Originally Posted by Hypno Toad

OP reporting back - it took until this morning (3 days later) to realize one thing I would have like with me on the bike - Wet Ones Singles. There's a couple times you wanted "wash up" ... you know, when you [unmentionable] on the road side.

I will recommend something my riding buddies didn't have that I was exceptionally happy to have, lens cleaner singles. We had misty fog for the first 8 hours, so the gravel dust covered your lens making vision a serious issue. It took us a couple hours to realize our lights needed cleaning too - that you could do with your just hands, but the lights would get dimmer by the mile as they we coated with dust.

The other thing I missed out on was managing battery life. My front lights were good, but left one on in day setting through the day and it was dead when dusk came in, plus my battery back up had given everything it had. I hit the finish line at 8:45 pm just as the daylight was waning, and I was riding with 3 others that had some form of front light working. If we'd be 30 minutes slower, I'd have been in trouble!

Otherwise, the gear I had on-bike and in the support car was great for me and my small 'team'. This is a unsupported ride with VERY little on-route stops for supplies. We had ONE town on route, and it was well placed in the heat of the afternoon to allow us to replenish hydration (and get some ice cream!!)

Here's a pic of me and my set up at checkpoint 3 - mile 185