Tour de Palm Springs vs. Solvang Century

As a tune up for IM Cal, Solvang without question.  Excellent prep and timing is good.

ETA I did Solvang and Cal 70.3 in 2007

Also ETA, supported centuries are nice, but frankly once you get your nutrition in line, just start in SM and head up PCH into Oxnard and back.  Can plan stops at gas stations etc for added nutrition.  And if you want to know what the first hill at Cali. is like, head up Topanga Canyon from PCH.  It's windy and has traffic, but it's pretty close to what you'll get on Camp Pendleton

Edited by ChrisM 2008-12-10 5:51 PM

Chris - do you run into any problems as a solo rider on PCH after Malibu to Oxnard, and does the road maintain a decent shoulder all the way? I'd love to do a century via that route on a weekend morning, but have been wary of hitting ugly patches on PCH since most group rides turnaround before 30 miles on PCH. 

Good shoulder all the way to Oxnard.  There are a lot of solo cyclists up that way.  It gets even better and less traffic after Trancas.  From Santa Monica/Temescal to Cross Creeek is actually the worst of it.  SHould note the only place where shoulder is at a premium is coming back south between sycamore (i think) and neptune's net, .but it's a very short section. 

You can plan for stops at Cross Creek, Trancas (starbucks or chevron), County Line (Neptune's Net) and Sycamore Canyon (water only).  After sycamore, and if you go all the way up Las Posas (turn off just after Mugu), there is a gas station at Las Posas/101 that carries everything imaginable.

You can even go further, through Point Hueneme, Ventura, etc.  I've done the LA to Santa Barbara bike route twice last year, you'll need to get directions after Las Posas because it's not all following PCH.

Edited by ChrisM 2008-12-21 4:22 PM

Awesome, thanks. I'll be out there next wknd!