Steve's Cycling Blog

3-28-14 The Mulholland Double Century is one of the most difficult events on the California Triple Crown event schedule. For my 122 nd Triple Crown Double, I decided I would do it on my tandem bike. This has been on my bucket list ever since the event was created. I have talked many times to my long time tandem partner and brother in law, Vince, about doing it tandem style. This would be an epic ride on a tandem with over 16,000 feet of elevation gain but all in my own back yard, The Santa Monica Mountains. This year I have a new tandem partner on the double centuries. Teresa (Tiger) Beck and I did the Knoxville Double Century and The Fall Death Valley Double Century at the end of 2013 and we did the Camino Real Double together this winter. We also have done some very tough training rides tandem and a century ride, (The Tour De Francis), which had 10,000 feet of elevation gain in just under 100 miles. Teresa is a very experienced and strong rider and has rid

The Solvang Double Century is one of my favorites. I have been doing it on many different courses since the 90's with a number of different organizers. It is run during the perfect time of year, in the early spring, so the weather conditions are generally favorable. After a few years of nasty weather conditions, (rain, unseasonably strong headwinds heading east bound, etc...etc.), Mother Nature finally blessed us with great conditions for this beautiful ride. I carpooled to the ride in the wee hours of the morning with very good friend and soon to be Triple Crown Hall of Fame inductee, Teresa (Tiger) Beck. Teresa and I started riding tandem together in the fall of last year. She is a wonderful and very strong tandem partner. The ride start is in Buellton California just a few miles west of Solvang at the Marriott Hotel. We arrived around 5:30am. On this second ride, of four strait double centuries in four weeks for both of us, I was riding my singl