California Training/Eating & Drinking Report

Some Background: My journey to an annual cycling vacation in California started with a business trip to Santa Barbara.  I'll never forget stepping off the small commuter plane at the SB airport, seeing the mountains to the east and the ocean to the west. After arguing unsuccessfully for golf's ruling body, the USGA, to reverse a decision that had gone against us, I promised myself to return to the area for a vacation.  The following year I brought the wife and children out, with bike.  While they enjoyed the area, the lack of hot temperatures did not make the vacation ideal for them but for me, it wsa nirvana,  I rode up Gibralter, a classic climb that switchbacks back and forth with fabulous views of the Pacific, rode with some locals and saw a movie called "Sideways" about two guys vacationing in an area called Santa Ynez Valley.  After returning home, I researched Santa Ynez and its many small towns like Solvang, Los Olivos, Los Alamos, Buelton, Santa Maria, etc.. and discovered the area wsa a very popular destination for cyclists, including the Discovery Team (Armstrongs team) and Team CSC.  There was also a monster climb the locals called "The Fig", which is up Figueroa Mountain.  The following year I shipped my bike out, followed it out a few days later and using the Royal Scandanavian Inn as a home base, rode each day while eating and drinking, a lot. I've had some neat experiences out there and will build on this blog with recollections over time.  The below is from my 2009 visit:

Eating/drinking/training week got off to a bad start....no, the bike arrived ok...no, no, it went together just fine.  The trouble started when I went to a local restaurant (Hitching Post) with the intent to order only an appetizer but the allure of many entrees dancing off the page was too much to resist for one who has no willpower so I ordered a large meal instead, a very large meal.  Returned to the hotel and had a bag of M&Ms.  Egad's, no wonder I always gain weight out here.

On Saturday, Planet Ultra ran a double century.  Cyclists start as early as 5:30 but to have the time recorded the official start time is 7:30 with the winner clocking in around 9 hours.  I jumped the route a few miles in and couldn't hold a wheel of any of those going for a sub-10 hour, 200 mile time, including a guy riding a fixed gear bike with a wrench strapped to the frame. I couldn't figure that out and had to ask about it.  His ancient bike didn't have quick release skewers so in the event of a flat he needed the wrench to loosen the nuts. Soon the "12 hour" types came along and got in a 6 man pace line for 25 miles.  Get this, I never had to take a pull.  Every time we came to a stop and the group reshuffled, I was always at the back!! How's that happen? Eventually we reached an area with which I am not familiar (somewhere north of Santa Maria) and I had to drop out, eventually reaching Los Alamos at mile 80 and facing the 800' Drum Canyon climb, ouch.  The double century types would hit it at mile 180.  I got over it and enjoyed a strong tail wind back to Solvang and ended with exactly 100 miles, This was a "flat" route with only 4800' of climbing. 

The vegetation is interesting as I ride the mountains and valleys.  On the one hand, there is cactus but the landscape is dominated by centuries old white oaks with Spanish moss like what you see in Savannah, GA..weird. The apple trees have not yet budded yet the migrant workers are picking enormous strawberries from the fields. I don't get that since strawberries are picked in Ohio well after everything has leaved.  The trees all have leaves except for some fruit trees.  In the mountains there are vast fields of purple and orange wild flowers that, in the wind and from a distance, make the area look like it is on fire.  Dozens of cars line the winding, (and friggin steep) mountain roads with people taking pictures.  I have not seen a cloud in 5 days and probably won't see one for the next 5 days.  There are many wineries of course but probably just as many cow farms, horse farms, pecan orchards, really anything that grows anywhere is growing here.  For me, it is nirvana.  The valley is ringed by mountains and the roads are nearly vacant, even though this is California. 

After Saturday's 100 mile effort, on Sunday I rode up Figueroa Mountain via the flatter Happy Canyon route.  9.5 miles and 3500' of elevation gain means you can sit for most of the ride but it has great character.  Road is very narrow and there is a 3/4 mile stretch of unpaved, rock, hole, gravel & dirt section that requires careful navigation.  Eventually you cross a saddle and plunge into a side canyon before crossing three streams and then begins an unrelenting stretch with no respite from the climb.  My goal was to set a new personal best but within a mile of the top a car passed me going slightly faster than me and the narrowness of the "road" made it a challenge.  Then the guy stopped at a cattle guard to let another car come through but that would have required me to stop so I pulled left of center, held up my hand for the oncoming car to stop, which it did and passed the other car.  I beat my previous best by 15 minutes and celebrated at the top, looking over the vast wilderness of the Los Padres Forest and Santa Ynez Mountain range.  Ended the day with 50 miles and 4800' of climbing.  Took Monday off to sightsee and then on Tuesday headed again for Figueroa Mountain (locals just call it "The Fig") to go up the Happy Canyon route again, coasted down to Los Olivos for lunch and then headed back up the mountain via Figueroa Road which is shorter and far steeper.  Lots of 20-25% sections in there but thankfully, there are 4-5 recovery sections. Ended the day with 70 miles and 8400' of climbing.  When Discovery trained out here they would go up at a relaxed pace adn upon coastig to the bottom, reclimb it at a race pace.  Unreal.

The next day I headed out to remote Jalama Beach.  Although the route puts you out onto Highway 1, there is a large berm and 2 miles later Jalama Road is reached.  The next 14 miles is tough climbing, punctuated by a 2 mile steepish climb before finally coasting to the beach and the little market that serves the famous Jalama Beach burger.  It doesn't take long to burn the burger calories and after 76 miles I was back at the hotel (Wine Valley Inn) for a glass of recovery wine (or maybe two).  On April 2, I headed out Foxen Canyon, passing Fess Parker's Winery (yess the Fess Parker who played Daniel Boone and is alive and well) to the top of Tepsuquet.  I came across the folks from Cycling Escapes and they seemed to be enjoying their tour.  After reaching the top of Tepsuquet, I coasted down about half way but lost interest in going all the way to the bottom and 50 miles.  Returned to the hotel with 94 miles.  I took a well deserved rest day on the 3rd and spent it roaming around and enjoying the fantastic views.  Even dropped into Santa Barbara and visited the Santa Barbara Winery Tasting Room.

On the 4th I did a route that included Cat Canyon, Drum Canyon and Foxen Canyon with a rest stop in the interesting old town of Los Alamos.  75 miles on this day and 42 on the final gave me 493 miles for the trip with 37,000' of climbing.  This is the 4th straight year I have enjoyed my 10 days in Solvang and hope the streak continues for a long time.