Hi Glenn, it sounds like a combination of too much flour and very little fermentation going on. Normally as your starter progresses it will become more acidic, which will cause the texture of the starter to slowly thin out after a feeding. If your starter hadn't reached that point yet and you were always adding a little extra flour with your feedings, that could have created a thicker, more rubbery consistency. 

With your next sourdough starter attempt, be sure to measure your flour carefully, by weigh, if possible. And remember that the all-purpose flour in our sourdough starter recipe calls for a "scant"( not quite full) cup of flour. If you're not seeing much activity you might want to try sticking your starter in a warmer spot (75-80F), which may help speed up the process. You could also try only feeding once a day until the starter begins to rise predictably (twice). At that point it's important to begin twice a day feedings, which will further promote yeast activity. 

I hope this helps! Please let us know if you have further questions or concerns. 

Barb

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