Solvang Double

[Brandy]

Who will be there?

[maillotpois]

Not this year. Doing my 300k in my brevet series. (Only doubles I am planning right now are Davis, Tam, Knoxville and possibly Bass Lake).

Have fun - it is a great ride. Not hard at all for a double. (Of course I hope you get better weather than we did last year! I estimate it was raining for 160 miles. )

[Veronica]

Nah, it was only 100 miles or so of rain.

I'm planning on Central Coast, Eastern Sierra, Grand Tour, Tam and one other TBD. I think.

V.

[Brandy]

I'll post a ride report as soon as I write one, but I finished in 12:01 total time! I left at 6:40 a.m. and rolled in at 6:41 p.m.! When I realized how close I was to finishing sub-12 hours you should have seen me sprint to the finish.

[jobob]

Nice going!

[maillotpois]

Great job!! How much time off the bike did you have? That's always the killer there - it adds up!

Too bad you're not coming to Davis. Sounds like you'd be great to have in a paceline. (We generally shoot for right around your Solvang time for Davis.)

You've got 2 down...

[Veronica]

Woohoo! That's a super time. Looking forward to your report.

V.

[jobob]

Geeze, too bad about that one minute that took you over the 12-hour mark, how frustrating !

It's great that you sprinted for the finish to try to get under it. Very impressive.

[slinkedog]

A friend of mine did this ride and had a bad crash at mile 86... she still finished! Must have been an amazing day and I can't wait for your ride report, Brandy! (I'm a breeder, too!! )

[Brandy]

Great job!! How much time off the bike did you have? That's always the killer there - it adds up!

Too bad you're not coming to Davis. Sounds like you'd be great to have in a paceline. (We generally shoot for right around your Solvang time for Davis.)

You've got 2 down...

I'm not sure exactly because I had no bike computer that day. I had way too much time off the bike, particularly before George caught me in Nipomo (not sure what mile that was but thinking it was around mile 60ish?) and at lunch...we were there for 28 minutes but we were waiting for the tandems that we had been with since RS2 and didn't want to lose them...they paced me through until the last RS! Oh...and keeping up with the tandems WAS NOT EASY for me. When George finally caught me he told me "I'm going to push you today, but you'll thank me later"...he was right, but I suffered. ALL. DAY. LONG.

Here are some pictures. I can't bring a camera anymore because my VeloSport jersey pockets are so small...only essentials, so just a couple of post-ride shots and most of these are from the AMAZING place that we stayed!!!





One of the only times that I saw the frontside of these WONDERFUL people that helped George kick my *** from rest stop#2 until the last rest stop. Two of three tandems that I STRUGGLED to stay with all day.


Okay...on to the AMAZING place that we stayed. Adam Firestone was gracious enough to offer George a guest house on the grounds of the Firestone Vineyard for us to stay in this weekend. We had no idea what to expect, but...



We had arrived in the dark Friday night, left in the dark Saturday morning and after eating dinner after the double century...arrived back in the dark again! So this morning, I was in awe of the amazing views from the house!

[Brandy]

[Brandy]

[jobob]

Geeze, if I was staying in that house I would have been like, "Double century? I don't remember signing up for a double century ... "

[maillotpois]

Great pictures! Nice cows!!!! (I love cows.)





George is cute!!

[slinkedog]

Wow! Nice digs! Who is George that Mr. Firestone would offer him a place to stay? Very cool photos... thanks for sharing!