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.