Hotter 'n' Hell

[Kvixen23]

Are any of you going to ride in HHH this year?? It's next weekend, Aug 22 - 24. It will be my first century ride and I am trying to convince my husband to go with me. He's skeptical that he can do it but I'm certain that we can at least give it a go....No shame in not finishing if it's our first time (right:confused:)!!

If anyone is going to be out there, be safe and have fun!! I'll give it my best effort and will post on how well I do after I recover :)

[Angy]

Good luck!!! Have fun! Hope it's not too hot! Wait are you actually riding through Hell? I used to live in Michigan and there is a little town called Hell. Always got a kick out of driving through it.

Sorry haven't read up on HHH, so not sure where it is being held.

[Smilie]

Have a fabulous ride! I am sure you and your husband will do just fine. Hope it cools down in Hell for your ride. :D

[Kvixen23]

It's in Wichita Falls Texas. It's not Hell but it will be hot!! I'll drive down the night before and camp out (Yes!! In a tent, in the sweltering heat!!). I'm really looking forward to it. My friend, a long time cyclist has done it before and loved it. She also told me that it is really well supported. So, I don't expect to run into any problems....

[BabyBlueNTulsa]

K - Hope it isn't a blistering heat like it was in 2006. That 25th anniversary year ride was an organizer's worst nightmare (had to be). They had to close Hell's Gate 90min early because of the rising heat index. Since it was the 25th Anniversary, people all came out of the woodwork for it - there were way more people signing up the day/night before than they had bargained for. I think somewhere around 12,000 people were on the start line that year (me included). It took me nearly an HOUR to even get past the starting line. Talk about an awful situation..weather, the number of riders, the lack of enough supplies (ie: ice, water, gatorade, snacks - everything). I did not make Hell's Gate due to the starting line fiasco AND b/c it closed 90 min early. By the time I crossed the finish with my disappointing 75-77(?) miles, it was 107 and WINDY!
Some of my friends who got through the gate told me the rest stops ran out of ice and water! I ran into some of that before the gate (lack of ice and gatorade, no food)...but couldn't imagine being stuck out on the 100mile route and not have ice/water... GAWD!
I saw a lot of folks both seasoned and non-seasoned (should not have been out at all) go down on the road and at the rest stops. It was scary.

Because of that year, it'll take me a long while before I'll go back to HHH.

I can't imagine that this year will near match my horror story...but I will be putting in a little prayer for ya - just in case! :)

My best memory of 2006 (besides finishing) was the valet parking at one of the rest stops. What a great idea... they had students out by the road serving as bike stewards. So..we didn't have to lay our bikes down in the brown grass or dirt. ;) The kids did a great job holding the bikes and/or fetching anything we needed (and still had). ;)

P.S. I'd done HHH 2x before (1996-1997) and it was GREAT!!

[TxDoc]

Enjoy your ride!!!
I will be on-call so I cannot go... :(

[denda]

This will be our 4th year. We have never had any problems with them running out of water, ice maybe, but not water. The weather forecast looks like it will not be a scorcher this year, Yea! We have never had a problem getting started. Just get there early and get toward the front. We barely missed Hell's Gate in 2006 because they closed it so early! I was not happy! It didn't feel that hot to me.
Have fun and be safe!

[IFjane]

Best of luck, Krista! You will do fine - it doesn't matter how far you ride or how long it takes you - just go and have fun.

Remember how hot and humid it was in Baltimore? It WON'T be like that ;)

Post a ride report after you get back! -jane

[TexasMermaid]

post bump - 4 days and counting!

Planning to be there with 3 boot camp buds - a girl power weekend! We're going to do the 50 as only one of us has done enough time in the saddle to attempt the 100. We're just looking forward to the excitement of the event, riding together, and the unusually low fore-casted temps! Should be awesome this year.

I'm planning to wear an Amici Veloci jersey, so stop me and say 'howdy' if you see me!

~ Jennifer

[Tiffany]

My girlfriend and I will be there. Neither of us have ridden the ride before so we're really looking forward to the experience. I have lots of century rides under my belt but this will be her first. She's more than ready though so she'll be fine.

I do have a question though - how early do you get to the start in order to get a decent place in line?

[chicago]

I saw a Hotter'n'Hell jersey this past weekend in Dodgeville, WI... at the Dairyland Dare. I'd like to make it down to TX one day to do a ride like this... sounds like a blast:D

[kenyonchris]

My husband and I will be there! Me doing metric century, and him doing the full 100. I am going to go out with him but I am sure will stick to the metric.
Last year it was relatively cool...here is hoping for that this year too....and calm winds. A couple of guys from my department will also be there, but I am sure will go much faster. I average 14-15 mph which is fine but slow for them.
I will be wearing a goldfish Sugoi jersey on black and gold Specialized Ruby Expert. Say HI!

[BabyBlueNTulsa]

My girlfriend and I will be there. Neither of us have ridden the ride before so we're really looking forward to the experience. I have lots of century rides under my belt but this will be her first. She's more than ready though so she'll be fine.

