First off I would like to thank some very special people
who keep me rolling. In alphabetical order:
Andy from Ben's Cycle Fitness for all his help getting my
Custom Fixed Gear from concept to reality.
http://www.benscycle.net/
Chris from Pacific Health Labs for Accelerade and Endurox.
http://www.pacifichealthlabs.com/site/index.html
David from Finish Line products from Chain Lube to
Cleaners http://www.finishlineusa.com/
Without their sponsorship I wouldn't be able to do the
things I do on the bike.
And one special mention to Adam Firestone for his gracious
hospitality and offering his Firestone Estates guest house
for me to stay.
Thank you!
Solvang Double Century Saturday March 31, 2007
194 miles and 7200 feet of climbing
Total Time: 11:11
Avg. speed 17.34 Mph
on Milwaukee Bicycle Co. Fixed Gear 49 x 15 GI 86.89
or 3.26 gear ratio
http://www.planetultra.com/solvang/Results/2007results.htm
The first 100 miles of the ride is quite rural and
very scenic. Rural means fast when talking about
double centuries. The terrain is easy going and the pace
is high because there are no major climbs. There are
plenty of rollers and just a few steep sections. The
second 94 miles take you through quite a few towns.
The frequent stopping eats into your average speed.
I thought this would be a good double to do with a fixed
gear and I was right on the money. I did it with a 49 x 15
and I think I could have ridden a 49 x 14 and still been
ok.
If I go back with a FG I will definitely try it with a
49 x 14. The problem I found was that I was fine in most
pacelines on the flats and some uphills but as soon as
there was a descent I would get dropped. Same old story
when riding a FG but I had gone from a 49 x 16 on the
Butterfield Double Century and I thought the bigger gear
would do the trick.
Start- 730 am I lined up with the riders wanting to
be timed. This event had over 540 riders leaving in
staggered waves with the last group being the "fast guys"
who were riding it as a timed event. No other way to say
it except we were "racing" it.
I saw some of my old friends and some new ones. I was
the only person (that I could tell) on a Fixed Gear (FG)
at the start. We rolled out at a pretty easy pace. I was
riding with Keith B, Mark P, and some other riders that are
familiar faces but I can't remember their names.
Mile 24- We hit the first steep climb more like a roller
but on this ride it can be called a climb. I saw the
attacks going off the front. I just sat there and did
my thing on my FG. As it got steeper I stood and started
using my body weight to push down on the pedals. I let many
people go but I kept my eye on Keith when he started to gap
me I struggled a little more to close the gap. Mark was on
my wheel and slowly we made contact with Keith again.
We were the first few riders over the top and then the
descent began. And that is when I got dropped. The
tandem of Chris R. and Graham P. went past me like I was
standing still (I was doing 30mph).
My cadence was really high (over 130 rpm) and I couldn't
keep up.
Mile 37.6- My first stop was 1:30 secs. I filled one bottle
grabbed some Endurolytes and off I was. The morning was
quite chilly in the low 40's. I had not finished my
second bottle. I had pre-mixed two bottles of
Accelerade before leaving the lovely Firestone Estates.
and carried a few baggies with me for the first couple of
rest stops. I wish Accelerade would come in a two-serving
to-go pouch (hint hint). It would make it much more
convenient than zip-lock baggies.
I had already been dropped on the descent of Foxen Canyon.
So now I was riding alone. I am used to riding alone so
that wasn't the problem but on a course like this the flat
riding gets really boring. I looked around at the scenery
and yes it was nice but in the end I would rather
be climbing.
Mile 60- I caught Brandy, a new ultra rider on her second
double century, who had started at 640am. I left the
paceline that I had been in for the last 5 miles and got
Brandy on my wheel. Two guys joined in our "paceline" but
soon they were off the back. We were moving at a pretty
good pace and I guess they couldn't hang.
Mile 83-- Rest #2 off the bike time (8:15). Potty break,
fresh bottles and the last of my Accelerade and Endurolytes
and off we went.
As we were leaving this checkpoint I saw three tandems
just getting started and told Brandy that it would really
smart if we could get on the tandem train and try to hang
on for as long as we could. I knew I would be at a
disadvantage on the descents but I thought I could catch
them again on the ascents and take advantage of the draft.
