http://www.ouachitachallenge.com/course/images/big_racemap08.jpg

Did the Ouachita Challenge, 60 mile loop. Well, it was condensed to a 54 mile route, due to all the rain and flooding of a river.
Dave, Carlos, Shaun, Leslie, Patti, and Bonnie(and myself) all competed in the 60 mile race, and Magan did the duty of feeding us all.

It started off on some miles of road. Easy. I sat top 5 most of the time, and on the first steep gravel road, I got a gap by just riding my pace. I knew I had legs then, so I just needed to not screw it up by doing something stupid.
So, the first thing I do is almost get in a wreck, with the Trek guy who braked to get in the trail that nobody knew was there. I literitly T-Boned this guy because of a late brake action from about 30 guys in the lead.
Dave was up there, riding strong. And I went from 5th, passed Dave, to 4th. Guy had a mechanical and moved to 3rd. Then the guy leading missed a shift, and broke a spoke, which let Trek guy get a 20 second gap, and held me behind him. A couple of miles later, he pulled over because something wasn't working right, and I moved into 2nd.
2 guys were on my tail and I bridged up to the leader.
Perfect timing as we hit the bottom, and crossed a bunch of creeks, and was some flat trails. I noticed I was carrying much more speed with the Superfly that the Trek guys Fuel, and did a quick pass to take 1st. Around 15miles in I'd guess. I quickly built up a 20 second lead. Then had a PePe, and stopped to tighten my front skewer. But to my surprise, nobody caught me. So my lead was around 10 seconds(I'm estimating these, could be more, could be less). I pass a few 80 mile guys, and do some passes in the woods. I soon lose sight of the chase group.
Feed station number 1. I'm heading right, and Magan thankfully gets me to go left, for a quick feed and a 6 mile road section. 44X11 in a TT position and I make quick work like Fabian Cancellara, and can't even see the 5 man group behind(which Dave was apart of). So I knew I had a good lead.
I hit more trails, and was feeling good. Yada Yada Yada.
Then the back section, a LOOOOONG climb and some rocky sections, and I was hurting, walking, and zoning out. Did a big switchback loop, and I was almost at the top, and heard two guys about 300 meters down the mountain hitting some of the rock gardens. It was probably around 4-5minute lead as they'd have to not only climb that 300 meters, but also ride the loop around and ride the technical parts too. I got unzoned, and hit some gas.
I had no clue where I was and it felt like 50 miles already, so I kept saying right over this hill....ok, right over 'this' hill......no, well then it has to be right over THIS hill!
Then I saw a photographer, on foot. So I was kinda close. Then I hit feed station 4. Magan tells me I have about 15 miles to go, and I take my last water bottle. I ride the next section with some old Wink style flava. I shread the downhills, and used some skills that I used to throw out.
FINALLY, I pop out of the single track. Get my last zip tie tag. And the guy says, go down the gravel road for about 6 miles. And you'll stay to the left, and take the left on the highway, which will take you to the finish.

Now, if you check out the map this is the furthest left on the top, heading back towards the start finish. I'm about where the little biker dude is. So I ride. Thinking, 6 miles? Then a few more miles on pave? No worries, just ride, and you'll be there.
Well, check the map out again, and after the biker dude, you can see a split in the road, where the blue/yellow dots go right and another road goes left. I take the left. All the way to Brushy road, the next right. And then to a course marshel close to the red lightening bolt(to stop people from going down this way and cutting it short). He tells me which way would get me to the finish fastest, and I turn around.
I'm almost at Brushy creek road, and see Dave and another dude going the route I took. I tell them to turn around and we ride that Brushy Rd(which isn't part of the course) in the headwind all the way to the finish.
We came up from behind the finish and had to do a U Turn to 'finish'.
I got 3rd. Dave 4th. Carlos did good and did it in under 6 hours. Shaun flatted, and still finished with NO training. Leslie got 2nd. Patti got 3rd. Bonnie was still out when we left.

Now the guys who got 1st and 2nd, knew that I was 5 minutes up, and was asking what they'd get for 2nd/3rd. But were informed that they had won/2nd. The organizers knew something went wrong. We discussed and for a 2nd time this year was awarded a "co-1st". I know I could've won, and some guy asked Magan: "if he was lost why didn't he just turn around"....well DUH, I didn't know I went the wrong way! I guess next time I'll just stop at a point like that, wait on the next guys, and then outsprint them? Then I'd probably go the wrong way again, and get screwed because I waited.....ah, my life....what a shame.