If yesterday was all about the weather, today was ALL about the weather.
We woke this morning in Solvang, a quaint little Danish town in the middle of some very non-Danish looking mountains. It was already 6 inches under water, swamped by the night time deluge. The TV said winds of 25mph gusting up to 55mph with non stop rain. For once they were right. It began from before we got up, and stopped sometime tomorrow.
The typhoon that came from Japan hit with a vengeance and the bikes and dirty roads left us all in a gray, sandy patina. Spirits were high but hesitant, and the first climb was begun in earnest, but wind gusts, pissing rain and dense fog brought us back to reality.
Pushing onwards we faced a 2000ft climb and downhill stretches were just as intense as we faced 30mph headwinds. Lunch offered little comfort as the high ceilings in the restaurant absorbed what little heat there was.
By the time we got into Ventura it was 6.10pm and already dark. The relief at completing day 5 was incredible and the sense of euphoria got to Jake, Max, Tracey and Sue who stripped and rushed cheering into the sea. We couldn't get anymore wet after all!
Dinner involved the usual round of speeches and the welcoming of two more riders who will join us tomorrow on the final leg. We face another day of rain, climbs, more rain and windy contions but the thought of our welcome party waiting for us in Santa Monica will drive The Fireflies on.
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