24 Weeks

This photo was taken by our apartment on Sunday morning...

The Solvang Half Century.

With only two 20-mile training rides under my belt, I completed the 50-mile ride on Saturday. On the drive into Solvang, we could see all the Century riders already on the course were wearing full sleeve jerseys and full length pants. On our walk to the registration area, we could hear riders complaining about the cold. I especially remember one guy saying, "I can't keep the handlebar straight because my arms are shivering so much". Expecting much warmer weather, I had only worn a thin t-shirt and biking shorts. So a quick spin through a booth at the bike expo and $200 later, I was equipped with an additional jacket, gloves, and knee warmers. Check out my new outfit...

The stats from my ride, although I forgot to turn on the GPS for around 5 miles....

Overall the ride went very well. I felt great through the first 3/4 of the ride, but by the time we hit the hill in mile 42, I was hating myself for not training more. The continually rolling hills, with elevation gains and drops of about 150 feet, had finally gotten to my legs.

At 100 meters before the finish, a complete stranger (pictured below) turned to me, put his hand up for a high-five, and said "woohoo. we did it.....one hundred miles". I gave him the high-five anyways, but boy did I feel like a loser when I said I had only done the 50.

Lu shortly before finishing. Some of you might remember her as Brooke's half marathon and triathlon training buddy....

While I was riding my bike, Brooke was on a self-guided tour through the Solvang bakeries. At both Olsen's and Mortensen's Bakery, Brooke had an apple danish and a cup of coffee. Olsen's had the better coffee and ambiance, while Mortensen's had the better pastry and better customer service. Brooke thinks she needs many more studies to conclusively determine the best bakery....

Lu, Brooke, and I then went to a mid-afternoon breakfast at Paula's Pancake House. The Danish pancakes were pretty good, but it's hard to judge how good anything tastes when your body is trying to replenish the 2500 calories it's just burned. However, Brooke and I were both disappointed in the buttermilk pancakes. They're nowhere near as good as our beloved Family Pancake House in the Seattle area...