Todays 83-ish mile day was moving along quite nicely until right after lunch when the route mapped out for us took us onto a gavel covered tar road for about 10 miles. Dan and I were out front, having left early from lunch, and biked 3 miles on that road accumulating what probably came out to a pound of rocks and tar on each tire plus whatever splattered on the bike. Dan got a couple pictures of the bikes at the end of our 3 miles (I'll try to get copies and post them tomorrow). The guys directly behind us were smarter and only went a half mile in before realizing the situation and turning around. The rest of the team at the back ended up not even having to deal with it, and just going around completely.
I ended up getting to the church at about 4 and spent the next 2 and a half hours cleaning bikes. I ended up learning something new in the process: gasoline is an excellent cleaning agent for getting tar removed from pretty much anything. From bike tires to frames to skin. I'll have to keep that tidbit filed away for the future. Though it's getting expensive....
The hospitality of our hosts in the cleaning process was just astounding, though. The found old t-shirts for us to use as rags, gasoline to clean with, soap and water to rinse everything off with, a hose (and spigot). They offered several time to run and get other cleaners and this that and the other thing. Then, after all that cleaning, we of course smelled like gasoline and they still sat with us for dinner! Thanks to all those who were part of the team that got our bike cleaned, provided food, spent time with us, etc. I have really appreciated it!
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