Day 1

I woke up with my sore throat still very much intact. I say I woke up. I didn't really sleep. I rode the first 47 miles through the worst of the hills despite feeling pretty debilitated, but then was forced to SAG to the next rest stop to refuel adequately and get enough rest to try to keep up with the other guys. I wouldn't have expected the sore throat to affect me that much, but it did. I started riding again and with some help drafting on others was able to finish. I only rode 95 miles instead of 115, but I was pleased to be able to do that much after the sore throat.
I also had a puncture, running over a staple that perforated the tire and tube pretty thoroughly. So the ride remains challenging, but we all keep soldiering on. There's a good spirit of cooperation and mutual help among the riders