"How the heck did you ride with saddle sores for 4 days? Your determination and will are definitely a lot stronger than mine! Kudos to you!"

Nah, the medical staff is amazing, I can't say enough about the entire crew.

I think it was day four i could not find a comfy spot on the bike so I swallowed my pride (your inhibitions just kinda go after the first day of camping with that many people) and went to the medical tent. The nice doctor patched me up with a special kind of gauze patch. They even had a special saddle sore van that cruised the route that you could pop into and they'd fix you up. Didn't hurt at all again till day 7

but ounce of prevention worth a pound of cure...if I do this again...7 pairs brand new Pearl Izumi or greater. Not last years shorts that still seem ok, this years shorts I got on sale....I think it was not the saddle's fault, Avocet OS 2, the bike fit fine, only a little shoulder soreness and one knee feels stiff but other than that I feel ok. Not shabby for 4F (fat, forty eight, female, first time rider)

Day one some laughed at the recumbents, day 7 they looked like the way to go