Solvang Double Century (my first 200 mile ride!)
March 30, 2010
This past weekend Chris and I did something I thought, up until about 6 months ago, I’d never do in a million years — a double century. The idea of doing two hundred miles on a bike (that doesn’t have a motor) in one day seemed totally unpleasant and unnecessarily painful.
But it turns out that neither unpleasantness nor pain are required. Well…maybe a little pain, but once you’ve done a marathon with stress fractures, everything seems rosy!
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| From Solvang Spring Double Century |
Long story short: for those of you reading this because you’re thinking about doing the Solvang as your first double century, you’ve made a very smart decision! Solvang is a fantastic first time double. There is absolutely no crazy climbing, there’s plenty of food, the riding is nice (minus one friggin horribly nasty descent), and the location is fantastic. Don’t believe me? See my data in serious detail here. Please note the mileage is a bit low because my annoyingly incompetent Garmin turned itself off for a good half an hour. And, because it was like 6AM, I couldn’t see that it was off (because it was dark!)
But now to the real ride report:
Total Mileage: I believe it’s technically 193 miles.
Total Climbing: ~7500 feet (a bit of climbing at the start, and a shorter steeper climb near the end [right after the last rest stop])
Average Heartrate (bmp): 136 (me), 148 (Chris)
Number of Rest Stops: 5 rest stops (4 normal ones plus 1 lunch stop)
Total Time (including stops and everything): 13 hours 45 minutes
Ride Time: 11 hours 56 minutes
Average Speed: 16.1 mph
Start Time: 5:15AM
End Time: 6:59PM
Overall I don’t have much to say about the ride… it’s sort of just a big blur! We originally wanted to start at 5AM but didn’t get going until 5:15. In the end it looks like this was to our advantage — Chris read on the bike forums that the guys checking people out where late, so there were like a hundred cyclists waiting at 5AM with nobody there. But, by 5:15, it was all cleared for us!
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| From Solvang Spring Double Century |
We got lucky going into the first stop (mile 42ish) when two tandems zoomed up by us. We, like everyone else in the vicinity, made a dash for their back wheel and were lucky enough to catch on. Since my one and only crash, which landed me in the hospital (crying like a baby), I’ve been very reluctant to “really” draft… so I just sort of get near enough to the back wheel in front of me that I feel some benefit but not enough that if they put on the brakes my life would flash before my eyes.
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| From Solvang Spring Double Century |
Ah… but speaking of drafting, here’s my one giant pet peeve of this event: Moochers. Or dare I say, Wheel Suckers. These are the people who, as you pass them, speed up and try and grab your wheel for dear life and then, once they’re there, stay behind you and draft FOR-EVER. And they don’t say a word! They don’t ask, they don’t announce their presence — they just sit there and friggin draft off you.
FOR-EVER.
There were multiple people throughout the day who would get right behind me and draft for literally over an hour. But this one dude took the cake. This guy, no shit, probably drafted off us for over 30 miles! Without even a word!
Eventually the injustice of it was too overwhelming so I pedaled up next to Chris and told him to slow down so this dude could take his turn (I was still hoping this guy just didn’t know how to get in front of us to offer). So Chris slowed down, I slowed down, and we just sort of looked at him.
And what did he do?
He slowed down too. (!)
Finally, after a long while he decided to step up, be a man, and take a turn. But for how long? Oh… maybe four minutes. Actually, probably less than that. I thought he was joking!
Eventually we just got sick of it and pulled over… at which point he slowed down and said, “So…I just keep going straight then?”
To which I replied “Oh yep!”
To which Chris replied (to me, when the guy was gone): “W.T.F!?”
So yes, these moochers are really really serious on double centuries. It was sort of too bad, really. It’s a cool opportunity to meet and work together to reach a goal (of making it to the next rest stop), but instead these people just make me feel used.
Now I have to be fair here. Later in the day (I think it was mile 120ish all the way through Pismo) Chris and I ran into a really nice woman with a Furnace Creek jersey on and I probably drafted off her for a good 15 miles.
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| From Solvang Spring Double Century |
So how is this different? Well, we traded pulls in the beginning (until it was my turn and I went too fast up a mini-climb and accidentally dropped her) but it became pretty much overwhelmingly clear that she could kick both our asses and still make it back in time for tea. And once that was cleared up we all just chit-chatted and she led the way (with Chris confirming directions) for a nice chunk of the day. Eventually she saw some other faster sexier riders (who I’m telling myself she knew) and she dropped us like a bad habit.
But anyways, to future riders: Don’t be a bad person. If you’re going to draft, take your friggin turn! Or at least say “dude…I’m dying here, I can barely hold on… can I draft for a bit?” To which I’d say “ah, I feel your pain my friend — draft away”
And we’d be good.
