I've done GRABAAWR four times. Great ride - uniformly good scenery & roads. There are probably only a handful of 500 mile rides in the country that can compete in that regard. The bus ride up north is a bit tedious, but the buses are 1st class and besides it's all downhill after that. For what it's worth, here are my recommendations, bring a tent, air mattress & pillow (if the weather is threatening or super hot, you can always go inside), don't take the meal plan (local eateries are plentiful and provide variety and the chance to interact with the locals) and lastly, don't ride too fast -- it's the journey, not the destination (and besides if you get in too early, you have to help unload the luggage truck). The years I've gone, they have had 400-500 riders, which they seem to be able to handle well. They average age tends to skew a little old, but I notice this year, they are trying to get some "young blood", which is a great idea. I'm 57 and I would rate the ride moderately challenging and generally prefer it to the easier SAGBRAW routes