it's practically official now

[Susie]

I have to say -- I survived the Solvang half century and it wasn't so bad. We started out in overcast conditions. Unfortunately, about 12 miles in to the ride, the rain started. It quickly turned to sleet and then into hail. The hail stones were about the size of peas and hurt quite a bit. I actually had to stop, get off the bike, and stand with my back to the hail (it was coming down a bit sideways right into my face while I was riding) and wait it out. After that, it was just on and off rain and bits of sun. My bike is totally covered in mud (even the saddle) and I'm about ready to take my cycling clothes out of the plastic bag I put them in to have a look.

I stayed pretty comfortable, except when my shoes, toe warmers, and tights were soaked through. Then I was probably colder than I've ever been in my life. Luckily, those disposable hand warmers did their thing and warmed me back up (one between the each of the toe covers and shoes, and one down each thigh in my tights). On top I had a simple capilene long sleeved undershirt, a long sleeved jersey made out of regular thin jersey material and one of those plastic non-breathable cycling rain jackets with vents in the arm pits. On my head I wore some thin ear warmers (kind of like a headband), a cycling cap, and then my helmet. The top half of me was really happy all day.

I'm very glad I just did the 50 miles (many of the century riders did this as well). There was snow not too much higher up from our course and the word at the start was that there was a flipped over car in the snow on the pass that the 100 milers had to cross.

Lessons learned:

1. hail hurts
2. those non breathable cheap plastic coats do just great if it's cold enough out
3. disposable hand warmers can be really helpful
4. I don't drink nearly as much when it's cold out
5. Keep moving -- going slow or stopping gets you shivering very quickly
6. Hot showers are the best thing ever invented
7. Hail hurts

Ride time (for 50 miles): 2 hrs, 53 min (including the stop for hail and helping some guy who had no clue how to fix a flat)

Susie

[Brandi]

What brand of hand warmers are you using. Need to get some for a trip in sept for just in case thing.

[tprevost]

Great Job Susie!

I did a Cinderella one year that was like that! It took me an hour ride home with the heater as high as it would go, plus a LONG HOT shower (as you mentioned ) AND curling up w/down comforter and heater on HIGH. Basically it took me the rest of the day to get warm again! It sounds like those little heater thingys were perfect! I'll have to go grab a few to keep on hand! Brandi, I think you can get them at sporting goods stores/ski shops etc. I've gotten them at REI before but that was a long time ago.

Congrats on your ride and getting it done!

Tracy

[tprevost]

ps. went to see Failure to Launch yesterday - very cute; even DH was laughing!

[Brandi]

Ordered my ID tags by the way. The last line I put "Just breath". I forget to sometimes. That is why I take yoga.
And right on doing the Solvang ride Susie. My husband and I have had two chances to go out and ride but we keep chickeningout when we look at the temp outside. We live about an hour and alf from solvange. Hey what is the ride called I might do it next year.
Is it open registration?

[Susie]

To answer everyone's questions:

Tprevost -- I'm already signed up for the Strawberry Fields full century. I did the Surf City ride in September, which is a very similar course. I'm really looking forward to doing Strawberry Fields in May.

Brandi -- I was wearing Terry full fingered gloves (http://www.teamestrogen.com/products.asp?pID=14148). As far as hand warmers, I bought Heat Factory mini warmers at my local outdoor store, but you can find them on http://www.heatfactory.ca/warmer.html. Basically, you open the package, squeeze the packet of stuff, and it heats right up and stays warm for up to 8 hours. You can tuck them just about anywhere and they really work (my toes can vouch for them). And Solvang is open registration. There were many folks actually registering the morning of the ride, which suprised me. If I hadn't have already spent the money, I wouldn't have gone. Conditions were way too nasty.

I have only one thing left to clean. I never knew that helmets could get so muddy on a road ride!

Susie

[Bike Goddess]

Susie- Congrats on sticking it out! I don't know if I would have lasted as long as you did given the hail, sleet, and rain. I did the century last year, and what a big difference the weather makes in a ride! No one expected this to happen so late in the season.!

For a detailed report on the full century go to: www.bikejournal.com There is a good report on the forum page from some guys who finished it. Rand does a good narrative.

Maybe next year I'll come down and do it! It was one of my favorite centuries last year. Of course we had sun and really nice conditions as well!

[tprevost]

Susie,

I SO wish I could go up and do the Strawberry Fields ride too! I did the metric twice but then we moved and well.... that was that! My DH's employer is in Santa Cruz (I was born and raised in bay area) and when I'm reminded of all the great rides sometimes I wanna move back!

Tracy

ps. get a couple of pics if you can so I can live vicariously through you!

[jobob]

Wow, Susie, what an accomplishment.

Those chemical warmer packs are a great idea. I might head over to my local REI and stock up on some, heaven knows how long this weather is going to last, and the Cinderella is only a couple of weeks away.

Here's what REI carries online, and I imagine the REI stores will carry them too. They don't cost much and they'd be worth their weight in gold on a cold and funky day.

http://www.rei.com/online/store/Sear...t=REI_SEARCH:C

[tprevost]

Brandi,

There is a "windmill century" 7/22 up in Los Alamos. I'm going to do the century - here's the link if you want to check it out:

http://www.tailwindsbc.org/WindMill/

I'm staying in Solvang and will be hitting the day spa afterwards!

Tracy

[DeniseGoldberg]

Here's what REI carries online, and I imagine the REI stores will carry them too. They don't cost much and they'd be worth their weight in gold on a cold and funky day.

Those Heat Treat warmers are great - they were a constant companion for my feet all winter. You're right, they are pretty inexpensive - even more so if you go in with a friend and buy 10 or more at a time since REI offers a 20% discount at that volume (I usually split my orders with one of my co-workers who also bikes through the winter). I hope that all of us (both sides of the country!) lose those cold days pretty fast - although I can't complain about this weekend here in the northeast. Three decent riding days...

--- Denise

[caligurl]

GREAT JOB, susie!

i didn't even ride saturday! it was actually "nice" here in the morning.. but cold... BRRRRRRRRRRR so i decided we needed to go shopping instead! as we headed down the hill.. we first have to head UP... and hit snow! SOOOO pretty! but i was scared to death in our new car! not even 2 weeks old.. i just knew some idiot would hit us.. fortunately everyone was going slow!

got down the hill and of course.. changed back to rain.. but still cold for palm springs/palm desert.. again... BRRRRRRR

when we headed back up the hill.. i guess it had snowed off and on all day and was snowing as we went back home! it was dark.. but i could still see how pretty all the desert vegetation looked with snow hanging on it! again.. everyone was driving slow! phew! got home and no snow.. just wet ground.. so it had rained at some point (or snowed and melted.. but i think it was just rain here... about 2000 feet)

i would have never even started the ride in your weather conditions much less kept going!

i may have to get some of those warmers in anticipation of BA being cold again this year!

again... GREAT JOB!