But moving on!
The ride was definitely harder for Chris than it was for me and I think that was a nutrition thing. By mile 110 Chris was looking forward to a break and food (which would be lunch, mile 118) whereas I was just pedaling away. And for the rest of the day it was sort of like that… but getting worse. Chris would feel better leaving the rest stop but after a while would just be miserable. And this is in contrast to me who really has a hard time getting going after stopping (and thus is not a big fan of it!)
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| From Solvang Spring Double Century |
So in the future Chris is going to drink two bottles of full dose (2.5 scoops/bottle) Perpetuum per ride segment (usually around 40ish miles) instead of one and a bottle of Gatorade Endurance. The Gatorade just doesn’t have the calories and nutritional benefits (we think) he needs. Oh, and we’ll get some endurolytes (basically salt pills.) At the end of the day I think doubles are really a test of willpower, patience, and proper nutritional planning and execution way more than a test of physical strength. If you can do a century comfortably, you can complete a double like Solvang — with the caveat that you figure out your nutrition and stick to it.
So for the last 90 miles we did our best to keep our speed “up” but definitely had to chill a little to make sure Chris didn’t break up with me. It was touch and go for a while. 
The last stop was the best. My booty was ON FIRE and I was oh so happy to get off my little seat (Chris’ butt was just fine… so unfair). And what did we find at this rest stop? Cup o Noodle and our friend Ryan (Ryan also did the AIDS ride last year.) So we all talked and ate for a bit before doing the last 16 miles of the day.
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| From Solvang Spring Double Century |
So…the final climb. It’s the thing you’re worried about (you future Solvang-ers, you!). And I’m here to tell you it’s really not that bad. No honestly, it’s not.
Granted, you’re going to be tired. Your legs won’t be baby-fresh. In fact, you may want to just fall over and go to sleep. But no matter what you can do this. It’s a bit steeper (it’s about 2.3 miles of 6% average but there are some parts that steeper than that [like 11 or 12%]) but it’s doable. And, whatever — take your time! Enjoy the sights! You’re a biking machine!
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| From Solvang Spring Double Century |
But with all that said I would recommend you get your monster-self to that climb before nightfall because the road is horrible. Going up the climb isn’t so bad because you’re going so slow, but the descent is objectively awful! It’s way worse than Tunitas before it was repaved. We are talking seriously bumpy, seriously pot-hole-y, and just plain painful. My bike was rattling so bad down that thing… I just kept thinking “If I fall, at least it’ll be slightly more glorious doing it on a double than doing it back home!”
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| From Solvang Spring Double Century |
So yeah, the hardest part of the ride is staying mentally aware and physically loose on that god forsaken descent.
But after that it’s a super smooth shot to the finish — so go fast! Chris found his last wind and we definitely picked it up (averaging over 20mph).
And that was it! We rolled into the finish, cheered for our own victory, got a glass of water, and vowed we’d never be that crazy again.
The End!
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| From Solvang Spring Double Century |
…So when’s Davis? 
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| From Solvang Spring Double Century |
Comments
6 Responses to “Solvang Double Century (my first 200 mile ride!)”
Got something to say?
Sounds like you two had a lot of fun! Those Furnace Creek 508-ers are tough stuff, good pick to draft off of. How come you don’t look tired at the end? You’re smiling, that’s not allowed. I would be more cooked than those noodles you were eating. Anyway, ttyl!
Congrats! You should just try it on a tandem. We get moochers all the time, and we’ve never even done a double century.
I love your blog entries! They have the charm of your conversation AND they’re like Heather’s guide to cool things in life.
Am fascinated by this drafting phenomenon… Does it have any effect on the person in front? Like, does having people behind you make it harder for you, or just easier for them? I’m probably demonstrating my utter ignorance of aerodynamics or something, but it’s so interesting…
Yeah, when’s Davis indeed? I think we might actually do it, lol.
@Megan: drafting has no effect on the person in front aside from them feeling a bit of responsibility for holding a straighter line and pointing out road hazards to the person on your wheel (assuming you’re going to be nice and all). So it’s mostly just additional concentration (which is a limited resource in such a long ride).
I think it’s more the principle of the matter–if everyone works together and shares the load then overall you can all go faster. If it’s always the same person in front then eventually I’m going to be pooped and you’ll go on your merry way feeling fresh.
congrats, heather and chris!
next time just tell the person who’s riding on your ass to get off or ask them to lead. or…. swerve a little bit
big accomplishment, very proud of your resilience!
Hey Heather! Congrats on the double century. I enjoyed reading your post