I don't really think the Mule weighed two tons but it sure felt like it.

The innards:
A bladder with 80oz of water
One 24oz bottle of Hammer Perpetuam
One 5 serving flask of Hammer Gel

Yes this is all about me my ride, the bike, tire selection and my two ton mule. Here are a few of my thoughts the hits and the misses.

A one hundred mile self supported point to point ride takes some planning and experience. Its easy to plan but getting that experience takes time and can be a painful process.

The temps started off in the low 30's and would be in the mid 60's when completed. So I went with some layers but the feet and the hands were the real challenge. For the hands I carried two pair of gloves but they were still really really cold for the first couple few hours. The feet I just went with my thickest pair of wool socks and no toe covers (dumb) they were cold to frozen for the first half of the ride.

I have let the gravel grinder soak in for a day and now I have a few after thoughts about this ride/event. The event part I will break down into a few parts. The job the NOSS group did planning, marketing and executing this event was top shelf.

The time they put into this event gathering sponsors and a charity to creating a great 100 mile route is massive especially the first time around. The job they did marking the route was another pleasant surprise. I thought I would be riding off a map all day long and that may have grown old.

Temp:70 Wind:Brutal Bike:Monster Cross

Visual - Tree's down on gale road, fire department manning the chainsaws, traffic backed up.

Auditory - The wind was just plain howling today. From the mp3 player the best of AC/DC [rock]

Sensory - I was pretty worn down today but surprisingly felt very good at times. Caught some heavenly wafts from Anthony's Pizza there bread sticks are awesome, I was instantly hungry.

Theater - A short ride today just out to the metro park for a lap and back. I got caught in the rain for the last hour of the ride. So the 5 days are up and this log is coming to a end, I am taking tomorrow off or maybe some yoga to stretch out the old bits. Totals for the 5 days 15:34 hours and 224.76 miles.

2:16 hours 33.87 miles

Duke

Temp:76 Wind:Gusty Bike:Monster Cross

Turtle Update - They were just hanging out eating sandwiches today.

Smooth move of the day - The Budman backing up his big rig so I could get by.

Visual - Let me paint the scene for you. You are riding alone, along a lonely stretch of road. When all the sudden a pickup truck full of coon traps pulls up next to you, the passengers side window comes down. Cue music phew...

Auditory - The kids where out of school today for one of those separation of church and state holidays. So there was laughter, some crying and mothers screaming. From the mp3 player some Talking Heads probably the best concert I have ever seen 1976 Pine Knob. [here]

Sensory - Just some pains in the hands, feet and gooch as the hours start to add up. Where is the teams gooch greaser - taint technician when you need him? [here]

Theater - Didn't really know what to expect today when I headed out. But I headed back to the gravel roads and the climbs. On the first out of the saddle climb I started to feel the pins and needles. I wondered if cramps where next. I kept up on the liquids but always had a dry mouth could have something do to with the dusty roads but think I have fallen behind on my hydration. Overall it was a good day in the saddle the wind gusts gave me all I could handle towards the end.

3:14 hours 45.61 miles

Duke