I've done this ride many times and will be doing it again this year, and it is really a lot of fun. It's one of my favorite weekend rides.

Just an FYI about the dorms - I have a couple of friends who decided to stay in the dorms one year, and after one night they were looking for a motel to stay in. I can't remember what the problem was, but they are used to staying in spartan facilities. They frequently travel and stay at youth hostels.