I was so sorry to hear today that our good friend, Lee Mitchell, known to us as "Fuzzy" was diagnosed with esophageal cancer and will begin treatment.  Our California Triple Crown community has Fuzzy's fan club here http://caltriplecrown.blogspot.com/2013/02/lee-mitchells-fan-club-page.html. 

I met Fuzzy in the same way that many of you have, by being saved by him, his music, and his red van.  I didn't finish the 2010 Davis Double, my first double attempt, but I learned a lot riding with Fuzzy back from Resurrection.  Like how he uses his music to let the riders know he's there if they need him.  And how he can bark at a rider who's forgotten to turn on his taillight or has a battery running low.  But mostly, how many riders know and love him and all he does for them.  Since that day I have met Lee here and there at the double century venues and at the 508, and have read his various guides on how to prepare for and ride long distance cycling events.  I wish Fuzzy wellness in his battle with cancer.

Triple Double

I'm two thirds the way through a three week span of 200 mile weekends after completing the SLO 300k this past Saturday.  At the pre-dawn start from Vickie's home we all talked about our plans for the year.  Not long into the ride I could tell that I felt well enough to find the pace at the front comfortable, and after the first info control made the short climb up from Avila Beach in the lead of the bunch.  We quickly found that Steve, Wade, myself, and two others that I had not met before, were willing to press on into the dawn at the front group.  We rode at a good pace, forming and reforming after the hills would break us up, until the flat section between the Nipomo Mesa, Guadalupe, and Los Alamos, where we formed a very efficient pace line.  I was very pleased to "run with the big boys" and use those pace line skills without the "bump and jostle" of most rando pace line groups.

After our stop at the Chevron in Los Alamos, Steve, Wade, and I made our ascent of my beloved Drum Canyon.  I took the point and gapped Steve by a few yards but he caught and passed me a few hundred yards before the top.  I picked up my pace, came up behind him, and we both passed over the cattle grate at the top side by side.  I think we were both pleased to have another rider to challenge.  I began the tough descent on the bumpy switchbacks; at one point running wide into the dirt, to which Steve exclaimed "whoa!" But as I reached the smoother straighter bottom section Steve was missing.  Sure enough, he had a water bottle shake loose and had to go back to retrieve it.

Steve and I had both discussed slowing our pace somewhat but I think Steve was really in his own realm, and I began to loose his wheel in the headwind along Purisima  Rd.  I caught him at the light at Harris Grade and we rode into the next stop at the Circle K.  Wade rode in a couple of minutes later and we quickly formed up to continue.  Just as we were leaving the next two riders were just arriving at the Circle K.  I was really thinking of slowing down my pace, and after riding up Hwy 1 and turning onto Santa Rosa Rd I drifted off the back.  I could also Steve was pulling away from Wade.

So I enjoyed my solo run along Santa Rosa Rd, through Buellton and Solvang (in the tailwind mostly) and stopped at Alamo Pintado.  Just saw Wade leaving and he said Steve was out ahead, so I was resigned to a solo run up Foxen Canyon - which was mighty windy.  I had remembered that the Sisquoc general store was closed so I made a stop in Los Olivos to get water - the place was over-run with tourists.  Into the Santa Maria valley, up Bull Canyon, and onward to the Nipomo McDonalds.  By this time I was pretty low on energy and the stop did me much good.  Jeff, Donado, and a third rider also caught me there but I was ready to go on.  I pressed ahead, much revived, up through Arroyo Grande and Corbett Canyon where I realized my headlight was not going to make it.  I called Vickie and she dispatched Bobbie with a headlight!  What a save!  So I was able to complete the ride, checking in about an hour behind Steve and Wade.  I am happy with that, feel great, and am ready for next weekend's Death Valley DC.  -  Oh, and BTW, I did ride both ways from my hotel to the start of the 300k so I do count that as 200 mi total.