Originally Posted by
dstrong
Pretty different than years past. A lot more mileage to the west for the 100 mile route. Looking at the combined map online, I'm not sure I get the bail-out route from Hell's Gate...it looks to me that you'll be riding back "against" the route once you connect back up...granted, no riders should be coming from the start by then but it better be well marked so that people don't end up jumping onto the shorter routes and end up making it a lot longer!
I just looked at the maps and I agree about the bail-out route. In fact it isn't even clear how it gets back through Iowa Park and on to Wichita Falls. If they are going backwards down business 287 that isn't good unless they close the road completely and that isn't good either. Going west on 287 after the start isn't so bad because they close the road and have enough riders filling the road that cars won't mess with cyclists, but people on the bailout route will be trickling along over a long time period and moving slowly which isn't compatible with traffic.
The extra part of the 100 mile route to the southwest of Electra is pretty desolate country. I won't be riding the 100 mile route but I might drive that road the next time I'm up there just to see what it's like.