Will, it's hard to add anything to what has already been said but I want to extend my sincere congratulations to you and your team.

The BMI is a rough guide only. Athletes cannot use it. You and I can probably not use it. Forget it. Look in the mirror. Do you see unwanted bulges? If not, lets be happy.

I use the Cat Eye Astrale 8 which is wired. It is reliable until it gets wet or damp. The contacts between the head and its mounting corrode and cause issues. A good cleaning of the contacts gets it back in business.

It is always good to hear from you Louis.
Will

Interesting bit of information I think:
Upon return from the tour I did nothing for three days. Just crashed.
I came out of my cave yesterday and went on a hike around our State Park. I did 3:30 hours at about 4 MPH. It is interesting to compare that effort of 14 mile fast hiking with 3:30 hours biking.
I can hike that time without additional food or water but cannot reasonably bike that time without having nutrition. I am comparing a 18 MPH bike ride on flats.
OTOH, I had aching joints and muscles from this hike the next morning. No such problems with biking.
Of course I am conditioned for biking and not hiking.
The HRM never reached 100 hiking. Biking produces about HRM 120.

After riding for just under 2 years, my wife and I decided to start walking and I couldn't believe how fast 5 miles went by.

Oh, just under 2 years and 8000 miles, that is.

Will asked me to post this:

The Artist Conrad Brazzel
Glendora, CA
Metal Sculpturer
did this free of charge to honour this man Darrel and his courageous wife Karen.
He tried to catch the essence of Darrel rushing from the NM Mountains to join his family and Grandchildren with the setting Sun from behind. And then the Sun did set. You may remember he died on this tour from unknown causes.
Best regards, Will Dehne

That sculpture is absolutely gorgeous. What a special honor. Glendora, the artist's home, is just a few miles away from us, I drive through it every day on my way to work.

Awesome. What a great tribute.

What an incredible and priceless piece of work. Had to wipe a tear or two away after studying it.

It is stunning. A beautiful tribute, and very nicely photographed. Thank you for sharing it with us.

Wow, talk about being creative, it's beautiful. Thanks for sharing.

Wow. That is really something.

A Final word of advise from our Tour Leader
PS: You don't have to be a Tour de France level rider to do this ride, but this particular ride is designed for ADVANCED riders. ABB provides rides to fit all ability levels, but don't select the "Fast" rides if you are not an accomplished cyclist. Some have chosen this ride just because it fits their schedule...big mistake if you are not extremely fit! I admire anyone who will challenge themselves and test their limits, but this ride covers large mileages everyday and if you cannot maintain the pace required to complete each day within limited time constraints, you not only do a disservice to yourself, but you also rob others of the vital support they paid for. If you want to enjoy this ride, you need to adhere to strict training standards and be able to withstand the stress of 100 miles plus everyday...in many cases in less than ideal conditions. Even the "easy" short days were tough this year...maybe some of the toughest days were the short ones. Under good conditions, if you cannot ride a century in 6 hours or less riding time without pushing your limits, then you should seriously consider one of the 50 day cross country rides or one of the other <30 day rides (the east coast, west coast, or the Mississippi River ride). You will be glad you did. Hope to see you on an ABB ride someday.

I just recieved this sculpture today in the mail from Conrad Brazzel. It is just spectacular! It looks even better than in the picture. What a great tribute to Darrell. It is my most prized possession. Conrad has a vision and is truely a great sculpturist. I have placed it on the wall above my piano and it is the first thing that you gaze at when you enter the room.
I would also like to thank the whole America by Bicycle Fast South group for their $1000 donation to the Summit Health Bike Club. Darrell and I were just developing this club and have over 90 members. The funds will be used to provide a bicycle safety course for its members.
I am most thankful for all the emotional support from the entire biking community. I will be back on the bike in the next couple of weeks...carrying on in Darrell's memory.
Thank-you
Karen

Thanks for sharing Karen, you are a courageous woman.

Hi Karen,
I will never forget the time we spend together looking at our pictures and the beginning of this Thread. I often look at the picture of you and Darrell as well as the picture of Darrell at the Texas State line in post 79 above. He looks like a kid with the Sun Lotion around his face and clearly he was very happy as he should be on such a glorious day.
That is how we remember you guy's.

A word why people like us do such a crazy thing. My wife is all over me for putting our relationship at risk. She is also asking WHY.
Well, here it is:
I am back to doing trainer routine as well as go tandem with my wife.
The trainer routine seems now a piece of cake compared to a murderous day on Chip-seal going up and down hills in AL and MS. I do a 50 mile routine at 17 MPH on a trainer and actually think it is easy.

I rest my case.

Hey Will, just out of curiosity, did you wear bib shorts on your ride. I've been reading so much about them, I cant wait until I get them.

I did wear PI shorts on the tour. No serious problems. I did get a light rash. I am speculating caused by improper sink washing and air drying.
Bibs are too much clothes for me.
On my regular Tandem rides I use non padded Hydro-Dry shorts. They work fine for 50 miles and get air to the vitals. For Centuries they are not adequate.