[tdebruyn]

@Geoff 92504 wrote:

With only 350 or so riders, this was a “small” ride, and I saw many of the same people all day. The lunch stop and two rest stops were simple but well done. The route, going through farms and small towns, had little traffic. The steepest hills were maybe 3-4%, and they were short (though some 1-2% grades went on for a ways).

The weather was mostly good. High of 80 degrees, low humidity compared to DC. But the wind! They said the winds are “generally out of the west”, but on this particular day they were out of the east. 140+ miles of headwind gets tiresome after a while. A good number of people didn’t make it all the way.

It was a good ride and I’m glad to have done it, but next year I’ll stay closer to home.

Geoff,
Glad to hear you finished. I heard the same at the last rest stop about several people bailing and loading their bikes on SAG vehicles. I thought the section between lunch and the last stop was the toughest mentally. There really wasn’t a single place to escape the wind and no where to stop to refuel fluids. I took off shortly after 6:30 and headed out at an easy pace. I was passed within a few miles by a group of 6 riders. Three of them from a team all dressed in green out of southern Indiana. I rode with them until lunch. I’m not sure if I went a little too hard riding with them or if the fact that I was by myself for a stretch after lunch, but it was definitely slower after lunch. Could have also been the amount of food I at at lunch. The 3rd stop couldn’t have come at a better time. I was out of water and needed a break from the wind. After that last stop I felt refreshed and a group of 3 of us road together until just about the finish. Total time was something like 10hrs and 7min. I averaged 17.5mph which is way better than I anticipated after my W&OD trail ride the week before. Like you said, minus the wind, the weather was great. The morning was nearly perfect, 60’s and no wind. I really didn’t notice the wind until after lunch when the course was “downhill”. I’ll be back next year with a buddy from the area and I think I’ve convinced by brother to do it.

[tdebruyn]

@Geoff 89712 wrote:

Great! Glad to hear someone else plans to take part.

I’m planning to ride with my brother, who still lives in Michigan, but I’m not sure he’ll really be ready. He did it once before, so he knows what is involved, but he doesn’t seem to be training very hard. Hope he surprises me, I would like us to ride together.

Did your brother mention anything about staying in Bay City? We’re staying in Norton Shores Friday night w/ my sister-in-law. My wife & kids are driving across state and meeting me in Bay City Saturday, but we’re unsure where to stay. We’re driving up north the next day to take in the mighty mac and go over to Mackinaw Island. I’ve looked up a few places in Bay City, but not sure how decent they are.

[tdebruyn]

I signed up a while back. I’m riding, but will suffer as I have not been able to ride as much as I wanted. I just moved this past month, that and the kids sports schedules have put my way behind. Hoping to cram in long rides in the next few weekends.

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