Day Five Continued - Lompoc

Posted on June 8th, 2008 by Alvin and Jen.
Categories: Biking.

Ok - so I must share this really funny story which happened on Thursday night when we were in Lompoc - because it was really quite funny - at least to us - and it could be because we are exhausted - but hopefully you will enjoy it.

The rest of Thursday was quite lovely.  Dan, Alvin and I all kind of did our own thing around camp until meeting up for dinner that evening.   After dinner all three of us actually did it - we went over to the registration tent and all of us signed up to do the ride again next year!   After signing up for the ride we partially listened to the evening announcements and then decided to go to bed early.  There was actually a talent show which would be taking place that evening - but we were all so tired that we just wanted to go to bed.

So - Alvin and I get back to our tent and start to get settled for our evening of rest.  As soon as we got to our tent we realized that our tent was near the fricken snorer once again - GREAT - if you recall I had barely slept the night before becaue of the snoring man.  The fact that he was near us again did not please me - but what the heck was I gonna do about it??  Nothing.    Snoring dude was actually in the tent right behind the tent right next to us.

(more…)

1 comment.

Day Five - Santa Maria to Lompoc - 40 or so miles - but Red Dress Day!

Posted on June 5th, 2008 by Alvin and Jen.
Categories: Biking.

So - today is known as Red Dress Day…need I say more???

Long story short - there is a hairpin turn in the route today - and the thought was that if everyone was wearing red - it would look like a red AIDS ribbon - so wearing red - turned into everyone wearing Red Dresses….Well - not everyone - but if you can imagine - even if 50% of the riders wore red dresses - what a sight that would be??

Camp this morning was nuts. EVERYONE was in either a red dress, or in some sort of red outfit.  Even the people serving us breakfast at 5am and the gear crew were in red - it was hysterical.  Alvin, Dan and I were dressed as lifeguards (along with the group we are camping with) and we got our stuff together and hit the road by 7am.  The first portion of the ride was not bad at all - fairly flat with winds which weren’t too bad. 

Everyone thinks today is easy - as it is only 40 miles - crap - the reason it is only 40 miles is because at least half of it is climbing!!!  WTF!!!  So after the first rest stop we make our way towards rest stop two in in a small town called Casmalia - which blocks off their main street for the ALCers and literally turns it into a dance party - with everyone in their red dresses…..HOWEVER - in order to get to Casmalia you have to climb a fricken mountain.  So we get there - and because we got out so early the party was not in full gear yet - so we decided to keep going to get ahead of the crowd.

(more…)

5 comments.

Day Four - Paso Robles to Santa Maria - 98 miles

Posted on June 5th, 2008 by Alvin and Jen.
Categories: Biking.

What a day today was!  Don’t I start every entry off with that???  lol

So - we were up very early - for breakfast, preparation and camp breakdown.   Alvin was really anxious to get out of camp early so he left and I waited for Dan and David to head off for our biking day.  Today was a long day and included several key points of interest - a large portion of the beginning of the ride was a fairly large climb - known as the Evil Twins -, the halfway point to Los Angeles - where we cross from Northern Cal to Southern Cal -  and terrible side winds in the Central Valley.

Dan, David and I got of camp fairly late - and before we were even out of Paso Robles, we stopped at a coffee shop to enjoy a latte and a treat.  Once we enjoyed that we were on our way to take on the Evil Twins - which to be honest - should be called the fricken evil family because there were more than 2 hills to climb - it was like non stop climbing!!  But what an accomplishment to reach the top….

And - just after the top of the Evil Twins is when you come across the halfway point to Los Angeles - where there is an AMAZING view of the ocean from the top of the mountain and there are lines of bikers waiting to take their photos to show their loved ones they have made it half way.  Of course, we stood in line as well - and I must admit - when I came around the corner and saw the lines of people and the view and the indication that I had made it halfway to LA - I lost it.  I was just so overwhelmed with emotions that I was doing this ride and have actually made it halfway - it really was a bit too much for me to take in!

Once I calmed down I gathered with my friends and the friends I have made along the ride and waited to take my photo.  I was also enjoying homeade brownies from a women who bakes brownies for the riders and hands them out at this halfway point.  I was also so taken by emotion as I saw loved ones of riders who had shown up to take photos of their friends/sons/daughers etc and show their support - it really shows what this ride is all about.   Over and over again I see this type of love and acceptance and it really is unbelievable.

(more…)

0 comments.

Day Three - Paso Robles Continued….

Posted on June 5th, 2008 by Alvin and Jen.
Categories: Biking.

So…..

I am now in Lompoc…so will update you on the past few days.

When we last “spoke” we were in Paso and dinner was opening up….as we were really close to an actual town we decided we would walk into town to enjoy some dinner at an establishment other than the dining tent at camp.  Not that the food isn’t good - as I am sure you can imagine - it gets a bit much after a few days.

So Dan, Alvin, David and I walked into town and ended up at this BBQ restaurant in downdown Paso Robles - with a mechanical bull and all.  We actually were also joined by David’s friend Jim - who happens to have a lake home very close to Paso. 

Dinner was a lot of fun - not only was the food great but we were entertained by several other riders who were also there (The ALCers pretty much had taken over the restaurant) who chose to ride the mechanical bull.  I don’t know how in the hell they were doing it - without being too graphic - sitting in the fricken restaurant chair was hard enough for me after being on my bike for 3 days let alone getting on a rocking bull - but I digress.

(more…)

1 comment.

Day Three - King City to Paso Robles - 67 miles

Posted on June 3rd, 2008 by Alvin and Jen.
Categories: Biking.

Although we got up at the crack of smack this morning - it paid off.  We got up super early - made our way to breakfst - got our crap put away and were on the road by 6:45 - a big accomplishment. 

Today was the infamous “Quadbuster Day” - a day which includes a 1.5 mile climb known as “Quadbuster” as it is really steep and known to be the toughest climb of the ride.  I was soooo nervous about it!  We started the ride - and mind you - Quadbuster is at around mile 12 - now - the first 11 or so miles is a gradual climb - so you are climbing gradually then all of sudden - BOOM =- you are climbing a fricken mountain.  It was nuts.    Imagine all of the riders trudging up this hill - all at once….it was insanity.  Some people were singing, others were crying.  I have climbed a lot of hills in my biking - and this was one fricken hill.  BUT - I made it up- and what a party it is at the top of the hill!  Woo hoo - I was so glad to have made it - Of course Dan beat my ass to the top of the hill but he waited for me (as you can imagine, Alvin was long gone) and we then made our way the rest of the route.

(more…)

3 comments.

Older » « Newer