Solvang Century??? Who had done it?

[Tokie]

The Santa Ynez Valley is just over the hill from here. The Solvang Century is a hard century. Even before you turn and head back to where you find the painful last climbs (and sadly, riders walking their bikes up the climbs), there is a section with rather unforgiving headwinds and roads with rutted shoulders from tractors. The headwind section often takes the last bit of oomph out of you when you need it for the climbs. I would do the half century and make it a fun day. Yep, abelskivers and wine-tasting! Even when I'm in great shape for the full century, I cut this one short. It makes for much happier memories! Have fun! tokie

[Jiffer]

Hmmm. Mixed advice, so far. Well, I guess we're still in the mode of training as if we're doing it and see how we feel as it gets closer. We rode 30 yesterday followed by 40 today with some decent climbing both days. I think I'll know if my body isn't going to want to tolerate 100 miles when we do our long rides the week before the event. I'm feeling so much stronger this season already, which is encouraging.

Fredwina, that last big climb, is there anything around here that it compares to? Torrey Pines? Mount Baldy Road? Do you know the grade?

[Fredwina]

Hmmm. Mixed advice, so far. Well, I guess we're still in the mode of training as if we're doing it and see how we feel as it gets closer. We rode 30 yesterday followed by 40 today with some decent climbing both days. I think I'll know if my body isn't going to want to tolerate 100 miles when we do our long rides the week before the event. I'm feeling so much stronger this season already, which is encouraging.

Fredwina, that last big climb, is there anything around here that it compares to? Torrey Pines? Mount Baldy Road? Do you know the grade?

I'm thinking GMR to the shack
ps. you don't have to do 100 to train for century

[maillotpois]

I coached it back in 2005 for TNT and recall it being a not too bad early season century. Nothing outlandishly hard. Rollers. Weather will always be iffy, but you could luck out. Go for it!

[NadiaMac]

I did Solvang as my first century in 2006 (with TNT, a great experience). The climbing is not bad-- mostly rollers and long rollers/short hills, and there are sustained sections that are fairly flat. The section that overlaps the TOC TT course is a fairly short climb and not particularly steep (it's beautiful and fun to ride and see the rider names painted on the course). There is one steeper hill, but again, the climb is not very long, at least by northern california/bay area climb standards, and everyone in my group of beginners just pedaled on through it. A bigger factor for my ride was the wind-- we had about 4o miles of significant head or cross wind. Riding with friends helped a lot. Have fun if you give it a shot!