The Simi Valley Four Fingers 400k Brevet is one of those rides that quietly etches itself into your memory. Organized by PCH Randonneurs, the route starts in Simi Valley and extends like four fingers into the terrain beyond—Santa Paula, Ojai, Goleta, and Port Hueneme. With only six riders signed up, and after the first 15 minutes, I found myself alone for the remaining 18 hours and 46 minutes of the journey. And honestly? I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
This brevet wasn’t just a long ride—it was a carefully planned training test. With the 508 in September on the horizon, I came into the day with a structured pacing strategy: three blocks of roughly 80 miles each, ridden at progressively higher intensities within power zone 2, followed by a final 8.5 miles at the top end of zone 2. I even built a FIT workout file to guide the effort.
But, as often happens in cycling, plans meet the road… and the road wins.
The first block had me pushing a little harder than intended—my power target was set just a bit too high. Combine that with the fact that most of the route’s climbing was front-loaded in the first 100 miles, and by halfway into the second block, I knew I had to pivot. I scaled back to low zone 2 for the rest of the ride and focused on staying steady. I also fell behind on nutrition early, which added a subtle layer of fatigue that lingered for the remainder of the day. Still, I finished. And I learned. That’s a win in any serious training block.
The day brought more than just watts and calories, though. Weather kept things interesting: cool and overcast through most of the day, rainy and quiet as I climbed into Ojai, and then, in a dramatic shift, warm sun and open skies in Goleta. It felt like passing through multiple seasons on a single ride. Along the coast, waves echoed off cliffs. Inland, the scent of damp earth and eucalyptus drifted from the pavement. It was immersive in the way only long solo rides can be.
And the wildflowers—they were everywhere. Vibrant, defiant, thriving in the spring chill. Especially in the Santa Barbara stretch, the roadsides were splashed in orange, purple, yellow, and red. Nature was loud even in the silence. There was a kind of quiet joy in simply moving forward—no race clock, no pack, just rhythm and road.
This was also my first major outing on my new Litespeed Ultimate Disc FI, and it exceeded expectations. The bike felt fast, smooth, and responsive across every surface. I also waxed the chain with Silca’s Super Secret Blend plus an Endurance Chip, and it ran clean and quiet the entire ride. With 30mm tires—a change from the 25s on my other bike—the ride felt noticeably smoother, especially on the rougher inland stretches. The only glitch was that I haven’t had my pro fit yet (scheduled for mid-June), so I made a few saddle tweaks along the way.
As I think back on the ride now, I realize that even though I couldn’t follow my pacing plan perfectly, this 400k gave me exactly what I needed: a long, steady challenge that tested both legs and mindset. It was a quiet proving ground for the ultra-durability I’ll need at the 508. And it reminded me why I keep coming back to these long rides—not for perfection, but for presence.
