February 18, 2006--The weather
reports were looking a little ominous the day for this year's
Butterfield Double Century: forecasters were calling for scattered
showers most of the day, as well as colder temperatures brought on by an
advancing low pressure system from the north. Not the all-out storming
that turned last year's
Butterfield DC into the "Butterflood," but enough to be
worried about.
Ride day dawned with a mix of clear sky
and clouds, but the skies started looking darker, and about half
an hour into the ride the rain did come down, but only for a while. The
rest of the day saw us riding on a lot of wet roads that showed that
rain had been coming down, but we stayed dry--and cold.
In preparation for the upcoming Big
Fix cross-country ride, Mojo Cosgrove and Campy Only's Eric
Norris took to the course on our fixed-gear bicycles, joined by another
fixed gear rider, Tustin-based Calvin (who ended up smoking us by an
hour ...) Despite the ride's 8,500 (official) feet of climbing, we
turned in sub-14-hour times for the ride, finishing ahead of many "gearly"
riders on so-called "regular" bikes ...
Day before, and the
streets were wet |
Raindrops. Would they
come back on ride day? |
Ride day: Checking in |
Mojo signs in |
Getting ready for the
6:15 a.m. start |
 |
 |
Lots of rain gear and
jackets in the paceline |
First ride photo--heading
for Santiago Canyon |
 |
On Villa Park |
 |
Looking back at the
paceline |
First big downhill |
 |
Rest Stop 1, Trabuco
Canyon |
Wet weather had been here
not long before |
 |
Climbing out of Trabuco
Canyon |
Bright skies ahead! |
Saddleback Mountain had a
light dusting of snow at the summit |
 |
On Pacific Coast Highway |
 |
This way to Surf Beach
... |
Looking toward Camp
Pendleton |
San Onofre nuclear power
station. (It's pronounced NU-clee-ar) |
 |
Rest Stop 2, south of San
Onofre |
Calvin, looking good. He
powered through the ride--it wasn't long after this that we lost
sight of him |
Gotta get food! |
Campy Only's Quickbeam,
with baggage |
Mojo grimaces--he was
having stomach problems |
 |
On I-5, heading for
Oceanside |
Freeway riding isn't
really that bad. |
Bike path on the San Luis
Rey River |
Lunch Stop |
 |
Big puffy clouds got a
little darker later on, but never unloaded on us |
 |
Mud and wet pavement |
 |
View of San Diego's back
country |
 |
 |
 |
Avocados ... |
... and citrus |
Rest Stop 4 |
 |
Two Quickbeam fixies |
Riding down Grand Avenue
in Lake Elsinore |
Clouds over the hills |
 |
|
Last shots of the day. We
finished after dark |
|
 |
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Ride Photos | Last Year's
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