There are numerous rides that start and finish in the quaint Danish town of Solvang, California, but this is the granddaddy of them all, having started the event in 1984 and had as many as 5,000 participants in any given year. If you’ve ever been to Solvang, you know why this is a popular place for cycling–beautiful scenery, no strenuous climbs, and excellent pastries at the end of the ride.
For more details and information, go to http://www.bikescor.com/solvang/welcome.htm.
This event is held every June in Cedar City, Utah and is open to all age levels. It provides a healthy level of competition for the avid cyclist as well as the recreational cyclist wanting to challenge himself to improve.
Participants must be residents of the State of Utah. The standard cycling events are represented: Hill Climb, Time Trial, Criterium, and Road Race. Medals are given based on bracketed age groups. The events are held over a three day period.
For more information, go to https://secure.utahsummergames.org/sports/cycling.html.
If you want to compete against some good cyclists AND you are at least 50 years old, you can register for the Huntsman World Senior Games, held the first two weeks of October every year in St. George, Utah, a two hour drive from Las Vegas.
They have competitions in 32 different sports. Cycling is one of the sports, with events for road racing as well as mountain bike racing. The four standard road events are offered: Hill Climb, Time Trial, Criterium, and Road Race, on consecutive days.
For more information and details, go to http://www.seniorgames.net/sports/cycling/handbook/. The events are USA Cycling sanctioned, so if you are not a member of USA Cycling (www.usacycling.org) you will have to pay for one day permits for each day of competition at $10 per day.
This should be named the Desperate Dual because some people are crazy enough to opt for the 200 mile ride. The ride starts in Panguitch, Utah, looping through some beautiful Southern Utah scenery near Bryce Canyon National Park, returning to Panguitch for lunch. That’s the first 100 miles! (My bicycle computer read 109 miles) Then the brave souls and the crazies who pedaled fast enough the first 100 miles can take another 100 mile loop on a southern loop through some more beautiful (and mountainous) scenery. If you survive the second loop, they even feed you dinner.
More details of this ride are available at http://www.spingeeks.com/events/desperado-dual/.
This is one of my favorite rides because the scenery is great, the hills aren’t too steep, and they feed you well along the way.
It’s always held the first Saturday after Memorial Day, leaving from Ojai, a few hills to climb, into Carpenteria, back along the coast (Hwy 101, known as PCH to Californians) to Ventura for lunch, and then back up a nice bike trail to Ojai. The weather is usually good with perfect cycling temperatures. Full information on the ride is available at www.ojaivalleycentury.org. There are five distance options available.
Everyone needs a cycling buddy. If you don’t have a cycling buddy, then join us here and we will be your cycling buddy!