Steve's Cycling Blog

  The back story California's Central Coast is one of the most beautiful places on earth to ride a bike! I cannot believe that I have never done this event before or ridden on these roads. I believe this was the 8th year for this event.  In past years, I have not been able to do the Carmel Valley Double because it was on the final weekend of August, which is Hoodoo 500 weekend. For most of those years, I was doing the Hoodoo 500. I was all signed up to do it last year but due to a medical issue in the family, I had to cancel. My entry was rolled forward to this year and luckily it was scheduled for September 9th, 2 weeks after the Hoodoo 500 which I did this year.  The event is put on by XDV Cycling Club and my friend Dzung Dang. This is an amazing club with such friendly support staff!! I first met Dzung while riding The Oceanside Double Century in 2014. I was on my tandem with my good friend Teresa Beck.  He was riding with us from the Ramona area to Julien when a speeding pickup

  A short prelude: The  Hoodoo 500   starts in St. George Utah. The course is a large elongated loop that drops into Arizona for just a bit before heading through some of the most beautiful scenery on earth. For those who have not seen my race reports on past Hoodoo 500 races, I have used this prelude before.   I don't know a better way to describe this race other than to quote Planet Ultra , the race organizer. Below is their explanation of this race. “T he most epic and challenging ultra-cycling race, the Hoodoo 500 route passes through or around three National Parks, three National Monuments, and several Utah State Parks. The scenery varies from majestic cliffs and striking red rock hoodoos to aspen and pine forests and high mountain meadows. All the best of Utah’s Color Country! Geologically speaking, hoodoos are tall, skinny spires of rock that protrude from the bottom of arid basins and sedimentary rock. Mystically speaking, hoodoo means a magical spell; which is what the Hoo