calamarichris

Who's going to Solvang this Saturday? 0% change of rain, sunny, temps in the mid-60's.
I'm afraid I have no sleeping space nor room in the truck, but I'm always up for meeting the faces behind the virtual personas herein.

I'm driving up in this dilapidated Ford Ranger (the one behind the motorcycle & dog):


And I'll be sporting this bike & fredlicious colors:

If you see me, please say hello (or Cinzano me, as the situation warrants.)

I'll give SCOR an honest crack at my duckies, but if they're full-up, I'll be banditting this bad-boy and stopping at Circle-K for water & Clif bars. (I wouldn't dream of mooching without paying.)

Original goal was 5:45, but after the last two centuries this year, I'm thinking 5-flat might be possible if the wind don't come up too fierce.

umd

A lot of the locals meet and hammer out the route. I'll be there out, group goal is 23-25mph, no stops.

calamarichris

Wow, awesome. I sure would like to help with your paceline and I promise I'm not squirrely.
I finished Palm Springs in under 5 last month and did a solo century in January on a howling windy day in 5:18.
Even if you aren't looking to populate your paceline, I'd like to shake hands and say howdy.

tFUnK

you got a new scooter eh?

calamarichris

If you're referring to the tan motorcycle, that was my Pa's surprise retirement present a few years ago.

You coming to Solvang on Saturday?

Rick@OCRR

Coming to Solvang, but not until March 27th for the double. See you there!

Rick / OCRR

jamesvb

I'll be there with a group of 10 riders. I'm a guest so I have no idea what the ride plan will be.

icyclist 

I'll be there. Probably for the 20th time or so; at this stage, memory is a slippery thing.

With food and photo stops and sticking with friends, I'm figuring a 7:00 a.m. start should see me at the finish line by 3 p.m or so.

jamesvb

WTF!!!! Possible showers Saturday A.M.

umd

When it's 30% like that here, it rarely ends up raining, and if it does, it's jus a short sprinkle. I wouldn't worry about it.

jamesvb

I'll add another layer... Just in case.

Has this been the coldest and wettest California Winter ever?

calamarichris

Yes it is. But then so was the last El Nino year, and the one before that...
If it weren't for our El Ninos every seven or so years, we'd basically be an extension of Saharizona.

umd

I remember 1997/1998 was really cold and wet, because that's the year I started at UCSB, and everyone was b!tching and moaning about how it was supposed to be really nice here but all it did was rain all the time

calamarichris

I remember '98 was the year of gargantuan waves. I got chomped by The Beast many times and came pretty closing to drowning a few times. It was great hypoxic training until I broke four bones in my left hand.
I vaguely remember seeing a newspaper headline picture of some guy KAYAKING down State Street in SB that year.

Lanceoldstrong

Please pass safely. A lot of slower riders and first ever century types will be out there too.

I hold my own (22 Centuries and a double thrown in for variety) and I will be there Saturday , but just sayin.

umd

Trust me, nobody wants to get hurt. We will probably be ahead of most everyone anyway.

GP

Not even close.

This picture shows a bad winter. It's the old Swami's temple in Encinitas. The camera isn't tilted.

calamarichris

"I have spoken of the rich years when the rainfall was plentiful. But there were dry years too, and they put a terror on the valley. The water came in a thirty-year cycle. There would be five or six wet and wonderful years when there might be nineteen to twenty-five inches of rain, and the land would shout with grass. Then would come six or seven pretty good years of twelve to sixteen inches of rain. And then the dry years would come, and sometimes there would be only seven or eight inches of rain. The land dried up and the grasses headed out miserably a few inches high and great bare scabby places appeared in the valley. The live oaks got a crusty look and the sage-brush was gray. The land cracked and the springs dried up and the cattle listlessly nibbled dry twigs. Then the farmers and the ranchers would be filled with disgust for the Salinas Valley. The cows would grow thin and sometimes starve to death. People would have to haul water in barrels to their farms just for drinking. Some families would sell out for nearly nothing and move away. And it never failed that during the dry years the people forgot about the rich years, and during the wet years they lost all memory of the dry years. It was always that way." -J. Steinbeck, East of Eden

Lanceoldstrong

Kudos. I love that passage. I quote it a lot to all my non native California friends who don't understand the rhythms of wet and dry here. (Here for me is Norcal)

bigd777

I'll be there +1

jamesvb

It was a rhetorical question but thanks for all of the info.

They're are some smart people on this forum. I always learn something.

GP

Not me. I found the book at a thrift store for $1 and had someone scan the picture.

umd

So it looks like it may rain tonight but shouldn't be raining tomorrow, although it looks like it will be very windy, especially afternoon.

Biker395 

H-o-l-y crap!

Glad I opted to do a self-designed century in the Santa Monicas instead.

Have fun everyone, and take some pix for the rest of us slobs.

bretgross

"Lenny, how come you always want what we ain't got?" ~ Of Mice and Men

I'll always be grateful to Mr. O'Brian (10th grade English) for introducing me to JS.