Loyal Companions

Well, gang, blogging here is going to be a little sporadic for the next week or so because I'm going to be very busy preparing for this weekend in Solvang. I'll be traveling too, so I won't want to use a computer until Sunday or so. That's right, this weekend is the Solvang Century, 104 miles of thigh-burning fun. This ride is given 5 out of 6 stars on the Bicycle Ride Director's Association of America's difficulty rating. Here's the elevation profile graph to give you an idea of what I'm subjecting myself to:

Wait, the climbing happens after 80 miles?

Yes, that is correct. Almost all of the 5000 feet of climbing on this route, happens after you've been riding for 80 miles. It's a good thing that cyclists are masochistic, otherwise we couldn't stand sadistic tour organizers. So, how do you make it through a hundred miles of torture? Why, with at least one good riding buddy, of course. I met up with one of my good riding buddies last Saturday in Bradbury:

Hay! Can I try some of that grass? Neigh?!

I always see this guy and his friend at the top of this hill in the Duarte, Bradbury area. But I'm talking about different riding companions. A good riding buddy will have about the same fitness and speed level as you have, will know your riding habits, will be able to talk you through the tough parts of the road, and has to have a good sense of humor. Unfortunately, my riding buddy from Palm Springs, Sebastian, had to cancel on Solvang, so I was looking at riding this thing by myself. Now, I've ridden 80 miles by myself, but the time you need a companion is anytime after the 75 mile mark. Honestly, for ten miles, you just want to quit. After you get through that, then the ride's only got 1 hour to go, and you can handle that. It's just the thought of 2 more hours of pain after 4 or more already. That's why you need to have a buddy.

Well, thanks to my cycling group on the web, I was able to find out that 2 of my other riding buddies are going, and I didn't even know. These guys are monsters on their bikes, and they're really going to push me. The last time we rode together was in November, climbing Glendora Mountain Road on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Jerry and David let me tag along, keeping our little group together as we climbed 2200 feet in just 9 miles. Here they are on the backside of the climb, after drinking some very necessary hot cocoa:

That's Jerry on the left and David on the right.

So, I think I'm going to be okay, as long as it doesn't rain like the 5 day forecast says it will, with 19 mile an hour winds to boot. Could be a long miserable day. But it won't be so bad as long as the feet and the pedals are turning.