LONNNG DAY 4

Day 4, from Pismo Beach to Santa Barbara was incredibly long, 123 miles and 10 hours on the bike. I started the day out with some saddle sores and stiffness that have accumulated from the previous days rides. Before lunch we were blessed with winds in our face and a 17 mile gradual uphill climb that ended with a stretch of 25% grade at the top of the hill, so steep that I was almost at a complete stop when one of the ride leaders literally began to push me up the hill. Lunch was 60 miles into the ride at a winery just outside of Solvang. For the majority of the ride we road on country roads, alongside open farm land and vineyards, really pretty. After lunch we had an awesome 10 mile downhill, 3 long uphills and then the highlight of the ride was a steep downhill stretch along highway 101 just north of Santa Barbara. I was able to reach speeds of 46 mph for an extended period of time and it was really rewarding and fun! Towards the bottom of the steep grade I made the turn and was suddenly hit with a strong crosswind that literally moved me over about a foot, luckily there was no one near me and I was able to recover. Just after this at a about the 100 mile marker, Jim, who is a below the knee amputee due to wounds he suffered while serving in Vietnam, was surrounded by bikers on the side of the road, come to find out he had been in a bad crash and broken a rib and separated his collar bone but he is going to be ok. Then at the end of the ride, the ride leader took us on an unexpected detour through UCSB that added on 4 miles to the route. I found out today that no above the knee amputee has ever attempted this ride, I think that makes me dumb, haha. The longest rides are out of the way and its all downhill from here. Tomorrow is from Santa Barbara to Marina Del Rey, 89 miles.