DAILY REPORT: It's hard to believe how much the temperature varies out here in these desert like conditions.  When we pulled out this morning I was pretty cold but didn't take any more than arm warmers and a wind vest.  It didn't take long for it to start getting toasty and by the time we got over the first climb at 10 miles, I was shedding everything.  Luckily, in the early part of the day we were in and out of live oak trees that gave everyone some well appreciated shade.  And to just add to yesterday's journal, it was hot then too, but we didn't really feel that bad since the wind was blowing pretty hard.  That kept things on the cooler side and by RAP time we were all wearing sweaters standing in the shade...it's really hard to dress out here, especially if you're going to be out in it for any length of time.

 I'll say it again...we're all glad today and yesterday were parts of what was once a single day.  Aside from that, until late morning, the temperature today was perfect to ride and the scenery was great throughout the day.  It was really nice to hit the first tough 10% climb 10 miles from the motel at 7:30 rather than in the afternoon when the temperature would be in the upper 90s if we'd done it yesterday.  We had a split breakfast which gave us a little spread early and by the time they all got over the first hill, we were really spread out.  Several who came in late yesterday decided to beat the heat today and I never saw them all day.

Our route today took us out into the golden hills of California...golden because of the dry conditions that exists in these hills.  It's hard to believe they can get water up here for the houses and for some of the crops that grow on the small farm plots.  They must pump it from pretty far down and the terrain was either going up or down all day.  Sorry to digress...we started out on a bumpy bike path for about a mile to get out of town off the highway.  Then it was a steady 1-2% grade until we got to the real pitch at about mile 11.

That real pitch definitely got my attention as I was in my low gear even before it got in double digits.  The slope was a steady 10% according to my GPS for over a mile which is about as tough a climb as we've had all year.  Standing at the top watching the riders turn the cranks, it looked much steeper.  But no matter...everyone got over it in good order and enjoyed the steady drop in terrain for the next 10 miles.

It's pretty desolate out here too with little or no traffic most of the day till we got close to Paso Robles.  Our only SAG today was at a store at the corner of G-14...one of only two stores on our entire route today. 

Another thing they worry about out here is wild fires.  If you've never been in this part of the country it's hard to realize how dry it is in these hills.  We passed an area where they'd just had a fire and the hillsides were charred and all the live oaks were charcoal (photo right).  People live on a tinderbox...one ranch had a sign on the gate that read, "Thank You For Saving Our Home."  I'm thinking a message to the emergency crews that fought back the flames before it got to the ranch house.  None the less, life out here is pretty precarious...one spark can ignite acres.  And if the wind is blowing the wrong way...look out. 

After departing the SAG, the terrain rolled up and down until the second store (The Bee Rock Store) at about 40 miles.  Just about everyone stopped to recharge water bottles and have lunch before tackling the next big challenge that lay about a mile past the store.  That challenge was another 9% grade for about 2 miles to get over a golden mountain.  After the riders departed the Bee Store, they had about a mile of downhill warm up before starting to ascend.  At a mile, they came around a corner and saw a pretty good down hill lead up to the start of the climb...at least that's what it looked like.  When I came around the corner I noticed my speed starting to drop appreciably...hey, it's down hill!  All I know was I had to pedal pretty hard to keep my speed up to a respectable level...my GPS said it was a 2% grade even though it looked like a pretty good downhill...then we hit the upslope...UGH!  It's really visually deceiving out here...but your legs will tell you what the terrain is doing...easy pedaling, downhill; hard pedaling, uphill; and there's not much in between.

Yes, it was nice to finish this day before 3:00 instead of how it was when it was a longer day and we didn't finish until 7:00.  The final riders commented that it was good to get in as it was getting hot.  I remember that I told them a few days ago when we were in the 50s all day and wishing for some heat that they would be wishing they had some of that temperature back when they got in this area...wasn't wrong on that one.

Tomorrow's ride is no picnic in a spot or two either as we have a bit of climbing to do to get back to the coast.  It wouldn't be as tough if we hadn't had today and yesterday...I'm sure the tired legs from the last two days will be talking to them when they start out tomorrow.  I'm going to give them a sleep-in the day after tomorrow morning to give them a little more time to recover.  I think everyone is looking forward to the day after tomorrow...it's only 38 miles to Solvang!  Sounds like a wine tasting afternoon to me.  Meanwhile, see you tomorrow in Santa Maria.

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