Thank you!!! Great report to hear considering it was raining last year. I'm excited. I do bundle, but then I just tie my jacket around my waist. I'm one to be over prepared so that when it gets dark toward the ened of the ride, I can put stuff back on.

Wish you were joining, George.

what about ME? where's the love?

So, Bill and m.e. - is it okay if we listen to my Spanish language CDs on the drive? I have to learn.

"Donde esta el bano?"

"Hemos llegado?"

= obenjo doko desu ka?

or oi, benjo doko da? informal, street talk.

Oh, I got your love right here, hottie. How about you and me do a little ride of our own after...

Um...perhaps I should PM you?

no

Okay...I'm off. Taking a train to Solana Beach (yes, I realize it's in the opposite direction from Solvang) so I can sit next to George's desk and leer at him until he finally gives in and agrees to leave work early so we can get to Solvang!

See you all there!

Every time I do that, George calls the cops on me.

Oh boy, now I'm in trouble. I'm not Danish, but from my Danish dictionary, 'fugle' = 'bird' and 'balder' = 'buttocks'. So, ahem, ..., er, you loved the little bird butts. It would, more or less, be pronounced as you spelled it phoenetically.

What you _really_ mean is flødeboller. 'fløde' = 'cream' and 'bolle' = 'ball', or 'dumpling' (the 'r' makes it plural). I _promise_ this time. Seriously. The 'd' is 'soft' -- pronounced kind of half way between an 'L' and a 'th'. It's a weird noise.

Flødeboller are a popular birthday treat. At least everybody in my daughter's school brings them on their birthdays.

I am an American, living in Odense, which is on the island of Fyn, which is between Sjælland (where Copenhagen and Kisserup are) and the Jutland peninsula. I've been to southern California exactly _once_ in my life, but the 'Solvang' in the title caught my attention. On a side note, I have mastered the art of flipping æbleskiver, another treat that you might run across in Solvang.

Oh, man. I'm going to burn for this one...maybe someday I'll grow up...

hahah, I like you already... don't worry, m.e. likes being teased in a "pulling the pigtails" kind of way.

I think we have a new nickname for m.e.

sounds like you know all you need to!!! so im with ME....no

cream ball dumplings.......yikes.

So... how did everyone do? Here is a link to my Edge data on MotionBased, thanks for the tip about the Energizer phone charger (I got mine at Circuit City). I forgot my light at home so I started around first light (6:45am) to give myself time to finish before sunset (7:40pm). I was figuring it would take 12 hours and a 7:30am start would be cutting it close. I finished at 6:25 so it took about 11:45 total time, with 9:53 moving time.

Your numbers sound good. Good job.

I didn't use a bike computer so I don't have my ride time or anything like that. I will check with my riding partner and see what hers said. As far as total time, I think it was about 13 1/2 hours but that includes riding from Buellton to the start and from the end back to Buellton. The morning air was quite crispy. I don't think I have even been as cold through there. Once it got a bit warmer, I found the weather nice. The normal headwinds up to Morro Bay but a nice tailwind back to Solvang.

Based on when you finished, our paths may have crossed. I had on a green Amgen jersey and a big 'army green' Carradice bag on the back.

never did see you yesterday jim! bummed about that!

Thanks. I passed several people with green bags on the back. Do you have a picture of your bike with the bag?