Originally Posted by Podagrower

So, a week after I tell my wife i'm not doing TDC this year, we have C/A riders talking about it. Last year was fun, but I realized around mile 45 that doing it solo was wrong. Matt, are you looking into doing it with a group from Florida Freewheelers? If there's already 2 clydes going, I may have lied to my wife.

Here's what I learned last year: Blow the first rest stop (I think this applies to most supported rides), it's too close to the start and if you need food or water this early, you may be in trouble. There wer 50 people waiting to use the port o lets at the first rest stop, and 1/2 mile up the road was several public restrooms with no lines, eat and ride at this point, you'll be ahead. Drafting with a pack is awesome, you can easily pick up a couple of MPH. Work on the hills, not there is much for hills on the route, but I still talk about blowing the doors off that scrawny chick headed up the one long hill. The last 10 miles sucked, I had only drafted to the first rest stop, then rode solo the rest of the route, and was worn out when I got to the end, hopefully a more comfortable bike and more pounds lost will make it better this year (already using words that indicate I'm going).