Almanzo 100

Last weekend I rode the Almanzo 100 - a hundred mile gravel road race.
I showed up not knowing what to expect. I assumed that with 70 entrants it would be a self paced ride, similar to the brevets I did last year to qualify for PBP.
It was, and I went with the lead group. Picking the lead group made it a race for me, or at least race pace. I haven't raced for 6 or 7 years, except for dabbling in a few TTs and the Chequamegon Fat Tire festival.
We rolled out in a big group and it was only about a mile until we hit gravel. Right away there was a fair sized hill and we started shedding people. I sat in with the leaders and within 5 miles we were down to 14 riders, then 12. The pace was quick for me, but I was happy to get some fast miles out of the way early. At about mile 20 one of the guys up front started throwing down, and shook four of us off. I thought we might work together, but that never happened. We all came off one at a time, and just didn't put it together to form any kind of chase. The leaders went up the road about a half mile and just stayed there.
At this point I was resigned to just doing my own thing for the next 75ish miles, but one of the guys I was with (I use the term loosely) got out of the saddle and hammered to go across the gap. At first I just watched him, but then I decided to go with him - it would be much easier riding in a group than strung out in a line with 10 feet between riders. So... I picked it up and got up to the lone chaser, and came around so he could catch on a take a break. And when I looked back he was gone. Long story short, I wasn't sure if I could do it, but I got on the rivet and eventually did catch on. I was tired, but it was indeed easier riding when I got back in the group.
...until the first sizeable hill. I swear my bike weighed in at around 35 lbs. I have not mentioned it, but Almanzo 100 is a self supported ride. On gravel. For 100 miles. A fair distance from home. In addition to my fairly heavy 29er mountain bike, I had a big ol' saddle bag with a few tubes, spare tire, clothes, pretty full tool complement, lights, and the usual
braunschwieger sammitches.
I hope that I couldn't climb with everyone else because they were all on road or light cross bikes with a tiny saddle bag that held a single tube. That's my story, and I'm sticking with it.

I came off on the next climb, and then went my own pace, just me the gravel, dogs, and wind.
Made a couple stops, one in Chatfield for some delicious chocolate milk, and another in Spring Valley for en equally good Starbucks drink in a can. On the way out from Chatfield I saw some other Almanzoers ahead of me. We eventually got together and ended up back in Rochester with a total time of 6:33.
The Jet 60c2 wheels on my Wyganowski were excellent. 23mm wide rims rule. Without them I never would have caught the leaders in my ill-fated run at glory. I ran 28mm conti Gatorskins, but next year I will probably let the air down to 90 or 85. I put 100lbs in them on friday afternoon, they probably had 99 in there on Saturday. A couple of those downhill sweeper corners we a little sketchy at that pressure.
I had a good ride, and plan to be back next year. Thanks Chris for organizing this awesome ride.