Anybody else get a chance to do some rain riding yesterday? I sure did!! I rode this 140mi loop between Santa Barbara and Moorpark on Saturday:
About 60mi in the rain. Didn’t see any thunderstorms / lightning. Did get some pretty torrential-downpour type stuff between Santa Paula and Bardsdale.
I basically tried to climb everything between Santa Barbara and Moorpark… started with Mountain Drive, then did East Valley / 192, then Gobernador, then Casitas Pass, then Dennison Grade, then Grimes Canyon on the way to Moorpark, then some climbs paralleling the 118 in the foothills. After that it was rollers with a 15mph+ headwind to Ventura, then a 15-20mph headwind on PCH / Rincon Parkway.
I got my butt seriously handed to me yesterday, I am a terrible climber and this ride played to all of my weaknesses in that regard. That said, I never gave up and I got it done… 12hrs 4min.
Top of Grimes Canyon. I had no idea what I was getting myself into… tons of traffic and switchbacks, very little shoulder in parts. Not super steep but pretty long. I was soaking wet from the rain between Santa Paula and Bardsdale, it let up a little bit here and I was able to snap a photo.
Taco Bell in Moorpark. I’m such a punk, but I don’t know any taquerias in Moorpark and it was so nice and cozy-warm. Needed it.
Finally back to the Rincon Parkway. Took waaaay longer than I thought but whatever, I finished.
Because roughly 7,200ft of climbing wasn’t enough challenge, I got 50 miles of headwinds on the way home. Was especially bad on Rincon Parkway, I estimate 15mph+ almost straight down the road. Aaaargh!
Finally home. Faded brah.