And so began our symbiotic relationship.
Mile 100- The not-so-secret checkpoint. We pulled in and
got a green sticker on our numbers I guess to verify
that we were on the course. It was through this town
that we were going very slow through a congested area.
There was only one lane. It had turned out to be a nice
sunny Saturday afternoon so there were plenty of people
out enjoying their day. Good for them but unfortunate for
us since we were in a hurry to get to the lunch stop.
It was weird because we had been riding for five hours and
not had to deal with traffic until now.
Mile 115-- Lunch stop (28 minutes off the bike) We stopped
for lunch (against my best judgement). On doubles I like
to just use liquid fuel. I find that eating on doubles
reduces your ability to keep hammering. You have to stop
for at least 20 minutes while you eat and somewhat begin
digestion. Then you have to get your legs warmed up again
to start riding hard. Brandy wanted to stop and I thought
since the tandems were stopping that it might be a good
idea to stop, eat and relax for a few minutes. As planned
we left with the tandems.
One thing I did like about riding with these tandems was
the way they slowly warmed up and slowly picked up their
the pace whenever leaving rest stops.
Mile 143-- Stop #4 (17:30 off the bike) We stopped to get
more fluids. I could tell the tandems were hurting their
pace was slowing down quite a bit. Brandy was really
hurting at this point. She hadn't told me but she had
been on the verge of puking for about 30 minutes. I had
been pushing her, sometimes physically, to get on a tandems
wheel to conserve energy. But the pace was so fast that
it was really hurting her. Then I told her to look around
and see how bad everyone else was hurting. You could see
the pain on peoples faces, there were people stretching,
rubbing out cramps, people just hunched over their
handlebars, sitting under the shade of trees.
Flatter doubles are ridden at a very high intensity and
pace I told her there were only 50 miles to the
finish -- a club ride. Then someone said "actually there
are only 30 miles to the next stop." And with that we were
off.
Mile 173-- Last rest stop (9:30 off the bike) By the time
we were 10 miles from this stop the tandems had lost their
steam. I left Brandy with them and started doing some
RAAM training. And what do you say that would be? Well
I started doing intervals. I would go off the front of
the tandems and then do 10 minute intervals and then back
off and do it again. Another time I stopped for a nature
break and then did a 10 minute interval trying to catch
up to the tandems again. I felt amazing. I felt the best
I had ever felt on a Double Century. I really didn't want
to stop at this rest stop. They were serving Cup o' Noodles
soup and even though it smelled good I was not going to
eat anything before a hard climb. Besides I like to get
the Double Century done and sit down to a “real” meal.
Drum Canyon- 800 feet of gain in 3.2 miles.
It was really hard on a fixed gear.
I struggled on the ramps that pitched up at least 10-12%.
The road is in desperate need of repaving on both the
ascent and the descent. But after Drum Canyon it was
literally all downhill from there.
Mile 194- After nearly 11 hours in the saddle I still
felt strong. I was doing sprints and seated accelerations
nearing mile 190. I literally could have ridden the
course again without any major issues. As we neared the
town of Solvang I could see riders off in the distance.
And then I felt like Pac Man gobbling up each rider as
I got closer to the finish. As I turned the last corner
I sprinted for the finish like I had just gotten on the
bike.
My time 11:11 is respectable in any Double Century but to
do it on a Fixed Gear I think means a whole lot more. Now
it was back to the hotel it was recovery, recovery recovery.
I had a serving Endurox before my shower and one after my shower. I enjoyed my solid meal
thoroughly and then it was lights out.
Thanks again to Andy at Ben's Cycle, Chris at Pacific
Health Labs and David at Finish Line and enjoy
a nice Cabernet from Firestone Vineyards Contact them if
you need anything and tell them I sent you.
What's Next? We leave the relative ease of flatter
doubles and begin the climbing doubles.
Mulholland Double Century third toughest
double century event in California 202 miles 16,500
feet of climbing
Devil Mountain Double Century the toughest double century
event in California 200 miles 18,800 feet
of climbing.
