Solvang Double Century - 2009
3/28/2009
I've been riding the Solvang Double Century for many years now. I look forward to it as it is one the first double centuries in the year and always is a fun ride (except when it is raining and dealing with a killer headwind).
This year did not disappoint! Beautiful weather. Sure, it was 35 degrees when we started our sunrise start at 6:30 am, but it quickly warmed up as the sun raised in the sky. My friend and I started out in Buellton and finished some 12 plus hours later. We rode 190 miles and climbed 8,000 feet. The ride starts in the Buellton/Solvang area and heads north through the Santa Ynez Valley to San Luis Obispo and turns around at Morro Bay. It heads back on the coast through Pismo Beach, Guadalupe, Los Alamos and finishes with a nice knee cruncher called Drum Canyon. Really, it's not that bad of a climb!
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Riding through the Santa Ynex Valley along Foxen Canyon Road. This is where the film "Sideways" was filmed and is not too far from Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch. I was riding with my friend , Doug Goodwin.
This is where we were riding into San Luis Obispo. Beautiful!
Me at Rest stop 2 at mile 80.
My riding partner, Doug.
The turn around point in the ride at mile 103 is Morro Bay.
Riding into Pismo Beach through Avila Baech.
Riding out to the last rest stop of the day at mile 175, Los Alamos
Riding up the last climb of the day, Drum Canyon
The view from the top of Drum Canyon at mile 180 on the way back to Buellton.
The day after! Breakfast at Paula's Danish Restaurant, the best breakfast, EVER!
An Ostrich at the Ostrich farm outside Buellton. See the eggs he's standing over?