I do have a question though - how early do you get to the start in order to get a decent place in line?

Tiff - I'd start heading down there before sun-up! Seriously! If you don't get as close to the front as you can, you'll be waiting a LONG time to cross the start line. That can mean the difference between getting through Hell's Gate or not.

Can't wait to hear everyone's ride report!!!

[Kvixen23]

What am I going to do...??? I want so badly to go down there this weekend and ride. However, I woke up Sunday morning with pain in my right ankle. I don't remember hurting it at all...??? The most strenuous thing I did saturday was vacuum my 5' by 7' carpet!!!! I finally went to the doctor Sunday night and he said it was tendonitis after touching it 2 times and asking if it hurt (:confused:). Thanks for your time, here's my credit card.......My ankle is still swollen and sore (Monday night).

Any ideas out there as to what I can do to be prepared to ride Saturday?? I'm really bummed just thinking about having to miss and reading all of the posts from you guys.......:mad:

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Kvixen23]

The right one looks like there is a tennis ball in there....:(

The red line across the left from a hemp anklet that wear. I had that leg under my other leg b/f taking the photos for you all to enjoy!!!:p

It's kind of hard to tell from the photos but my ankle is deformed and I have limited mobility at the moment.....

[BabyBlueNTulsa]

OMG is right! Woo-wee, girlie! Yikes.

I have no idea what you could have done - but you could start healing (?) by keeping that ankle raised..put some ice on / around it, and taking ibuprofen. Try to walk as little as possible on it. You don't need to ride any more this week anyway since you should be tapering before the ride.

Do you have any compression bandages? (ace?)...

Remember RICE - rest ice compression elevation

Keeping my fingers crossed for ya!! Its possible you could heal up and be fine! Maybe even super-fine!

[Kvixen23]

I've been at home since one o'clock rice'ing!!! It's making me crazy....I hate sitting still. I haven't been on the bike and have no plans to return until the swelling has gone and I have mobility back......

I'm sooooo saaaad right now :(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(:(

[BabyBlueNTulsa]

Try NOT to be sad, girl. Emotions and where-your-head's-at can affect your health! Think positive thoughts...and if need-be... THREATEN that blasted ankle of yours!

"YOU BETTER heal, Ms THANG!"

[Tiffany]

Tiff - I'd start heading down there before sun-up! Seriously! If you don't get as close to the front as you can, you'll be waiting a LONG time to cross the start line. That can mean the difference between getting through Hell's Gate or not.

Can't wait to hear everyone's ride report!!!
Great advice - Thanks a ton. We do want to make Hell's Gate so we'll be sure to head up early. When you say before sun up, do you mean like 5:30 or 6:00? Just want to be certain - I don't want to get there late and then be worried for the first 65 miles that we aren't going to make Hell's Gate.

[KSH]

Tiff - I'd start heading down there before sun-up! Seriously! If you don't get as close to the front as you can, you'll be waiting a LONG time to cross the start line. That can mean the difference between getting through Hell's Gate or not.

Can't wait to hear everyone's ride report!!!

Great advice! I didn't know this and it took us ONE HOUR to get off the start line. The closed Hell's Gate an hour early, and we didn't make it in time.

[li10up]

The ride starts at sunrise so you kind of HAVE to be there before then. I think they solved the problem of the start. Last year it only took 10 minutes for us to start moving. The reason it's so slow (IMO) is because too many inexperienced riders go to the front hoping to get a "head start" and end up slowing down the more experienced riders. I wish everyone would start in the group that matches their abilities. That being said, even though it only took 10 minutes for us to start moving we still had to "skateboard" our bikes for several minutes before we could actually clip in and start pedaling.

Something else to watch out for. This goes back to inexperienced riders being in the wrong group...seems like every little incline we went up the pace almost came to a halt. There were several times I thought I was going to have to unclip for just a small rise....so be prepared for that.

The first 20 miles or so is really nerve wracking. You are shoulder to shoulder the whole way. It gets better after the 100 mile/100k split.

Good luck to everyone riding this year. Be safe! I can't wait 'till Saturday!!!

[BabyBlueNTulsa]

I'd get down there no later than 5:30. At least be in the area and ready to move into line. Take breakfast in hand if you must...but get down there.

O-Dark Thirty is a good way to remember it. :P

I'm getting excited for you guys! Hope its a good and FUN ride this year!

[denda]

We always get in line about 6:30am and have never had any problems getting started. My husband and I will be wearing TEXAS TECH jerseys. Have fun.

[PscyclePath]

The century ride starts at about ten minutes after 7:00 a.m. according to the flyer... so I plan to line up with the "Keepers" around 6:30ish or so, depending on when I can roust the rest of the ABC team out of the rack and out to the line...

May be the Wetter 'n Whatever more than the Hotter 'n Hell this year if the weather hold out...

Tom