Lighthouse Century this Saturday

[velogirl]

Anyone doing it? I'm heading down with some friends. Should be a nice weekend.

[Adventure Girl]

I'm doing the 100 mile flat (I like the coast!). We're driving down Friday night and spending 2 nights.

I went to college in San Luis Obispo. I wasn't a cyclist at the time, but I had a friend who rode a little. He did a century and I thought he had to be out of his mind! I just couldn't imagine riding 100 miles!!!

So now MANY years later I'm trying to show myself that I'm fitter than the 23-year-old version of myself.

Besides, it's beautiful there and the weather should be perfect.

[bikerchick68]

not doing it this year but did ride it last year... a GREAT ride and well organized... have fun!

[velogirl]

Cool! We all registered for the hilly century but I'm open to any of the routes.

Has anyone done the ride in the past who could shed some light (no pun intended) on the various routes? Or anyone who knows the area?

Look for me to say "hi." I'll most likely be in my tri-flow kit (all black with hot pink tri-flow logo on the front and velogirls on the shorts).

[maillotpois]

I did the "hilly" ride in 2001. It was my second century, and at that point I was actually a little surprised when my odometer kept climbing up and past 100 miles and I wasn't anywhere near the finish! It actually worked out to be about 109 miles, which really isn't a big deal, but I was a total newbie and was VERY impressed that I'd ridden that far!

The support was great. Nice lunch in Cambria at a big park.

The hilly route was beautiful. I grew up in Paso Robles, so I was somewhat familiar with the terrain. The main climb was Old Creek Rd. or something like that with a creek in the name. There were some steepish pitches, but overall it wasn't too bad. VERY narrow and windy road - no cars, though.

There's a rockin' downhill West on Hwy. 46 which is a lot of fun if there's not a bad cross-wind.

The coast part was a lot like the coast part here (N. CA), rolly with no real climbs and a headwind while going North.

Wish I were doing the ride! Have fun!

[bikerchick68]

hey you two! How'd it go? Did you have a good ride? Enjoy the lunch and the SAG's? I LOVE Cappucino Cove SAG with the rock and roll and pirates! Comeon... I wanna hear about it! I haven't ridden a century since Feb... (heck I just did my first ride in 3 months on Sun!) so I have a lil envy going on...

[velogirl]

Oh, it was an adventure. We drove down on Friday (three girls and their bikes) and met another from at registration then headed into SLO for a late dinner at Big Sky (?). I was having spinach withdrawal......

Anyways, we check in at Le Petit Soleil and unload our stuff. Cute, overpriced, and noisy B&B in a converted motel. I start cleaning my bike and I've got a broken spoke on the rear wheel! I can't believe it. I built the darn wheels myself and I've never, ever broken a spoke. So, I'm bummed. I don't have any extra spokes with me and I don't want to try to remove it andd retension the wheel for a 100-mile ride. One of my friends finds out where all the bike shops are so the plan is for me to drive them to the start of the century and then go to the bike shop to get a new spoke and then meet them enroute. Of course, the bike shop doesn't open until 9:30am on Saturday. But, it's right across the street from the B&B!

So, I spend Saturday morning hanging out with Barrett and the guys at Cambria Bicycle Outfitters in SLO. He replaces the spoke but tells me the whole wheel really needs to be tensioned. I'd put about 5,000 miles on it since building it this winter and it was one of the first wheels I ever built, so it's no wonder it was a mess!!! Anyways, he basically re-builds the wheel while I hang with customers, discuss bike fit with a woman who didn't believe what the manager was telling her, go to the 7-Eleven to get the guys drink and cookies, etc. Finally, I'm on my way. BTW, big endorsement for the guys at CBO. I'm super-picky about bike shops (since I worked in one for 4 years) and these guys know their stuff.

I decided it was getting so late I'd drive to the lunch stop and ride to meet my friends. I finally get on the bike and back-track on the route until I find them. I see two whales and a tree filled with about 50 vultures on the way -- cool! My one friend is in a hurry so I ride back to ride with the other two. Both seem to be dragging a bit and not too happy.

We roll into lunch. One of my friends has a bad saddle sore from the week before and decides 60 miles is enough -- she's going to drive my car back to the start. The other two are dragging and one just keeps telling me to go ahead. Of course, I drove all the way up there so I could ride with them, so I'm a little annoyed, but oh well. I finally go off on my own and hammer like a nut. Since my friends are on the slower side, they're at the back of the riders, so I just keep passing riders for 35 or so miles back to the start.

When I arrive back at the start, I see my friend who drove my car, but the other two are still behind me. I'm feeling feisty, so I decide to ride back to SLO, make a stop at Coldstone for ice cream, then head back to CBO and the B&B.

On Sunday, I had planned to ride about 70 miles and have my friends pick me up on their way back to SF. It was rainy and drizzly and I lost my motivation, so I went shopping and finally got a spinach salad!!!

[bikerchick68]

Oh my word! I can't believe you had a broken spoke... talk about bad timing huh? I'm glad you got to see a couple whales and the vultures...

when I did it I saw TONS of red tailed hawks, 1 whale, the zebra at Hearst Castle, groundhogs, cows... hmmmm... that may have been it... I remember thinking, "what other ride would you see cows, zebras and a whale on the same ride???"

ah well, I'm hoping next year I'll be able to ride it again... gotta get my legs back and start doing some hill repeats to get whipped back into shape again...

I'll have to remember Cambria BO when I'm there! Nice to know of good shops in different areas!