I enjoyed reading about your experience. You need to be psyched to set out to do a ride like that.
I did a similar ride about 2 weeks ago. Something called the Harlem Valley Ride.
It went through NY, Connecticut, Mass and back into NY.
75 miles with 5400 ft of climbing.
The weather changed on us during the last 25 miles.
Torrential rain, lightning, thunder and hail.
There was actually no good place to take cover and we just rode through it to a rest stop 5 miles before the finish.
We couldn't see and sometimes couldn't hear with hail pounding our helmets.
Wet brakes didn't help matters either when trying to slow down for a turn.
The only thing that kept me going through it was that "this is gonna make some helluva story .