Breakaway from Cancer: Timed Cycling Trials

On a whim, we headed up the coast to watch the timed cycling trials going on in the charming little Danish town of Solvang. I was happy to find out it was also a fundraiser for cancer research. This cause became near and dear to my heart when Andrew was faced with testicular cancer last fall.

Highlights from the outing:

The rolling hills we drove through were all a vibrant green from recent rain and I saw snow-capped mountains in the distance Purple lupines were dotting the sides of the 101.

Solvang is a fun town, with a Little Mermaid statue and windmills. It was also full of professional cycling teams and their memorabilia.

I enjoyed the happy crowd full of cycling enthusiasts and cancer fighters. Right before my battery died, I caught this image of a pro cylist whizzing by.

The highlight for many people was American hero Lance Armstrong flying by in his yellow LIVESTRONG jersey. I learned a lot more about him after reading his book It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life. You can check out my goodreads.com review.

It was a festive atmosphere. Andrew, who started working in a bike shop at age 11, recognized all sorts of fancy valuable bikes. He pointed out old ladies on $3000 bikes, and banged up Subarus with $30, 000 in bikes stacked on the roof. I heard many European accents in the crowd and was excited to see an older couple on a racing tandem.

It was a fun, inspiring event and a great way to spend a sunny afternoon. Also a great reminder to get outside, bike more, and take advantage of the Santa Barbara County's fantastic geography.