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The Cool Breeze Century Sponsored by the Channel Islands Bicycle Club and Kiwanis Club of Ventura.
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This ride may be done either as a double metric, 100 mile century or a 100 km metric century. The 100 mile century begins in the Ventura marina and goes up the coast to Bates Road where it moves inland to Highway 192 and through farm country prior to returning to the coast. In Santa Barbara the route climbs into the hills on San Ysidro to East Mountain Drive prior to returning to Highway 192 (Foothill Road) and Cathedral Oaks into Goleta and the midpoint lunch stop. The return through Santa Barbara is along the coast and the harbor area in the downtown area of Santa Barbara prior to the return to Ventura along the coast.
Above is a picture of the first rest stop at Rincon Park at the Bates Road off ramp of the Pacific Coast Highway. The weather in 2002 was a thick marine layer overcast that lasted the entire day and was sufficiently thick that we never got above the marine layer while climbing in the hills of Santa Barbara as was the case in 2001. The temperature was forecast to be a maximum of about 70 degrees F in the area, so the riding was not overly uncomfortable.
The rest stop in Santa Barbara. Like Rincon this stop was used both for the run up the coast in the morning and for the return down the coast.
The lunch site at Stowe Grove Park in Goleta representing the midpoint of the ride. Shade was provided by large oak trees and the picnic area and oak trees were surrounded by redwood trees.
My bicycle for the 2002 ride.
This is the parking area in Goleta where I broke a spoke in 2001 on the old Nashbar bicycle. Fortunately I had spare spokes taped to the seat stay and all the necessary tools in my bag. This year I got a flat tire on the rear after climbing Ortega Hill on the return south of Santa Barbara. This is the only century on which I have gotten a flat tire both in 2001 and 2002. On the way up the coast in 2002 a rider in front of me broke his chain starting up Ortega Hill. Fortunately I had a small chain tool with me and repairs were made by removing the faulty link.
Some riders finishing the course and beginning to lean into the last turn.