Yes - I rode the ride that year & had a lot of trouble clipping out of my pedals as well! I remember trying to stop at one of the breakpoints & not being able to get out of the pedals until a couple of blocks past it ... which meant, no break for me.

You're right ... the countryside out there is really beautiful. We sometimes ride out that way from Zube Park. The route includes several distances from 25 up to about 60 miles.