WOW - the new course is harder than I thought.  No flats, just climb, climb, climb.  Try to copy the link below into a browser.  It's my stats.  Below the link is the text version of my Stats via Garmin Connect (I have the 305 Edge).
 
Confession.  After  10 months of riding the Schwalbe Ultremo, I had my first, and then second tire blow out (rear tire).  It happened on my first lap.  The second time the casing blew off as I was descending at about 40 mph.    Not far from the finish I had to get a ride in.  Went to the new bike shop in Glen Rose and purchased a Conti GP 4000.  You can see when I got pikced up in the details.  My second lap was ridden at 70-80% effort.  Avg. speed was less than 16 mph.  Winds were gusting at 25 and it sure slowed me down.  Combined, two laps totaled 3,400' of climbing.  
 
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/10757407
 
Time: 02:58:16  
Distance: 52.53 mi  
Elevation Gain: 3,398 ft  
Calories: 3,531 C  
Avg Speed: 17.7 mph Max Speed: 47.7 mph  
Avg Heart Rate: 136 bpm Max Heart Rate: 161 bpm  
Elevation Gain: 3,398 ft Elevation Loss: 3,375 ft  
No power data found for this activity.
Avg Bike Cadence: 79 rpm Max Bike Cadence: 121 rpm Public Private Send to DeviceCloseFound RAY Edge 305
 
 
 

As Ray mentions this course is not easier than than the old course by any means.  The climb up to the turn on Brazos Point Rd. was the hardest in my estimation, also being the new Boulderseal, about .7 miles of it.  I'm going to recommend to Dan to go to Barnard at the 4 way stop in Glen Rose rather than use Grace St.  I thought it was an actual stop light, but its a 4-way stop sign with flashing red light.  Easier to see , and safer I believe, also no speed bumps.  My early morning laps were very quiet.  There is almost no traffic, either out in the country or in-town, which is nice.  There is a fair amount of wildlife, Steve saw deer and armidillos, and I saw a coyote, and dodged a garter snake, but neither of us had any dog encounters so that was nice.  I did have a wrong way cyclist with no light just outside Glen Rose at 3am, so there are still things to keep you alert!
 
Ray I'm glad you're blowout didn't cause a crash, that sounds pretty scarey!
 
Take Care,
Nelson.

Quote from bikerteam on Aug 8^th, 2009, 5:55pm:

 
That looks like the middle half of the Goatneck ride

Quote from Killer Bee on Aug 9^th, 2009, 2:18pm:

 
 
10-12% for a half mile?  That's Tyler's "The Beast" TWICE....  Ugh...  this sounds like a WONDERFUL adventure for someone doing 500 miles solo, doesn't it!!!!
 
Maybe Driscoll doesn't really like 'bents after all...  

Peggy called me last night, and debriefed both your 200k and your TTTT practice.  You all are animals.  I'm very impressed!
 
Nelson, I agree about requesting a change from Grace to Barnard.  IMO, it's not just the 3 or 4 speed bumps with reflectors, but the stop sign at the end, where it connects to Barnard is dangerous.  You can't really see traffic coming from the left as you turn right to go back to the start/finish.  As riders are that close to the start/finish they will not want to stop at that stop sign.  
 
I was lucky on Saturday with my two blow outs.  Yup, both on the rear, on the Ultremo.  Second blow out tore the tire casing, which is why I had to flag done a truck for the last little bit back to the finish.  I was riding the Xstream.
 
Yesterday, however, was a little worse.  I rode the Ti Aero with the local Flower Mound Flyers (Angie rode too).  At about mile 45, as it was getting hot, I am the lead rider of about 15 and making a left turn.  I hear a pop and think it's another bike.  In an instant I'm on the chip-seal sliding.  Apparently, as I was making the left turn, my front Ultremo blew off the rim, and I went down pretty hard.  Tore my shorts, and road rash on arm.  It's was cool though, as the rest of the riders all surrounded me to protect me from the on coming traffic until I could collect myself and get off the road.

Quote from bikerteam on Aug 10^th, 2009, 6:04am:

 
Ray... You gotta save some of the excitement for us Saturday Social riders you know. I would have had a nice first aid kit for yah and emergency flashers to boot.  
 
We just had a boring little ride. The excitement of my day was the new fellow telling a bunch of folks he was worried because I kept falling behind in double oak where it was completely flat. It was always around those intersections with the stop signs   Shortly after I think we were going up some hill and I start rolling up the hill passing folks some new lady in the back calls out "car back" followed shortly by "never mind" as I roll past. Apparantly I'm slow and a car  
 
Texas Roads do not do well with Schwalbe tires lately. They may have before but whatever it was that has changed just beats the crap out of them, unless you ride a baron. My kojaks were fine in the winter but they seems to blow out during my rides home in summer. The recent two were right outside work heading down that hill and the second after stopping at the 7-11 on beltline/royal and starting up royal. Maybe hot chipseal does em in?  
 
Hopefully they can get the route worked out with that blindish turn because it sounds like even a rider were to stop you can't really see traffic, which I find I have to stick out a few feet or stand up on my hurricane or sofrider as compared to my road bike so it could be especially bad for bents.

Ray, the ultremos were recalled.  Had you contacted scwalbe and already gotten the upgraded replacements?

Mental - you got that right!  Thanks for the compliment.  Honestly, I just keep waiting for the arthritis to get so bad I can't compete anymore.  I can see it coming, but I don't know how long I've got.  So I'm trying to take the bull by the horns, gather my rosebuds while I may, and all that.  
 
Anyway, Schwalbe is sending me a set of Duranos and tubes as an interim replacement, and will also send a full replacement set of ultremos when they're ready.  Great customer service, but those tires should never have had that problem.  I wil use those tires, but may never buy any form them again.
 
Then again, I've also gone through two Michelin Pro Race 2 in under 300 miles on each tire, and a conti gp 4k (non black chili).  All of them since February.  Not my year for tires.