After the start fiasco, I rode with Steve and Peggy consistently, and Nelson, Ray, Ken, and Robert sporadically... We stopped at the 2nd rest stop, and Ray didn't, so it was bye-bye, Ray.... A few miles before the 100 mile / 100K split, the Stradas and I decided to bag the 100 miler in favor of the 100K, thinking nobody else was doing it (Sorry, Blazers!). Meanwhile, we were hitting basically every other rest stop. After the 40 mile point, for some reason I got the bug to hit it hard, so Steve and I left Peggy and Nelson behind, still planning to do 100K.
Unfortunately, we weren't trying to follow maps, we were following police traffic control direction -- and the guy in Justin waved us to the left, so we went, instead of making the right turn we were apparently supposed to out to PS #6 (I'll bet the people working that rest stop were wondering, "Where the heck IS everybody????") . We then proceeded to also miss the right turn on to 407 -- I don't know how... So, suddenly, we were approaching the TMS, and our 'puters only said 47 miles... And Steve and I finished with basically 50. I believe Peggy continued to do laps around the outside of TMS, to get her 100K.
Then when we got back inside, nobody appeared to be directing us back onto the track for the last couple laps... THEN I saw/heard the race cars going around on the track!!! No track laps for US!!!
On a fun note, we kept encountering this group of six or so riders (triathletes? two men, four women) along the way... we'd either pass them on the flats, or pass them on the hills (as they were standing up), over and over again... So eventually we started trading good-natured verbal jabs... As Steve and I started going around the outer TMS loop, he was on the phone with Peggy -- and the group passed US, obviously doing a "final sprint". I waited about 15 seconds, and told Steve, "OK, let's burn these guys one last time..." And we did, passing them up at about 30mph. "ding, ding!"
'preciate the company out there, my friends!!!!!! Good show... But I'll agree, the organizers definiitely left a few ragged edges on the event.