Originally Posted by Carbonfiberboy

Tire casing: "The main body of the tire exclusive of the tread , tube, etc." For road tires, you want no tread at all, IOW tires as smooth as a garden hose. They have the best traction on asphalt and concrete, wet or dry, and the lowest rolling resistance. They work OK on hard gravel. Road tire selection is pretty limited in 26". OTOH, tires for your weight are pretty limited in 700c, so I understand the builder's choice of 26". Do try those tires I mentioned before.

I've never had to take a crap on RR. Reduce the fiber in your meals prior to the ride and have coffee a couple hours before the ride. I use a 400 calorie liquid breakfast that day, 3 hours before the ride. I never eat any rest stop food except for a Coke and sandwich at the Deli Stop. You don't need more than ~250 calories/hour on the bike. You don't need any protein or fat at all on a ride that short, only carbs. A little of each is OK, but no more than 10%-15% of calories. Eat on the bike. Carry Clif bars with you. At each stop, open the packaging on maybe 3 bars and put them in your jersey pockets. When you take a bar out, break it into quarters. Eat 1/4 every 15 minutes. For a change, grab something else at a stop and put in a pocket, too. Use a 70 oz. plain Camelbak full of water. Refill at the stop before the park entrance, at Box Canyon, and the Deli Stop. Other than a pee at Eatonville, don't stop anywhere else. There's an hour and a half right there in this paragraph.

An Ortlieb large saddle bag will hold everything you'll need for RR and it's light and waterproof. If you run out of space, put something in one of your empty bottle cages.