All–

Hope you’re excited for the 600K this weekend! I rode in on Tues/Weds, and it’s a nice route. The weather looks dry for the most part, albeit a bit windy. Here is the latest on the proceedings this weekend:

1. I updated the cue sheet with a few minor changes that I noticed on the route regarding road signage and road conditions (much improved over prior years, especially in Clay County). There were no substantive changes to the route — it’s the same roads as the version that was posted on 4/16.

2. There is one major change to the info on the old cue sheet, which is that the Pack-a-Sack in Silver Springs now closes at 9:55pm (seriously, not 10pm!) instead of 11pm, which is what it had been for years. This means that if you are riding a pace where you will complete the first 400K in more than about 20 hours, you need to be thinking seriously about stopping in Salt Springs before those stores close at 11pm to ensure that you have sufficient food/water to ride the last 51 miles back to Tavares. If the Pack-a-Sack is closed for you, then there is NOTHING on route in that last 51 miles for services. Prepare for this!

3. Related to #2, it is possible to arrive in Salt Springs after 11pm — when everything there is closed — and to still finish the route on time. This would be a 400K time of approximately 23 hours. If you think that there is any possibility that you might be on that pace, you need to make sure that you leave Interlachen (78 miles to go) sufficiently supplied to ride all the way back to Tavares. Over the years, a few people have been in this position and they finished successfully because they were prepared for it. The short version is, keep an eye on your pace and your projected ETA in Tavares and make sure that you have sufficient supplies to make it back!

4. There was an error on the Events page indicating that the second day was the Swamp Rat. Oops. It’s not. The second day is down to Polk City and back. Sorry about that and thanks to Terry S. for pointing out the error!

5. Per usual, we’ll have food for you at the overnight (pulled pork!), but — also per usual — you will be totally on your own on the route. Please make sure that your bike and body are in tip-top condition and if you DNF, … remember that I’ll never leave anyone out there, but it may be many, many hours before I am able to do so and that your best plan of action is, by far, to call for a friend/significant other to help get you back to the start/finish.

6. Early check-in and bike check in the lobby from 6pm-7pm Friday. See you there!

-Paul