I did the 100 mile route. Two years ago I did the 100k route and really liked it. However, the 100 mile route started out with LOTS of crappy pavement. One person in my party went down before the first rest stop and had to go home and go to urgent care (no broken bones, fortunately). At least one person went down at the bottom of a hill (requiring ambulance response), I think it was Green Valley Road. My husband has done this ride three years in a row and said someone has gone down there every time he's done it.

I don't intend to do this ride again (not the 100 mile option, anyway). The pavement was just too bad. If you are riding alone you can pick your line better, but there wasn't even really a good line to pick in many parts. Riding that bad a surface with 2000 other riders is just a recipe for disaster, in my opinion. Also, it beats you up a lot, which I find unneccessary because I can ride a perfectly fun 100 mile ride right out my front door without getting all beat up. Add to that a 2 hour drive each way, and it isn't worth it.

However, the weather was beautiful and all the participants seemed really nice! I had a great time in spite of the pavement, and the support was excellent (although I didn't really care for the food at the end).

Jenn