Stoked to have snuck out of a whirlwind @ruleofthree.bike Bentonville weekend with the🥇in the 200-mile category! Got all my bad luck out of the way in the first 1/3... - 3 flat tires (4 holes!) that necessitated ALL of my tire plugs and CO2s - 1 frozen bike computer - multiple chain drops - 1 over-the-handlebar self ejection after drilling a stump while exiting an 11-mile stretch of singletrack After sorting my double flat at mile 70, my goal became to just FINISH. Now with 4 total sidewall holes, I had to be extra cautious with my line choices and speeds on chunky descents and singletrack. I was alone in front, but I was sure I'd be caught. Indeed, I was caught as I rolled into our first town - and resupply opportunity - at mile 91. After filling bottles, Alexey and I rode off into the night again. We spent the next couple of hours together, but by mile 115 I'd dropped him again on a climb. I'd be alone again until the finish. Sunrise was THE highlight...vivid oranges and yellows yielded cotton candy pinks and blues in the sky as I rode along a glorious stretch of pavement, entirely alone. I locked eyes with a huge owl on a fence post that took flight over me as I rode past. THIS is why I love rides like these. After checking the leaderboard on my phone just past mile 185, I saw that I was now over 10 miles up from second place. Thus, I soft pedaled the final few miles back to town...most of which were more singletrack. I cruised into the finish just as Saturday's 50mile racers were starting their own adventure. Job, done. Couldn't be more excited with how the @mootscycles Routt RSL handled our first true adventure ride together - a 200 mile blend of every surface type imaginable (including 30 miles of singletrack!). Im no stranger to ultra rides, but I walked out of this one feeling far less physically beat up than what Im used to! Big thanks to @andychasteen and the Rule of 3 crew for putting on a top notch event...one that boasts big numbers but retains a grass roots gravel community vibe. Further thanks to those who help me take on challenges like these! 👉 @giordanacycling @fullcycleboulder @addra_protein_bars @mootscycles