Gtjojo189 wrote:
Try to start at the front if you are a decent rider. I did it for the first time last year and it took a little while for things to spread out. Probably 15-20 miles. The first 10 rolled but was steep and bikes were probably 3-5 wide. On the downhills it seemed some would coast on the downhills then on the uphill they would be in their big ring and not be able to shift out quick enough and swerve and cause or come close to causing a crash.
Thanks for that tip. I hadn't really thought much about where to start in the pack. I do recall seeing photos of the start and there being a sea of riders (2,500 or so?). I'm a decent rider (ambitiously shooting for around 6-hrs). It would probably be smart to try to get some room around me before the first big descent to try and stay out of trouble.