Certainly bit me today!    Steve B, Ken, Dan, and Bryan and myself were the bent contingent today.  We got started by Sharon ten minutes late.
 
Steve Barlow and I started off pedaling slowly but quickly dialed it up since we had a tailwind.    We were caught by an upright who wheel sucked like nobody's business (sounds familiar, Steve P?) and were quickly cruising at 25-30+ with the wind.  We let off a couple miles beforfe the first turn since we would have a bit of a headwind, and Bryan caught up to us.  We started trading off pacelines, shaking off our wheelsucker who, when I asked him to move up a place so I could talk to Steve said "I can't go any faster!"  
 
Pulled into the first control at exactly ten minutes after it opened - which would have been exactly when it opened had we left on time.  I hit the nasty crack in the pavement and pinch flatted.  Steve P - think we can make the OTHER store the control insetad?  I wasn't the only one who got flatted there.  the dropped DF rider, one other DF'er (sonny, who apparently has a new corsa but didn't ride it) and none other than Hurricane Dan - tearing the course UP!   Steve, Bryan, and I have a 21.8 average at that point.  Dan had really put the pedal to the metal and caught us.  Nice work, man - you're going to be a strong rider very shortly.
 
We quickly changed it and were off, into a slightly quartering headwind.  Not more than 2 miles out I flat again and nick my front ZIPP a bit, ith the tire blown off the rim from the force - we thought perhaps the tire had been seated badly.  Changed into another tube and were gone.  Fought the wind and the chipseal and such through the info control and to the next control.  We needed a little break - or at least Steve and I did.  
AS we're mounting up to leave, Bryan says, "Hey, your tube is showing through your tire!"  Apparently I must have slashed through it when I pinched.  How I rode it all the way to the next control and over all that crap without another blowout is astounding.  Sonny rolls up as we're booting the tire and after the repairs we leave.  
 
We fight the strong headwind to the next turn towards celina and hit the beautiful 12 miles of chipseal.  Bryan is off the front like a rocket, and Steve jumps ahead of me as well!  I wasn't able to catch them for a while and I finally reel Steve in.  Bryan is a 1/4 mile ahead up the hills and I think I can catch him.  Then I roll up the next hill and realize the heat and effort has me totally gassed.  i can do 3/4 of wind, chipseal, heat and hills usually, but all 4 were too much.   I eased back and let Steve catch me and about 3-4 miles out I get the heat chills and back off a little more.  Hopefully I'll get used to this stuff before HHH.  
 
It was a half hour after we were done before the next rider, Sonny, showed up.  Wheelsucker came in a little later, and eventually everyone else.  We had lunch and poor Dan started having nausea.  Hope you're better soon!
 
Ended up with 18.9 mph, 3:32 bike time, 4:30 total.  Not bad for 3 mechanicals and a little heat exhaustion.  My average heartrate was 155, nearly 10 beats higher than normal.  Steve had his first real test of the corsa and had that ear-to-ear grin we all know, and Bryan "did the demo" on me for sure.  Thanks for the pit crew and co2, guys.  Nice job, EVERYONE - Dan and Ken included.
 
Sharon took some photos, leapfrogging us several times to snap some photos, and was the "bent groupie" for the day.  Post em when I get em.

Greg, sorry to hear about the mechanicals. Nice Job Steve. Welcome to rbnet. Greg, to answer your question, logistically, the other control in Howe means going under 75 ,only to have to come out the same way.  
 
The Chevron Passport is the logical control,because it's right on the route. This is the first time I've heard of problems at that Howe control. If it is a safety issue ,then I wouldn't be against changing controls. The other option is to inform the riders on the cue sheet.
I will ride the route again & evaluate it.  
 
I didn't think it was any worse than some of our other controls(with potholes,etc...). I do appreciate the feedback.
 
And nice job all. Bryan is a BEAST.  . Oh, Bobcat has bitten several riders. Wind, chipseal, & the closing rollers is the "bite" part of the ride.

Thanks Greg.  Didn't know you had so much trouble with the flats.  Ken is actually the one who flatted.  I was lucky today.  We saw it just as he was getting back on his bike at the first control.  Looked like a sticker in the sidewall.  And I completely forgot about the dogs.  I had no less than three come after me.  The first one was that big white dog and he caught me off guard.  I didn't see him at all until he barked.  By that time he was right beside me.  I was so startled that I actually exited the left side of the road momentarily.  The bull dog was the only one that really worried me because I could see him crouched down up ahead, waiting.  Nothing like a good chase to get the heart pumping and the feet spinning! Put one on every corner and my times would improve dramatically!

I've thought about picking up some HALT! but worry what might happen in the heat of the moment.  Not sure if I could live it down if the next rider came up on me writhing on the ground, screaming while the dog is trotting off, shaking his head.

Quote from Hurricane Dan on Aug 9^th, 2009, 9:25pm:

 
I have a small can strapped to my handlebars; I have yet to be tempted to use it - at least not on a dog.
 
The photos are posted at: http://sports.webshots.com/album/573966648ejGCMZ
 
Considering how well Steve rode today, I am afraid that he'll be "doing the demo" to all of us in about 3 months.  The good thing (at least for me) is the Tejas 500 is only 2 months away  .  I am very glad that Steve rode with us yesterday, otherwise both Greg and I would have been off course twice; we were both using Garmin files from the last times we rode it, Steve had a cue sheet.
 
I think a warning on the cue sheet and brevet cards about that lip should be enough, of course that assumes that the riders use the cue sheets.
 
I ended up with a 19.1 average, with an average HR of 124 BPM and a cadence of 90 RPM.  The full numbers can be found at http://connect.garmin.com/activity/10843653  (BTW, compared to Motion Based the new Garmin Connects should be considered Garbage Connects).  The splits were at each store, since I only stopped to grab a banana at the info control.