You absolutely have no idea how hilly this ride is, until you ride it.  there are almost no flats.  In several places the chipseal is so bad you have to pedal downhill just to get 10 mph.It's easily the most challenging thing I've ever done.  And I did it on a bike that likely weighs ten more pounds than my usual.
 
I tried to do this ride fairly smartly.  I bought a second small bladder, intending to fill it with ice and water to use as a swamp cooler since it was freaking blazing hot with no shade whatsoever.  I wore my long sleeve new shite skin top under my bacchetta jersey, which I took off at the turnaround point.  Had plenty of food, gel, and sportlegs.
 
The ride went extremely well for the most part.  Goin out we made great time, even though we weren't pushing.  I somehow didn't register that it was mostly downhill.  I pulled Dan Driscoll and pretty much the entire 1000k bunch for 30 miles, giving them a break from the wind, which they greatly appreciated, since it was fairly windy out there.  
 
That was my one mistake.  I bonked right at the turnaround where they split off and I doubled back.  It was so dang hot.  I waited for about 15 minutes letting the gel do it work and hoping Ray would catch up to me (sorry I missed ya all day, Ray!).  I saw him on the way back.  I got a lot of stares from many of the randonneurs that I passed as I doubled back.  Somehow many of them didn't expect me way ahead of them.  Other than one guy riding alone (which I hate to do since it's such a social bunch) I was the first bike to come in.    Had to stop in the shade one more time before hitting a convienient in Lipan for some caffeine, water, ice, and solid food to settle my queasy stomach.  This was long about mile 75.  I stopped for too long, but my foot and lungs just needed a break.  
 
I stopped again in Tolar for a good long while, again hoping to let someone catch up, but no one did.  Had some bluebell ice cream and filled both bladders with ice, and one with water as well.   The stretch of road after this is the worst chipseal I have ever ridden, for a solid 30 miles.  Ugh.  And all of it uphill until right before Cherry Pie hill.
 
Stopped in a town I THOUGHT was right below cherry pie hill, but it wasn't.  Got another monster and booked it.  Stopped at the bottom of cherry pie hill.  Oddly enough, it's supposed to be this huge nasty hill and for me it was CAKE.  very anticlimactic.  Sure, I had to go up in the small ring, but I actually kept shifting UP gears on it the closer I got to the top.  I don't know why it was so easy - probably because of the 115 miles of hills previously.   Bud, CP hill is like Texas Plume, but having that steep bit go a full mile and a half with no break in between.  However, I bonked again with 1,5 miles to go and had to stop and pant and search around for my cojones before continuing on.  
 
Finished in 10.5 hours, which is great considering all the stops.  The v-rex performed like a trooper.  I was amazed.  It's max speed is much slower than what I'm used to, but it's cruising speed is fine, and it climbs like a CHAMP.  Butt didn't get hot and sore until about 4 miles out from the finish.
 
A success in my book.  Hands down the hardest ride I've ever done.  It must easily have 4 times the amount of climbing I've ever done in one ride.
 
I'll be excited to hear Ray's report.  We also had a guy who came form California to do the 100k ride.  He was slower than me, but steady.  Hope he does well.

Here's my ride report for yesterday's "heat fest 200k"...
 
As Greg said and I 100% agree, this is by far the most challending 200k in our area  Much harder than Muenster. I have ridden this route at least 4 times, and climbed Cherry Pie Hill at least 10 times, so I started the ride very well mentally prepared.  
 
My intention was to ride with my good friend Dennis Cook.  As many of you know Dennis isn't particularly fast, but he is a consistant rider, a great ambassador for the sport of Randonneuring and a lot of fun to ride with.  He will encourage you, help you and sacrafice himself to ensure you finish.  So if I have the opportunity I will always ride with Dennis.    
 
The ride starts out going 8 miles west on highway 180, from Mineral Wells to Palo Pinto.  Mineral Wells is at approx 840'.  We climbed to approx 1,100', then a long descent back to 850' in Palo Pinto.  From there it's a 3 mile steady climb to the top of Cherry Pie Hill, aka CPH at 1200'.  I had extreme breathing problems these first 8 miles, and almost turned back.  I was gasping to breath like I was having a severe asthma attack.  I stopped at mile 8, which is the turn off at Palo Pinto towards CPH and took a hit off my inhaler.  At this point I told Greg to keep going as I was going to wait for Dennis. Using the inhaler worked as I didn't have breathing problems the rest of the day. I rode on and off with Dennis and 3 other 200k riders to the first control in Lipan at mile 37.    
 
Dennis likes to take long breaks, ie 15-30 minutes.  We stopped again 10 miles later in Tolar as there is no store at the turnaround.  We all left Tolar together, though at the first downhill I'm off riding alone all the way to the turnaround.  A few miles before I reached the turnaround Greg was coming back.  After Greg, I was the next rider of the 200k gang to hit the turnaround at the half way point.  I waited for Dennis and the other 3.  
 
On the return trip, like Greg, we stopped at a "non control" store in Tolar then at the real control in Lipan. Since I would reach each stopping point first I'd wait at least 10-15 minutes before everyone arrived, and after waiting at least another 15 minutes we all left together.  Lipan is at 785'.  From there, it's a long climb, mostly rollers, but more up than down.  We reached 1,135' just before interstate 20.  After crossing I-20, it's a long descent for 3 miles to Santos, which is 850'.  The climb out of Santols takes you back to almost 1,100' then a descent back to 800' 4 miles prior to CPH.  I literally waited at that store for 30 minutes for Dennis and gang.  When he arrived he told me he flatted hitting a seam going over a bridge outside of Santos.  Another 15 minutes for them to rest, and we climbed CPH.  Not a bad climb, but the heat index and reflection off the concerete going 5-7 mph, the temp was probably easily 125 degrees.  It's an approx. 450' climb to the top of CPH, or the equivalent of at least a 40 story building in 1.5 miles.  From the top of CPH, it's a 3 mile descent to the town of Palo Pinto at 850'.  From Palo Pinito, it's 8 miles of rollers, with two long climbs to the finish back at Mineral Wells.
 
After finishing the ride, and putting my brevet card in the baggie, I checked Greg's card to compare our finishing time.  Even though I waiting 30-45 minutes at each stopping point for the other 4 200k riders, I only finished 30 minutes after Greg at 10.5 hours.  I thought he would have finished 1.5-2 hours ahead of me.  
 
From a recumbent perspective, it's hard riding a very challenging, zero flat, all rolling course with DF riders.  I would either be way ahead on the downhills, or see them catchup some on the uphills, and ultimately wait for them to catch up at the controls.  
 
For anyone who has never ridden this very challenginig course, you'll have another chance in September, as LSR is palnning the 10th anniversary of RUSA ride using most the same roads.

Greg - that girl's name is Angels.  She was one of the 4 riders I rode most of the day with.  At the store just 4 miles before CPH, and as i said in my first post, I wanted more than 30 minutes for Dennis to catch up as he had a flat near Santos.  Then at at least another 15 before he and the others were ready to head up CPH. Angela was the slowest all day, so she left the store after about 5 minutes.  That gave her a 45 minute head start on CPH.  But then after CPH I was the first one to the intersection of highway 4 and 180.  I pulled into a store and waited about 5 minutes.  Again, they wanted to fuel up for the final 8 miles.  That took another 10 minutes.  So from the base of CPH

Greg (et all), stats from my Garmin....
 
5,100 feet of elevation gain
126 miles
10.5 hours total
8.3 hours on the bike
2.2 hours off the bike (OMG)