Greg Hanson, a friend and local cyclist sent me this. So I thought I would post it. Sounds like fun Greg, keep on ridin!
The San Luis Obispo Bicycle Club Wildflower Century 26.April.2008
Started at 7:15am with temp near 47, was pretty cold the first 45 minutes. But then some sun started to warm me up. Within the first hour and a half at the first downhill twisties – here was a rider sitting in the middle of the road obviously in pain. Guess he got over excited to be on his bicycle going with too much speed and fell breaking his collar bone and a couple ribs. Looked back as I passed to see the pain on his face and soon a fire truck passed me heading up to assist him.
Hooked up with 2 new friends: Michael & Ken from Monterey and rode much of the day with them – when I could keep up on my 25 lbs. 30 yr. old bicycle and they on those new 15 lb. models. But I don’t ride to be the first to the top of the climb or the finish – for me it is exercise and therapy.
Overall the ride was excellent with good fruit, food & water, power lemonade & gatorade at the rest stops. Good meat cuts, fresh strawberries, cookies at lunch.
The roads overall I thought were bumpy and rutted in places but that is what age, time, and weather will do. The wildflowers were abundant and beautiful. One stretch came upon about 5-7 bicycles lying down on the side of the road with the riders off in the flower fields taking photos. The poppies and lupines were everywhere.
One stretch rode with a mother of 2 daughter’s ages 18 and 15 from Porterville. Sam’s 15 year old was going to the Prom that night. She wanted to complete her 1st long ride (she was doing the 75 mile route) and drive back with her friend she came with – a female retired police officer, so she could help her daughter get ready for the prom. Later in the ride after lunch – passed her and said: “hi Sam – a Mom who is going to make the prom.” Her reply: “I am so excited.”
My understanding is the heat of the day reached 97 degrees on one of the climbs. Don’t know if it was that heat, or the fact that I ate a full sandwich at lunch - mile 72, or waiting for Michael & Ken to finish talking with another rider on an Orbea frame ($9,500 – he stated he had invested in his new bike) spending 50 minutes at lunch. I usually only lunch stop for about 30 minutes, but after warming my legs up for a bit back on the bike, then for about 45 minutes I felt miserable. Drank my water, ate a few hard candies from my jersey pouch – trying to recover. Made it to the next water stop – drank up, filled the water bottles and back on the bike felt good again and finished strong. OK.
The century route was 107 miles with 6,500 feet of climbing and finished at 3:30pm.. Have done this century 2 times before and remember I had the patches from previous rides. With time on Sunday – looked and found my last patch of this century dated 1982. Wow – returned 26 yrs. later to enjoy the wild flowers once again.
Looking forward to the next one…….
Greg Hanson
Coldwell Banker
3902 State St.
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