. After so many rides, it's no longer thrilling paying $60 -$100 per ride.

If you ever get a chance to do Tour De Tucson though, that one is a blast. I perfer AZ rides over CA rides. That was worth the 14 hour drive. :thumb:

I hear a lot of excuses, PJ.

Say Beanz - I've never heard of this "wall", is that a feature on the solvang century?... and ridewithGPS usually overestimates the elevation in my experience. There's no way that's 6k. Palm springs really was flat except for a few little bits. It was highly enjoyable. :)

In paragraph 11 he mentions the wall. In para 8 he mentions people walking up hills.:eek: The Wall comes up in a google search if you care to dig deeper.

I never thought it was hard at all other than the wind by the wineries. But like Torrey Pines on the AmTrak, some riders swear it was a BIG HILL. I think the first 1/2 mile of GMR is rougher. :p

You've done GMR, you won't be walking on Solvang. Been a while but I don't remember one area that matches GMR.


http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/di....asp?tid=68794

I'm going to agree with ya'll PS was flat...and I HATE hills. :) Still trying to decide on Solvang.

Yeah the wall is a joke its not hard at all. It comes just before you get to los Olivos at about mile 85 or so.
I mean its not like the wall on the tour of the unknown coast - now there is a steep climb ( a mile of 18 percent grade).

Charlie

Solvang is defintely harder than PS. None of the climbs are difficult but there are a number of them. It's not a "flat" ride like PS. I think just under 5000ft of climbing is probably pretty accurate. It is possible to do this in a very fast time if that's what you want to do. There are plenty of long flat roads. It is a fun ride with pretty good support and lots of people to ride with.

I've done that double four or five times. It's definitely one of the easiest, if not the easiest of the doubles. I have a friend who did it in 9hrs, 15minutes. The only problems I've had on that ride is the weather. For some reason every time I do it I get rained on, or hailed on or there are water spouts. Lots of fun. ;)

will you guys please stop scaring the children (me)!

And Beanzy, no more ride post from when you were six, its 2013...come ride with us!

This is a good one, not hard and you'll enjoy it more than PS.

........and if I were 6, I wouldn't be expecting our 9th grandkid at that time and I prolly would! :D

This one is much nicer than Palm Stinks!:p